Types of Password Attacks and How to Prevent Them

When people hear the words “password attack," they often imagine a rogue actor typing furiously at a dimly lit desk, inputting numerous potential credentials until they gain access to a user’s private account. While this portrayal is partly true, malicious actors have gotten more imaginative, resourceful, and adaptive in the game of cracking passwords. As a result, to outsmart attackers, users must remain vigilant by practicing proper IT hygiene.

However, with hackers leveraging various advanced methods to steal and exploit passwords, what can users and administrators do to prevent credential-based breaches? This guide will explain the different types of password attacks, methods used to perform them, and best practices for safeguarding credentials and migrating to a passwordless infrastructure.

Understanding Password Attacks

Password attacks have been around for decades and are the most traditional means of breaching an individual user’s or organization’s sensitive data. Their long-standing efficacy is rooted in the fact that hackers can imitate a legitimate user, causing the people they interact with to falsely assume that they’re engaging with a known contact. By adopting a particular user's identity and access privileges, hackers can compromise the data of that user and their associated contacts.

Password attacks are a persistent and evolving threat to digital security. They involve malicious attempts to gain unauthorized access to accounts or systems by exploiting weaknesses in password usage. These attacks impact both individuals and organizations, targeting everything from personal email accounts to critical infrastructure systems.

From alarmingly convincing emails to cloned websites, adversaries have mastered the art of deception. The key to their success? Human error. The 2022 Thales Data Threat Report found that almost half (45%) of US companies had suffered a data breach in the past year. And according to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breaches Investigations Report, 82% of data breaches involved a human element.

Every time a user recycles the same password for a new account or mistypes a URL and is directed to a malicious site, they risk their confidentiality and the security of their affiliated organization. Emphasizing caution and attentiveness is crucial in preventing human error and the devastating breaches that can follow. But to effectively implement safe IT practices, users need to know what they’re up against.

Common Types of Password Attacks

1. Brute Force and Dictionary Attacks

Some hackers resort to simple trial and error. Through brute force attacks, adversaries try different possible password combinations until they successfully log into an account or system. Nowadays, many use automated tools to speed up the permutation process.

Brute force attacks systematically attempt to guess passwords by trying all possible character combinations. These attacks rely on sheer computational power and can succeed if no safeguards are in place. Modern tools can test thousands—or even millions—of combinations per second, making weak passwords highly vulnerable.

Unfortunately, many users aren’t careful with the passwords they set. Common mistakes include reusing passwords across multiple accounts, choosing simple or predictable passwords (such as “password” or “123456789”), and using personal information. Even standard dictionary terms in a password are vulnerable, even if stylized with special characters.

Hackers are aware of these security mishaps and are quick to exploit them through hybrid brute force attacks and reverse brute force attacks. Hybrid brute force attacks harness both traditional guessing methods and automated permutation tools, whereas reverse brute force attacks use known or stolen passwords to uncover corresponding usernames.

Instead of testing all possible combinations, dictionary attacks use precompiled lists of common passwords or phrases to gain access. These lists come from leaked databases, password-cracking tools, and predictable human behavior.

Attackers exploit industry-specific password patterns. For example, users or admins with a medical account for a New York-based healthcare clinic might embed words like “NY”, “health”, “medicine” and similar variations into their passwords, making them easier to guess. Since many people still use weak passwords, dictionary attacks often succeed with less effort than brute force attacks.

Automation magnifies the threat of both methods. Tools like Hashcat and John the Ripper integrate brute force and dictionary techniques, allowing attackers to target multiple accounts at once. Systems with unlimited login attempts, weak password policies, or unsecured password storage are particularly vulnerable, leading to account compromise, data theft, and further attacks.

Phishing and social engineering attacks pose serious threats to password security by exploiting human behavior to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. While phishing relies on impersonation to trick victims into revealing credentials, social engineering manipulates trust and emotions to achieve the same goal. Understanding their tactics is essential for effective defense.

Phishing involves hackers masquerading as legitimate entities through various communication channels like emails, SMS messages, or phone calls to steal confidential information. Attackers may pose as universities, banks, government agencies, or well-known companies to create a sense of urgency. Victims are often tricked into clicking malicious links or entering credentials on fake websites.

A classic example of this is a user receiving an email from what appears to be a major retailer offering a gift card. The user clicks on the “redeem” button and is taken to a convincing website where they’re prompted to enter their personal information to access their gift card. In reality, the fake website sends this information to adversaries who can then leverage the user’s personal information to break into other accounts, steal their identity, access bank records, and more.

