A recent cybersecurity attack campaign has targeted a significant number of digital identities on a widely used cloud platform. Reports indicate that approximately 80,000 accounts within the Microsoft Entra ID service (formerly known as Azure Active Directory) were the focus of malicious activity.
The primary technique leveraged in this widespread campaign was password spraying. Unlike brute-force attacks which target one account with many password guesses, password spraying involves trying a small list of common passwords against a large volume of usernames or accounts. This method is often favored by attackers because it can evade certain lockout policies that trigger after multiple failed attempts on a single account. By spreading the attempts across thousands of targets, the chances of hitting an account with a weak or commonly used password increase significantly without immediately raising alarms on individual accounts.
The sheer scale of 80,000 targeted accounts underscores the persistent and evolving nature of threats aimed at cloud identity infrastructure. Compromised Microsoft Entra ID accounts can provide attackers with initial access to sensitive data, applications, and other connected resources within an organization’s cloud environment, potentially leading to devastating breaches.
This event serves as a critical reminder of the importance of robust security measures for digital identities. Organizations and individuals relying on such platforms must prioritize strengthening their defenses. Key security practices to mitigate the risk of password spraying and similar identity attacks include:
- Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts. This is arguably the most effective defense against credential-based attacks.
- Enforcing policies for strong, unique passwords and encouraging regular password changes.
- Utilizing threat detection and monitoring tools to identify suspicious login patterns or behaviors.
- Educating users about the risks of credential compromise and the importance of security hygiene.
Protecting accounts and identities in the cloud is paramount in today’s threat landscape. Proactive security measures are essential to defend against widespread attacks like this password spraying campaign.
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/password-spraying-attacks-target-80-000-microsoft-entra-id-accounts/
