This article explores password spraying attacks, explaining their methods and potential harm. It also highlights key methods to strengthen your protection against these threats.
How a password spraying attack works
How to prevent password spraying attacks
How Proton Pass can help
What is password spraying?
Password spraying is a type of brute-force attack(new oman phone number data window)where a cybercriminal tries one password on multiple usernames or email addresses, then tries another password, and continues this process. It takes a different approach from traditional brute-force attacks that test multiple passwords against a single username or email address.
The goal of a password spraying attack is to find a weak security link without drawing attention to itself. It does so by balancing efficiency and stealth: selecting likely passwords and using automated tools to test them while avoiding rapid, repeated login attempts that could trigger security alerts.
Microsoft experienced a password spraying attack(new window)on corporate email accounts in January 2024.
How a password spraying attack works
Here's how a cybercriminal carries out a password spraying attack:
1. Collecting usernames
The attacker gets started by gathering a list of usernames, email addresses, or other identifiers for the accounts associated with the targeted organization or service. These can be obtained through various means, such as phishing campaigns(new window), data breaches, social engineering, or scraping public information from the web.