“Firstly, this is not a new data breach. It’s the result of threat actors’ use of infostealer malware that has silently scraped usernames and passwords during breaches. This data has been bundled, traded, and resurfaced across underground forums. That said, it’s no less concerning.
Periodically, we see this type of database surface, demonstrating that hackers have access to our online identities. Using scripts [a small program written in a programming language such as Python, JavaScript, or Bash, that tells a computer step-by-step to do something] threat actors can trawl this treasure trove of information looking for patterns in passwords, but also credential reuse across multiple accounts. The latter is akin to a master key as it suggests the same combination will open multiple doors.
For organisations, it’s about understanding that this is a potential risk if these records correlate with over-privileged identities. Identities are the new perimeter given that compromised identities are at the centre of nearly every successful cyberattack.
Organisations must adopt an identity-first approach that continuously validates permissions and access to prevent identity-based attacks before they occur.” —- Bernard Montel, Technical Director and Security Strategist at Tenable.
