How Hackers Steal Passwords: 5 Attack Methods Explained

Summary

In this video, the focus is on how attackers use various techniques to hack passwords, including guessing, harvesting, cracking, spraying, and stuffing. These methods range from guessing based on personal knowledge to using keyloggers, phishing, or cracking hashed password databases. The video highlights preventive measures such as using password managers, multi-factor authentication, and rate limiting, while also discussing detection strategies like tracking failed login attempts and response actions like blocking suspicious IPs or disabling compromised accounts. The goal is to educate users on protecting their accounts from common password attacks.

Takeaways

• 😀 Stolen, misused, or compromised credentials are the most common method of cyberattacks, according to IBM and X-Force Threat Intelligence Index.
• 😀 The five main methods attackers use to gain access to systems are: guessing, harvesting, cracking, spraying, and stuffing.
• 😀 Password guessing involves attempting to log in based on known personal information, like sticky notes or previously leaked password databases.
• 😀 Harvesting involves attackers using malware like keyloggers or phishing to capture login credentials directly from the victim's system.
• 😀 Cracking involves obtaining a hashed password database and attempting to reverse the encryption to reveal the original passwords, often through brute force or precompiled password lists.
• 😀 Password spraying involves using a common password and trying it across multiple accounts, avoiding detection by avoiding multiple failed attempts on the same account.
• 😀 Credential stuffing is similar to password spraying, but it involves using the same credentials across different systems, often exploiting previously leaked passwords.
• 😀 Prevention techniques include testing password strength, encouraging the use of complex, long passwords, and using password managers to keep track of unique credentials.
• 😀 Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds another layer of security, requiring something the user knows, something they are, or something they have.
• 😀 Rate limiting can be used to prevent attackers from flooding systems with login attempts, thereby detecting and mitigating brute force attacks.
• 😀 Detection methods include looking for patterns like multiple failures over time or across accounts, which can signal an ongoing attack like password spraying.
• 😀 Response strategies involve blocking suspicious IP addresses, disabling compromised accounts, and forcing password changes to limit the damage from a breach.

Q & A

What is the most common attack type for stealing credentials?

Stolen, misused, or otherwise compromised credentials are the number one attack type according to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report and the X-Force Threat Intelligence Index.

What are the five different approaches attackers use to hack passwords?

The five approaches are guessing, harvesting, cracking, spraying, and stuffing.

How does password guessing work?

Password guessing involves the attacker trying to make an educated guess about the victim's password, potentially based on information they know about the individual, such as sticky notes on a laptop or a previously breached password database.

What is the role of the 'three strikes and you're out' policy in password security?

The 'three strikes' policy is designed to limit the number of incorrect login attempts, preventing attackers from endlessly guessing passwords. After three incorrect attempts, the account is usually locked out to thwart further guessing.

What is a keylogger and how does it relate to password harvesting?

A keylogger is a type of malware that records everything typed on a system, including passwords, and sends this information to the attacker. It's a method of harvesting credentials without needing to guess them.

How do phishing attacks help in password harvesting?

In a phishing attack, the victim is tricked into entering their credentials into a fake website, which then captures the password and sends it to the attacker.

What does the process of password cracking involve?

Password cracking involves extracting a password database, which is often hashed. The attacker then uses methods like dictionary attacks or brute force to guess the original password by comparing hashes.

How does password spraying differ from other password attack methods?

Password spraying involves trying the same password across multiple accounts within a system, rather than targeting a single account with multiple password guesses. This method avoids detection and the 'three strikes' lockout policy.

What is credential stuffing and how is it similar to password spraying?

Credential stuffing is similar to password spraying but is performed across different systems rather than multiple accounts within one system. It leverages previously exposed password data to attempt logins on various platforms.

What are some effective prevention measures to stop attackers from stealing passwords?

Prevention measures include using password complexity checks, encouraging longer passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), using password managers, and employing rate limiting to prevent brute-force login attempts.

How can multi-factor authentication (MFA) help prevent password-based attacks?

MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring something beyond just the password—like a code sent to your phone or biometric authentication—making it harder for attackers to gain access even if they know the password.