One Weak Password. Thousands Affected. But the Real Failure Was Bigger.

A recently reported ransomware attack compromised the personal information of approximately 3,300 people and stole more than 180 GB of data.

The attack exploited a basic security weakness that had gone undetected for years.

The Password Was Literally “Password1”

Attackers exploited a test account that had existed for more than 12 years, protected by the password “Password1”, which was cracked in less than one second, leading to the ransomware installation and data exfiltration, since there was no multifactor authentication (MFA in place to thwart the attack.

The attackers found the security gap first. But what if the organization had found it before them?

The organization did not perform regular pen tests using attacker tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), so the security weakness was never detected over 12 years.

What Would an Attacker Find in Your Organization?

Are weak passwords being used? Are dormant accounts forgotten? Is MFA enforced everywhere it should be?

These are the kinds of weaknesses attackers look for. And beyond passwords, misconfigured systems, unpatched vulnerabilities, and ineffective security controls all create opportunities for cyberattacks.

The best way to uncover these gaps is to test your defense using techniques an attacker would use, so you can find them first and fix them quickly.