Credential stuffing and password spraying sound like heavy terms but the danger behind them is very real. These attacks slip into systems when people use weak or repeated passwords. Attackers do not rush.
They move slowly so nothing looks strange. They use bots that act like normal users. One quiet login can unlock mail apps and data before anyone notices. This guide helps you see how these two attacks differ and why both matter for every team.
You will learn how strong habits and simple checks can block these threats. With the right steps you can shut the door before attackers even try.
What Is Password Spraying?
Password spraying is a cyber attack where one common password is tested across many accounts. If you use a weak password the attacker may enter without making any noise. This is the basic shape of a password spray attack and it hides inside normal activity.
- Account Discovery. The attacker first looks for usernames that belong to your system or company. They find these from leaked data, public profiles or staff lists. They want a long list because more targets mean higher success.
- Password Selection. The attacker picks a very common password like password123 or welcome123 because many people choose simple and memorable words. They test that one password across many accounts instead of testing many passwords on one account.
What Is Credential Stuffing?
Credential stuffing is when an attacker uses stolen username and password pairs from one breach to break into your other accounts. You are at risk if you reuse passwords. Automated bots run huge lists very fast. One reused password can unlock email banking or work systems without warning for you.
- Data Sources. Attackers collect credential pairs from public leaks and dark forums. They test those pairs on many sites to find reuse. You may never see a guess attempt on your main site.
- Automation Tactics. Bots spread login tries across many networks and devices. They shape traffic so it looks normal and they mix small fails with clean hits. This makes detecting credential stuffing hard unless you check patterns over time.
- Defense Steps. Use a unique password for every account. Turn on multi factor authentication. Add rate limits and device checks on logins. You need to watch for login spikes and strange geographies. Use breach alerts and force resets after leaks.
Password Spraying vs Credential Stuffing: Key Differences
Password spraying and credential stuffing target simple daily habits. Attackers try weak or stolen passwords and move in slow steps that look normal. These attacks enter without noise and this makes spraying cyber security a real challenge for every team.
How Both of them Works
Here is the simple path these two attacks follow. You will see where they start and how they move. Keep the picture clear. Password spraying guesses one weak word across many names. Credential stuffing replays stolen pairs. When you compare both you see the real picture of credential stuffing vs password spraying and how each one moves in its own silent way.
- Password Spraying Flow. Attackers start by building a list of usernames from leaks and public pages. They pick one common password. They try that one across many accounts at a slow pace. They stay under lock rules and alerts.
- Credential Stuffing Flow. Attackers load stolen pairs of usernames and passwords from breach dumps. They send those exact pairs to your login page and wait for a clean hit. They rely on password reuse across sites and this is why credential stuffing attacks spread so fast. Bots run tests fast yet spread out so the traffic looks normal at first glance.
- Automation and Evasion. Both attacks use scripts and proxy networks. They rotate addresses and devices. They shape timing to blend with real traffic. They throttle attempts to avoid locks. They randomize in order to dodge rules. They mimic normal browsers.
- What You Will Notice. You may see small waves of failures across many accounts. You may see sudden access for one account with new devices. You may see logins from new places. You may see normal user agents.
- End To End Cycle. Collection feeds lists and pairs. Targeting selects accounts and services. Testing sends tries through bots and proxies. Success opens access to mail and portals. Pivoting spreads to more systems and data. Monetization brings fraud and resale.
Real-World Examples for Credential Stuffing vs Password Spraying
These attacks show up in real life now. They hide inside normal logins so nothing feels wrong at first. The trick is to see the full pattern and not one small event. The examples below make that pattern clear and easy to catch.
Credential Stuffing
- Breach Dump Replay. Attackers use stolen username and password pairs on new sites. Verizon 2025 shows about 22 percent of breaches start with stolen credentials. A login looks normal but comes from a new place and that is your warning.
- Botnet Scale Stuffing. Botnets send huge lists of stolen pairs to login pages. Reports show about 26 billion stuffing attempts every month in 2024 with a growth of almost 50 percent in eighteen months. You see many failures and a few sudden hits when a reused password works.
- Malware Supplied Credentials. Info stealer malware grabs saved browser passwords. CERT In reported about 16 billion leaked credentials in 2025. These fresh pairs go into stuffing runs at once. A fast takeover after a device infection is the main sign.
Password Spraying
- Cloud Account Spraying. Attackers test simple passwords on many cloud accounts in slow steps. A report shows a 160 percent rise in leaked credentials in 2025 which gives more fuel for spraying. Logs show slow failures across many names using the same weak word.
