It comes as no surprise that cybersecurity is a growing threat and something that is only getting worse as more companies rely on remote workers and virtual environments to keep their operations going. For cybercriminals, there are a number of attack vectors that they can leverage to gain access to a system and cause harm to a business or an individual. However, one of the ways in which users facilitate cyber criminals is by using the same password across multiple platforms.
One For All, All For One
If an attacker gains access to a single portal, website, or account of that user, they are able to infiltrate into other platforms as well because users often use the same credentials across multiple platforms. More specifically, even if the user has a different email for another account, chances are that the password is going to be the same. This trend has given rise to an entire market on the dark web where user information that has been used to gain access to one account is being sold to other criminals as this can be used to crack other accounts as well.
Costs Your Employer
As people use the same credential for both personal and professional use when a private account is compromised it also puts at risk the security of your employer. If a person has your credentials they can access everything that is connected with that credential and when this comes to your employer you are putting at risk a lot more people. Not only is the business compromised but all other employees that are part of that network are also compromised. In this way, this triggers an endless ripple effect where the criminal continues to gain access to more accounts.
Helps Brute Force
Back in the day brute force strategies relied on simply trying to figure out combinations to an account, much like a person physically trying different combinations on a number lock to find the key. Modern brute force attacks are smarter. Using a database of credentials that are valid and have been sued to compromise other accounts, attackers only run those passwords that have already been used. In this way, the possibility of getting into an account with the same credentials is significantly higher and criminals are having plenty of success with this approach.
A Better Catch
Just like how using the same passwords gives more power to brute force attacks, it also helps those attackers that are using phishing techniques. An attacker will try to coerce critical information out of you by contacting you through email, phone, SMS, or any other means and posing as a credible authority. Once they are successful in getting this information out of you, they will not have to attack you again for more information as the credentials will work for all your accounts. In essence, you are only setting yourself up to face serious consequences just through one attack. So be sure to not only use different credentials for different accounts but also to make strong passwords that are going to be difficult to crack for attackers.
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