Since this email trick is now widely known, cybercriminals have come up with novel ways to deceive unassuming victims. Modern phishing tactics include:

Clone phishing, where a hacker uses a template from a legitimate email but replaces all legitimate links or attachments with false ones.
Spear phishing, where an attacker targets a specific individual using the credentials and appearance of a close contact.
DNS cache poisoning, where adversaries rewrite Domain Name System (DNS) information to reroute users to malicious sites.
URL hijacking, also known as typosquatting, where cybercriminals take advantage of users who mistype legitimate URLs, crafting false websites that closely resemble actual sites with nearly identical domain names.

Social engineering attacks rely on psychological manipulation rather than technical exploits. Attackers may impersonate a colleague, claim urgent access to a shared system, or pose as tech support to gain control of a device. These tactics are highly deceptive and difficult to detect.

As phishing schemes become more sophisticated, attackers now use legal threats or urgent demands to pressure victims into compliance. Users should always verify unexpected requests for information, scrutinize emails for inconsistencies, and avoid clicking suspicious links. When in doubt, contact the organization directly through official channels to confirm legitimacy.

3. Credential Stuffing and Password Spraying

Credential stuffing and password spraying are two highly effective attack methods that exploit weaknesses in password security. Both capitalize on poor password practices, making them significant threats to individuals and organizations alike. By targeting reused credentials and common passwords, attackers can gain unauthorized access with minimal effort.

Credential stuffing relies on the widespread issue of password reuse. Attackers use stolen username-password pairs from data breaches to attempt logins on other platforms. Since many users reuse passwords, a single breach can compromise multiple accounts.

Cybercriminals know that most users reuse password-username combinations across different sites. Reverse brute force attacks leverage this by using known passwords to find associated usernames, increasing the chances of unauthorized access. This method is particularly effective when credentials are leaked in large-scale breaches.

Password spraying takes a different approach. Instead of testing many passwords on one account, attackers try a few commonly used passwords—such as "Password123"—across multiple accounts. This method helps bypass account lockout mechanisms, which typically trigger after several failed attempts on the same account.

To evade detection, attackers cycle through different websites before reattempting passwords on the same platform. Lockout policies reset after a designated period, allowing attackers to continue trying credentials unnoticed. This approach is particularly effective in single sign-on (SSO) environments, where a single login grants access to multiple applications.

Both credential stuffing and password spraying thrive in environments with weak password policies or no multi-factor authentication (MFA). These attacks are particularly dangerous for businesses because they exploit systemic weaknesses such as employees reusing passwords or failing to update default configurations. For attackers, such vulnerabilities represent low-hanging fruit requiring minimal effort to exploit.

4. Keylogging and Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

Keylogging and man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks are two stealthy yet potent methods cybercriminals use to steal passwords and sensitive data. These attacks operate in the background, making detection difficult until significant damage has been done. Understanding how they work is essential for protecting personal and organizational security.

Keylogging involves installing surveillance software or hardware on a device to record every keystroke. Attackers deploy keyloggers through phishing emails, malicious downloads, or compromised USB devices. Once installed, the keylogger silently captures login credentials, financial information, and personal conversations, sending them to the attacker.

Keylogging spyware can be installed through hardware components like USB disks, hidden cameras, or keyboard attachments. Malicious software disguised as virus scanners or productivity apps can also serve as keyloggers. In some cases, insiders exploit legitimate keylogging software to track employee activity for malicious purposes.

Man-in-the-middle attacks exploit vulnerabilities in communication channels to intercept authentication messages between clients and servers. Hackers monitor users logging into insecure websites, relay their login data, and redirect them to fake sites. Victims unknowingly enter sensitive credentials, which attackers harvest for unauthorized access.

MitM attacks commonly occur over unsecure public Wi-Fi, compromised routers, or poorly implemented encryption protocols. Once attackers gain access, they can intercept login credentials, session cookies, and other transmitted data. From the user’s perspective, everything appears normal, while attackers silently collect valuable information.

Both keylogging and MitM attacks thrive in environments with unsecure networks, weak encryption, and compromised endpoints. Attackers take advantage of devices infected with malware or lacking proper security measures. These threats highlight the urgent need for encrypted connections, endpoint protection, and cybersecurity awareness.

Best Practices and Effective Strategies for Preventing Password Attacks

There are an overwhelming array of password attacks to safeguard yourself against, but several best practices can help your organization secure every user touchpoint and communication channel.

