
This is why highly privileged credentials are the most important of all credentials to protect. When a compromised account has privileges, the threat actor can easily circumvent other security controls, perform lateral movement, and crack other passwords. Forrester Research has estimated that compromised privileged credentials are involved in about 80% of breaches. Passwords are typically paired with a username or other mechanism to provide proof of identity.Ĭredentials are involved in most breaches today. Credentials can also be stolen via other tactics, such as by memory-scraping malware, and tools like Redline password stealer, which has been part of the attack chain in the recent, high-profile Lapsus$ ransomware attacks.Ī password can refer to any string of characters or secret to authenticate an authorized user to a resource.

These password cracking tools may be referred to as ‘password crackers’.

Password hacking uses a variety of programmatic techniques and automation using specialized tools.

Password cracking (also called, password hacking) is an attack vector that involves hackers attempting to crack or determine a password.
