At a time when digital security and mitigating cyber threats are more important than ever before, it is crucial to understand some of the specific attacks that can pose a serious threat to both personal information and online assets.

An overview of password spraying attacks

During password spraying attacks, attackers will use a small set of very common passwords against a significant number of specific user accounts. In many ways, this is the opposite of a brute force attack, during which many passwords will be attempted to target a single account.

Password spraying is used by cyber attackers because many people still use common passwords, which makes it simple for them to access accounts with fewer attempts. When access attempts are made across a number of different accounts, it is much less likely that account lockouts will be triggered and the attackers are able to remain out of sight of standard security systems.

How do password spraying attacks work?

The process generally starts with attackers putting together a list of target accounts, many of which may have been subject to previous data breaches. Other sources of information include company websites and social media platforms.

Next, attackers will identify a series of common passwords, such as ‘password’ or ‘123456’. More commonly used passwords can be seen here in this World Economic Forum article: These passwords will be tried on the accounts gathered during the research stage of the process. This is often done relatively slowly to avoid being detected by security systems.

Once attackers have gained access to an account, it can be exploited in a number of ways, including spreading malware, data theft, financial gain, and even implementing additional attacks within a single network.

How to protect against a password spraying attack

It can be beneficial to undertake a full website security check from a responsible and experienced cyber security expert such as https://www.etempa.co.uk/website-security-checks/.

A website security check will examine your site for common vulnerabilities such as outdated software, a lack of two-factor authentication, weak passwords and servers with weak security protocols.