First, reduce the risk of human error. Enforce more robust policies surrounding password generation, management, and use. For example, have employees avoid using short and simple word and character combinations. Instead, encourage them to use auto-generated passwords that are far too complex to guess with any brute force tactic.

Furthermore, invest in an organization-wide training program that regularly educates and reminds employees of proper IT practices to prevent common mistakes and vulnerabilities, and to combat emerging attack strategies they may encounter.

After prioritizing human error mitigation techniques, consider adopting applications and tools that will automate maintenance procedures and trigger notifications in the event of a breach or abnormal behavior, such as:

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA prompts extra authentication checkpoints to ensure that the identity of a user attempting to gain specific access or privileges is valid. It uses factors like one-time passwords, biometric scanners, voice recognition, and device identification to verify the actual user. MFA is extremely helpful in protecting users whose passwords have been compromised since hackers would also need access to these highly unattainable factors to infiltrate an account.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): VPNs establish secure online connections so that users can safely and privately access, share, and manipulate data over the internet. Designed to deter man-in-the-middle attacks, VPNs hide user IP addresses for anonymity, encrypt connection data, and shield online user activity using a proxy server.
Router Encryption: Like VPNs, enabling encryption settings on your router keeps all internet traffic that runs through it secure and undetectable. All Wi-Fi routers are equipped with encryption features, so check your router’s manual for instructions on how to implement them.
Password Management: Password managers provide a centralized hub where admins can glance at real-time metrics concerning password use and vulnerabilities. They also automate many management tasks, like password generation, while gauging password strength and securely storing credentials in organized, encrypted files.

Passwords should always be handled with the utmost care and attention, but the best way to prevent password attacks is by getting rid of them completely by exploring and harnessing passwordless options.

Embracing the Future: Passwordless Authentication with PrivX™ Hybrid PAM

The overarching problem with password-related security measures is that cybercriminals will always find new ways around them. Password spraying emerged as a result of account lockout policies, and clone phishing developed as awareness of scam emails heightened. To eliminate the prevalence of password attacks, many organizations are opting to omit passwords entirely, leaving hackers stranded with obsolete data.

Migrating to a passwordless environment saves enterprises the time and money traditionally allocated to managing and protecting credentials, but it’s a feat that should be done gradually to avoid exposing any security gaps. Experts recommend slowly incorporating cryptography-based authentication, ephemeral certificates, and just-in-time (JIT) access features into existing architectures until all passwords are phased out.

Doing this will help eliminate the risk of falling for phishing emails that ask for login credentials, better align organizations with cybersecurity compliance standards, keep data environments clean and organized, and drastically reduce the margin for human error. If you’re unsure of where to start, SSH Communications Security has just the right solution for you: PrivX™ Hybrid PAM.

PrivX™ Hybrid PAM is a cost-efficient, scalable, and highly automated privileged access management (PAM) solution with support for hybrid and multi-cloud environments. This industry-leading solution facilitates any combination of password vaulting, rotation, and passwordless authentication for connections and as per context.

With PrivX™ Hybrid PAM’s just-in-time (JIT) approach, you can enhance your privileged access security, mitigate insider and third-party threats, accelerate your PAM operations and productivity, and adopt Zero Trust authentication methods at a pace that suits you. This hybrid solution even allows you to manage existing credentials as you gradually transition to a fully passwordless and keyless environment.

Book a demo today to explore how PrivX™ Hybrid PAM can help your business transition into a future-proof security framework without compromising operations.

FAQ

What are the common types of password attacks?

Common password attacks include brute force, phishing, credential stuffing, password spraying, keylogging, and man-in-the-middle attacks. These methods exploit weak passwords, human error, and system vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access.

How do brute force and dictionary attacks differ?

Brute force attacks systematically guess every possible password combination, while dictionary attacks use precompiled lists of common or leaked passwords, making them faster and more targeted against weak passwords.

What is the role of multi-factor authentication (MFA) in preventing password attacks?

MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring additional verification, such as a one-time code or biometric scan. This ensures that stolen or guessed passwords alone cannot grant access.

Why are reused passwords a security risk?

Reused passwords let attackers use stolen credentials from one breach to access multiple accounts through credential stuffing, exploiting poor password management practices.

How does passwordless authentication improve security?

Passwordless authentication eliminates vulnerabilities tied to traditional credentials by using ephemeral certificates or biometric verification, reducing reliance on passwords and enhancing overall security.