Az - Password Spraying

👉 Overview

👀 What ?

Password Spraying is a type of cyber attack where an attacker tries a single password against multiple accounts before moving on to attempt a second password, and so on. This type of attack is often used against Microsoft's Azure Active Directory, hence the term 'Az - Password Spraying'.

🧐 Why ?

Understanding Password Spraying is crucial because it's a common and effective attack method for gaining unauthorized access to a network. Attackers often exploit the fact that many users tend to use weak or common passwords, making it easier for them to gain access to multiple accounts. It's particularly important for Azure users to understand this attack as it's frequently targeted due to its wide usage in the corporate world.

⛏️ How ?

To protect against Password Spraying, Azure AD users should enforce strong password policies, monitor for suspicious login attempts, and consider using multi-factor authentication. Regularly educating users about the risks of using weak passwords can also help reduce the risk of such attacks.

⏳ When ?

Password Spraying has been a common attack method for many years, but its usage against Azure AD has increased as more businesses have moved to cloud services. Microsoft first addressed the issue in a security advisory in 2018.

⚙️ Technical Explanations

Password Spraying works by exploiting the fact that many users use common passwords. Rather than attempting multiple passwords against a single account (which could trigger account lockouts), the attacker tries a single password against multiple accounts. This process is repeated with different passwords until the attacker gains access to an account. In the context of Azure AD, the attack could be used to access not just user accounts, but also various resources and services associated with the account, highlighting the importance of robust security measures.