Credential Stuffing: How To Detect And Prevent It

One of the cyber crimes is collecting passwords and usernames by attackers to try them in an account to see whether they will access the account. Once any of the credentials access an account, they can use that to carry out many unauthorized activities referred to as credential stuffing in cybersecurity. They also consider that some of the users may be using the same passwords in different accounts, and once they access one account, they will also be able to access numerous others.

There are several lists of stolen credentials in the market, thus increasing credential stuffing crime. Also, criminals are combining the login attempt to use bots to improve the attack on various accounts. The fact that individuals use similar passwords makes the attackers very successful. All they need is to succeed in one account and can access all the others that use similar login credentials. That makes it very easy for fraudsters and criminals to manage account takeover with ease.

With the increase in cybercrimes and more so on credential stuffing attacks, organizations must learn how to deal with the crimes. Here are the best ways to detect, prevent, and block credential stuffing attacks on your organization.

1. Stop the Use of Similar Login Credentials

In some organizations, one individual may have more than one account with, some users controlling tens of accounts. The use of unique passwords for each of the accounts effectively minimizes hackers and blocks them from accessing more than one account. Even when attackers manage to gain access to one of them, they cannot use the same login details to access any other account.

That is when the users use different login details to different accounts. You can create and keep unique and sophisticated passwords with no need for cramming all of them. Technology can help you store numerous passwords for all the accounts that you use without the need to memorize them.

It is dangerous to use the same passwords for various accounts because that exposes the accounts to credential stuffing. All the criminals need is to use the try and error method or steal one password and use it for the rest of the accounts.

2. Monitor Your Login Attempts

It will be important to configure login alerts to help you monitor how many times different users attempt to login into various accounts. In most cases, when the right user is logging into a legit account, they are not likely to try more than three times. Therefore when you notice several login attempts in one account, it should trigger you to think about criminal activity. Also, when you see several versions being tried simultaneously, you should know that there is something fishy going on with the accounts.

The rate of successful login with criminals is very low, almost below one percent, and that should make you want to launch some investigations into the particular account or account under attempted logins. Hiring someone like this IT support company in Calgary could help you as the business owner to stream all the logins to you so that you can monitor them and see when unauthorized users try several login attempts.

3. The Use of Biometric Login System

One of the easiest ways of keeping attackers from accessing your accounts is by creating login systems using fingerprints. The old version of asking the users private questions like their mother’s maiden name, among others is becoming less protective. The cybercriminal will not know such answers. However, there are certain times the criminal can gain such personal information depending on their relationship with the legitimate user.

Another way of blocking the wrong access to accounts is by using the registered device of the account owner to send information to authenticate the validity of the user. However, not all devices have such capability, and that can delay the authentication. That leaves the biometric login system as the only effective method to block credential stuffing attackers in your organization.

4. Use a Web Application Firewall

A reliable web application firewall should help you detect any abnormal traffic from malicious bots or botnet attacks. The best thing about this method is that it can help you see any malicious login attempts. It will show you when there are numerous sudden login attempts. It is also an effective way of preventing data breaches and a good way of noticing any possible web attacks.

When not blocked, criminals can use bots to access online accounts or e-commerce stores, and other sites and take over the accounts. If legitimate websites use the same passwords to various websites, the criminals can access one of the accounts through the try and error method. If they gain access to one report, they will use those credentials to access many others for anyone who uses the same passwords for several accounts.

5. Use Multi-Factor Authentication

The use of multiple authentications is effective, and best to use a method of securing your website. Protecting your account with MFA, which is also known as multifactor authentication can help effectively stop hackers from attacking your account through credential stuffing. While you may have to invest quite a bit, it is worthwhile since it will keep your users safe.

6. Use a CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA hurdle is one of the successful ways of blocking hackers from attacking your website. There are numerous CAPTCHA online that you can implement into your website to limit access.

7. Consult with Experts

It is important to reach out to an expert when you are not sure of what to do. It is better to spend on prevention measures than to expose your company to various attacks. The expert will help you identify multiple possible attacks to help you ensure you block all of them. You can use advanced internet high-tech analysis and numerous technologies to identify every potential theft through login attempts on your website.

You can then allow access to only users who are legitimate and authorized to hold the various accounts. That will ensure you do not suffer from login attempts by criminals. Failure to prevent these logins harms your finances as well as your business growth. A serious crime will cause you a massive loss of revenue.