Credential theft

What is credential theft?

Credential theft is a serious and growing threat to both individuals and organizations, as attackers increasingly target login details to gain unauthorized access. At its core, credential theft means stealing sensitive information like usernames, passwords, or other authentication credentials—often through phishing, malware, or social engineering tricks. Putting strong security measures in place early is key to reducing this risk and protecting critical systems and data from being compromised.

In-depth explanation

Credential theft involves several key components, including:

• Phishing attacks: Using social engineering tactics to trick users into revealing their login credentials.
• Malware: Using malicious software to capture or steal login credentials.
• Password cracking: Using brute-force methods to guess or crack weak passwords.
• Session hijacking: Stealing session cookies or other authentication tokens to gain unauthorized access to systems or data.

Although credential theft and identity theft are related concepts, they are not the same.

• Credential theft focuses on stealing login details like usernames and passwords to gain access to accounts or systems.
• Identity theft, on the other hand, involves using someone’s personal information—such as Social Security numbers or financial details—to impersonate them and commit fraud. 

In short, credential theft is about account access, while identity theft is about assuming someone’s identity for broader malicious purposes. In worst-case scenarios, credential theft has the potential to progress into identity theft.

Real-world examples of credential theft

Credential theft shows up in many ways in everyday life, often fueling different types of cybercrime. Here are some common examples of how attackers use stolen credentials:

• Identity theft: Stolen credentials allow attackers to impersonate individuals online, gaining access to personal accounts and sensitive information. This often leads to fraudulent activities like opening new accounts or making unauthorized purchases.
• Data breaches: Hackers use compromised login details to infiltrate company systems and access confidential data. These breaches can expose customer information, trade secrets, and other critical business assets.
• Financial fraud: Cybercriminals exploit stolen credentials to log into bank accounts or payment platforms. This can result in unauthorized transactions, drained accounts, and significant financial losses.
• Account takeover: Attackers use stolen credentials to hijack email, social media, or cloud accounts. This can lead to spreading malware, phishing campaigns, or locking users out of their own accounts.
• Ransomware deployment: Once inside a system using stolen credentials, attackers can install ransomware. This locks critical files and demands payment for restoration, causing major business disruption.
• Privilege escalation: Stolen admin credentials give attackers elevated access, allowing them to deactivate security controls or steal large volumes of data. This often turns a small breach into a full-scale compromise.

What are the benefits of preventing credential theft?

Effective credential security is critical for businesses that rely on sensitive data and systems. By implementing robust credential security practices, organizations can:

• Improve security: Reduce the risk of credential theft and unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems.
• Protect user identities: Prevent identity theft and other malicious activities that rely on stolen credentials.
• Reduce financial losses: Minimize the financial losses associated with data breaches and other security incidents.

Related terms and resources

For more information on related topics, see our glossary entries on:

• Mobile threat defense: Mobile threat defense uses technologies and processes to detect, prevent, and respond to security threats targeting smartphones and tablets. It focuses on stopping malware, phishing, and other attacks that compromise mobile devices and data.
• Mobile device security: Mobile device security is about protecting smartphones and tablets through practices like encryption, secure configurations, and access controls. These measures help keep sensitive data safe and prevent unauthorized access to devices.
• Zero Trust: Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no user or device is trusted by default, even inside the network. It enforces strict identity verification and continuous monitoring to ensure every access request is authenticated and authorized.