Watch out for Password Spraying Attacks…

by

August 13, 2019

The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a warning to Network Administrators regarding an increase in Password Spraying attacks.

What is a Password Spraying Attack?

Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s a brute-force style attack where a would-be attacker literally sprays passwords at a user accounts until one sticks.

By using one password at a time across multiple accounts the attacker is usually able to remain undetected.

Typical Targets

Attackers go after a wide array of targets including, but not limited to:

  • Webmail
  • Remote Desktop Software
  • Active Directory Federated Services
  • Cloud Services (i.e. Office365)

What to Look For

  • A high number of authentication attempts within a set period of time
  • Large numbers of bad usernames
  • High number of account lockouts within a set period of time

How to Stop a Password Spraying Attack

  • Implement multifactor authentication
  • Use complex passwords
  • Implement a strong password reset policy
  • Increase alerting and monitoring

Like our blog? Subscribe using the CTA in the upper right hand corner of this page. Feel like sharing your thoughts with us? Use the comment section below.

Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter

Carl Keyser is a Digital Marketing Specialist at Integris.

Keep reading

How the Best IT Companies in Minnesota Support the Hybrid Workforce

How the Best IT Companies in Minnesota Support the Hybrid Workforce

After the initial shutdowns and stay-at-home orders lifted following COVID-19, workers throughout the United States and Minnesota decided that the work-from-home model was here to stay. It makes sense -- working from home offers a lot of convenience to your team – and...