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On July 4th, 2024, a hacker posted a file named "rockyou2024.txt" on a popular hacking forum, containing 9.9 billion unique plaintext passwords. This breach is particularly concerning because it includes passwords from both old and new data breaches. Such a vast compilation significantly heightens the risk of credential stuffing attacks, where attackers use leaked passwords to gain unauthorized access to user accounts where passwords may have been recycled (RockYou2024: 10 billion passwords leaked in the largest compilation of all time)
The RockYou2024 password leak underscores the critical need for businesses to proactively manage their digital risks and understand what data is out there on the internet about their organization. While general recon is part of any good pentest, companies need to dedicate time and effort to understand what is truly out there whether on telegram channels, pastebin, or social media. This is where a truly advanced attack can start- with something as innocuous as an image of a corporate badge on Instagram combined with an old username and password from a credential leak. Mix in a few more data bits and a charming social engineer and you start to get the makings of a great movie script - or at least great DefCon challenges.
The Importance of Digital Risk Assessment in Light of the Leak
Fortunately, there are tools that can help protect against breaches like RockYou2024. Cobalt’s Digital Risk Assessment is a proactive service that leverages Open Source Intelligence tools and techniques to uncover what potentially problematic information may be publicly available on your organization. This service is designed to provide a comprehensive view of your digital footprint and find potential vulnerabilities. By identifying exposed assets, leaked credentials, and other sensitive information on the internet - including social media and the dark web - a Digital Risk Assessment enables you to remediate potential attack vectors before attackers exploit them.
Key Benefits of Cobalt’s Digital Risk Assessment
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Attack Surface Reduction: Publicly available information, often overlooked, can expose vulnerabilities attackers exploit. Assessing this data helps identify and mitigate potential risks before they're exploited.
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Reputation Management: Negative information or misinformation can damage a brand's reputation. By monitoring public information, security professionals can quickly address and counter any harmful narratives.
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Social Engineering Prevention: Attackers often use public information to craft convincing social engineering attacks. Understanding this data allows security professionals to educate employees and implement defenses against such tactics.
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Data Leak Identification: Publicly exposed sensitive information (e.g., employee details, internal processes) can signal a data leak. Monitoring public channels helps security teams identify and contain such breaches swiftly.
Why Businesses Need to Act Now
In the wake of the RockYou2024 leak, it is important for businesses to take immediate steps to safeguard their digital assets. Continuous monitoring and assessment of digital footprints are crucial in maintaining a robust cybersecurity posture. Cobalt’s Digital Risk Assessment offers an ongoing solution to these evolving threats, helping organizations stay ahead of attackers.
