Sadly, there is no shortage of security threats lurking around the web. In fact, with new threats emerging seemingly daily, it can be challenging to keep up. One of the latest security risks to be aware of is the password spraying attack. This type of attack has become increasingly common in recent years – to the point that the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued advisories on this threat in 2022.
What is Password Spraying?
Specifically, a password spraying attack is a type of brute force attack involving picking one potential password and logging in across numerous accounts. This allows the attacker to try common passwords (such as default passwords often issued by third-party applications and programs) on an endless number of accounts without getting “locked out” for multiple failed login attempts.
In a password spraying attack, one password may be used to access multiple accounts before the attacker moves onto another password and another set of accounts.
The Dangers of Password Spraying
Unfortunately, password spraying attacks can cause a great deal of damage before victims even realize that their accounts have been compromised. When users learn that the attack has occurred, their sensitive data may have already been lost, or access to other important applications has fallen to the attacker. Password spraying doesn’t just impact individuals; companies and organizations are susceptible to attacks too.
How to Keep Your Accounts Safe
There are plenty of measures that you can take to reduce the risk of falling victim to a password spraying attack. Perhaps the easiest and most effective thing you can do is create strong passwords and change them regularly. Avoid using passwords that can be easily guessed and used in a password spraying attack, such as “admin,” “password,” ”123,” or similar passwords.
Meanwhile, take advantage of additional security measures whenever they are offered. Opting into multi-factor authentication is a great way to protect your accounts from unauthorized logins. As a business, you should ensure that employees are thoroughly trained on how to create strong passwords. Many organizations could greatly benefit from regular security awareness sessions.
Ready to Switch to Dedicated Hosting?
If password spraying attacks and other web threats have you feeling on-edge when it comes to your server security, it may be time to upgrade your hosting to a dedicated server. With a dedicated hosting plan, you can rest assured that you have layers of protection between your account and security threats.
When you choose a dedicated server host through ReliableSite, you’ll enjoy security features like multi-factor authentication and even free standard DDoS protection for your added peace of mind. Meanwhile, available remote data backup can keep your most important files and data safe, even in the event of a data breach within your organization.
Find out more about our dedicated servers by reaching out to our team today. We offer Rapid Deploy options that can be set up and ready for you to use in as little as a few hours, so you can start taking control of your security today.