Credential stuffing is a form of a brute force cyber-attack where cyber criminals use a software to automatically inject a user’s already leaked credentials into hundreds of other sites to try and compromise these accounts too. This is one of the most common and efficient techniques for cyber criminals because a lot of people use the same password for all of their accounts.
The Steps of Credential Stuffing
1. The attacker finds leaked usernames or emails and their matching passwords, usually on the dark web. This information can be obtained from website breaches, phishing attacks, or password dump sites.
2. The attacker then plugs the acquired credentials into an automated tool to test the stolen credentials against many other websites, such as social media sites, online marketplaces, or web apps.
3. All of the successful log-ins are reported and the attacker then has access to possibly multiple accounts.
Once an attacker has access many things can be done, including but not limited to the following:
1. Drain stolen accounts with stored value or make purchases.
2. Access sensitive information such as private messages, pictures, documents or even credit card information.
3. Use the account to send phishing messages or spam.
4. Sell the known and valid credentials of compromised sites to other attackers for them to use.
Defense Against Credential Stuffing
There are two simple steps to completely prevent credential stuffing:
1. Never reuse the same set of credentials, always use a different password if you are using the same email or username. Make sure the emails you are using follow the guidelines of a good password. Use a password manager to keep up with all the unique passwords you create, it may seem like a lot of work but it will definitely pay off.
2. Always use multi-factor authentication if it is available. Multi-factor or two-factor authentication assures that the attacker can’t gain access to an account with just one password. Depending on how you set it up they may need access to your email or phone number as well, greatly increasing your security.
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