All you need to know about password spraying

What is password spraying? How it works and how to protect yourself

Password spraying is a widespread and effective cyberattack method where hackers try to access user accounts by exploiting weak or reused passwords. A specific type of brute force attack, known as a password spray attack, involves attackers using common passwords to access multiple accounts within a domain. This method avoids account lockouts and is more difficult to detect, potentially causing significant damage to organizations, including financial losses, operational disruption, and reputational harm.

In this article, you will learn:

• What password spraying is

• How password spraying attacks work

• How to detect and prevent password spraying on both personal and business accounts

What is password spraying?

Password spraying is a cyberattack technique where a hacker attempts to log in to many user accounts using a few of the most common passwords, such as “123456” or “Password1”.

Instead of testing many passwords on a single account, as seen in brute force attacks, attackers utilize a single password to gain access to multiple accounts. This strategy helps them avoid triggering account lockout mechanisms after multiple failed attempts on the same account.

Types of password attacks

Password attacks are a common threat to online security, and they come in various forms. One of the most prevalent types of password attacks is the brute force attack. A brute force attack involves attempting to guess a password by trying all possible combinations of characters, numbers, and symbols. This method can be time-consuming and often triggers account lockouts after a certain number of failed login attempts. Despite its simplicity, a brute force attack can be effective if the password is weak or commonly used.

In contrast, password spraying attacks take a different approach. Instead of targeting a single account with many passwords, attackers use a few commonly used passwords across multiple accounts. This method helps them avoid account lockouts and makes it harder for security systems to detect the attack. Both types of attacks aim to gain unauthorized access to accounts, but they employ different strategies to achieve this goal.

How password spraying works

During a password spraying attack, hackers typically use automated tools and lists of usernames, which may come from open sources or previously leaked data. They pair these usernames with a list of commonly used passwords and attempt to log in to as many accounts as possible.

This method allows attackers to:

• Avoid detection by security systems

• Continue the attack over a longer period

• Successfully access accounts with weak, reused, or outdated passwords

A successful password spraying attack can compromise multiple layers of a business, leading to significant security breaches. The risks associated with a successful password include loss of customer trust and potential financial harm due to further phishing attempts using stolen credentials.

Password spraying is usually a broad, untargeted attack. Companies are particularly vulnerable when employees use simple passwords or share credentials across accounts.

Common tactics used in password spraying

Cybercriminals often combine password spraying with other techniques to increase their success rate, including:

• Conducting online research or using social engineering to find targets, which is a common method malicious actors attempt to exploit

• Using easy-to-guess passwords or those found in past breaches

• Taking over accounts already compromised to access more user data

• Moving laterally within a network to steal sensitive information

How to detect password spraying on personal accounts

Early detection is key to minimizing the damage of a password spraying attack. Here are a few ways individuals can stay protected:

• Use strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts.

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible.

• Regularly update your passwords and avoid reusing old ones.

• Be cautious of phishing attempts and do not click on suspicious links.

• Monitor your accounts for any unusual activity.

• Implement login detection: IT teams should monitor for multiple login attempts from a single host within a short timeframe. This can serve as a clear indication of a potential password spraying attack, thereby enhancing overall security.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)

MFA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. In addition to your password, you must verify your identity through another method, such as a code, app, biometric data, or security question. MFA also alerts you to suspicious login attempts from unknown devices.

Learn more about why multi-factor authentication is essential for securing your accounts.

Monitor for data breaches

Use a service that monitors for data breaches to see if your information has been leaked. If your credentials appear in a breach, change your password immediately. At Moxso, we provide data breach monitoring that scans across leaked databases and notifies users when their information has been exposed.

How to detect password spraying on business accounts

Companies have more tools and resources for detecting suspicious activity across multiple accounts. IT teams should watch for:

Reviewing authentication logs is crucial for identifying potential password spraying attacks, as these logs document system and application login attempts, particularly noting failed attempts across multiple user accounts.

Unusual login patterns

Look out for multiple failed logins from a single IP address, especially across many accounts within a short time frame. This pattern is a strong indicator of a spraying attack.

Repeated login failures

Track how often incorrect usernames or passwords are entered. Multiple failures followed by successful logins can signal an attempted breach.

Sudden account lockouts

Although password spraying avoids locking individual accounts, a general rise in lockouts may indicate attackers are combining this method with other brute force techniques.

How to prevent password spraying

There are several effective ways to defend against password spraying, whether you are an individual or part of an organization:

• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security.

• Implement strong password policies that require complex and unique passwords.

• Regularly monitor and analyze login attempts to detect unusual activity.

• Educate users about the risks of password spraying and the importance of security best practices.

• Limit the number of failed login attempts to prevent automated attacks.

• Secure federated authentication systems to prevent password spraying attacks. Cybercriminals often target applications that utilize federated authentication protocols, such as single sign-on (SSO) applications, to access key information and breach privileged accounts.

Improve password hygiene

Avoid reusing passwords and create strong, unique credentials for each account. Use a password manager to store and generate secure passwords. For businesses, investing in a password manager can significantly reduce security risks.

Provide security awareness training

Security awareness programs teach employees how to recognize and respond to threats such as phishing and password spraying. This type of training helps build a culture of cybersecurity within the organization.

Brute force attacks

Brute force attacks rely on trying a large number of password combinations on a single account until the correct one is found. To defend against this type of attack, organizations should:

• Establish password rules that encourage users to create secure passwords by combining capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters

• Set limits on login attempts to trigger temporary account lockouts after several failures

• Monitor for abnormal login behavior, such as repeated attempts from the same IP address

• Require users to update passwords regularly by implementing expiration and rotation rules

• Use CAPTCHA systems to block automated login attempts

Learn more about how brute force attacks work and how to defend against them.

Preventing password spraying attacks

Password spraying differs in that attackers use a few common passwords across many user accounts, avoiding lockouts and making detection harder. These attacks are especially effective in environments with poor password hygiene or shared credentials.

To reduce the risk of password spraying, organizations should:

• Require employees to use strong, unique passwords for every account

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all systems

• Monitor login activity for patterns that indicate widespread, low-frequency login attempts

• Educate staff about password risks and promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness

• Use password managers to help users generate and store secure passwords

• Regularly review and update password policies to reflect current security best practices

• Consider implementing tools that detect and respond to password spraying attempts in real-time

By combining these technical and behavioral defenses, organizations can significantly lower their risk of both brute force and password spraying attacks. A proactive approach to password management not only strengthens security but also builds long-term resilience against unauthorized access.

Final thoughts

Password spraying is successful because many people use weak or reused passwords. All it takes is one compromised account to expose entire systems to attackers. Protecting sensitive data from password spraying attacks is crucial to prevent financial loss, operational disruptions, and reputational damage.

To reduce your risk:

• Enable multi-factor authentication

• Use strong and unique passwords

• Monitor for signs of suspicious login activity

• Educate employees and users about cyber threats

By improving your defenses, you lower the chances of falling victim to password spraying attacks.