- APT28 Password Spraying on Microsoft 365. APT28 ran a slow password spraying campaign on Microsoft 365 in 2023 targeting military and government accounts. They used rotating IPs and spaced attempts over weeks. Around the same time Peach Sandstorm also used password spraying on Microsoft 365 which showed how serious identity threats had become.
Common Tools and Automation Used in Attacks
This short note explains the toolset attackers use to run credential stuffing and password spraying at scale. It reads like a quick brief for a defender who wants to know what to watch for and why it matters.
Tools Used in Password Spraying
- Spray Tools. Attackers use tools like Trevorspray and Spray365 to send slow login tries. These tools add small delays and move between many network paths so the attack stays quiet. They help the attacker test one easy word on many names without raising alerts.
- Name Finder Tool. Attackers use simple scanners to find real usernames before the spray run starts. These tools check public pages and old leak lists to build a long set of names. A bigger list gives the attacker a higher chance to find one weak match.
Tools Used in Credential Stuffing
- Credential Stuffing Suites. These rigs load huge lists of username and password pairs and replay them across many sites. They parse responses and flag hits automatically. A less skilled operator can run a campaign in minutes and collect valid logins for fraud or resale.
- Combo Lists and Feeds. Cleaned breach dumps and stolen credential feeds are the fuel. Operators sort, filter and enrich these lists by domain and likely targets. Fresh data from infected devices makes a campaign far more effective quickly.
Tools Used in Both Attacks
- Open Source Automation. Visual editors and scriptable frameworks let operators build flows that mimic real login pages. Templates are shared to target specific sites and APIs.
- Browser Automation and CLIs. Headless browsers and simple command line tools let bots behave like real users when they submit forms. They control timing and headers so traffic looks ordinary at a glance.
- Proxy Networks. Requests move through pools of proxies and residential IPs so each try looks like it comes from a different home. This defeats simple IP blocks and turns rate limits into a blunt tool unless they are paired with account or device checks.
- CAPTCHA Solvers. Services that solve CAPTCHAs with humans or automated engines keep runs moving when challenges appear. These solvers plug into automation rigs so a campaign does not stop at a visual challenge.
- Orchestration and Botnets. At scale attackers use control layers to schedule runs, rotate proxies, manage retries and collect results. These control planes make campaigns resilient, efficient and able to pivot fast when defenses change.
The Impact on your Business
These attacks do not always show damage at once. They often start silently and look normal at work. When an account is taken the attacker can move inside systems. The problem grows step by step. The effect touches data teams customers and business goals and this is why credential stuffing vs password spraying matters for every team.
Impact of Password Spraying
- Data Loss Risk. A password spray hit can open many accounts with one weak word. Attackers may view files and private records. The research shows that about 77 percent of web app breaches involve stolen credentials.
- Regulatory Impact. A breach can trigger GDPR rules. A company must report exposure fast. Failure to report can lead to high fines and long legal review.
- Reputation Damage. Users lose trust when they see strange access in their accounts. It takes time for the brand to rebuild confidence.
Impact of Credential Stuffing
- Account Takeover Risk. Credential stuffing works because many people reuse passwords. One study shows success rates up to 2 percent when stolen pairs are tested.
- Regulatory Impact. A stuffing breach can expose personal data. GDPR and other privacy laws may force fast notice to users and regulators. Fines may follow if controls were weak.
- Operational Cost. Teams must reset accounts and check logs. This slow work stops normal tasks and adds cost for support and tools.
How Credential Stuffing and Password Spraying Overlap
Both attacks target login systems and both try to look normal in traffic. They rely on habits that many people repeat with passwords. They test access in ways that do not raise alarms at once. Their goal is to enter without guessing too fast.
- Shared use of automation. Attackers do not run these steps by hand. They use tools that can try many logins across many accounts while looking like real users. These tools shape timing and traffic patterns to appear normal.
- Dependence on weak password habits. Both attacks gain power from simple human behavior. Many people use short or easy passwords so spraying finds a match. Many people reuse one password on many sites so stuffing finds a door.
- Stealth through slow activity. Both attacks can move in small steps to avoid locks. Spraying tests one password across many accounts over long hours. Stuffing can spread attempts across many networks to avoid bursts.
How To Detect Password Spraying and Credential Stuffing
Both attacks hide inside normal login activity so detection needs careful watching. They do not move fast like a loud brute force. They move in small steps across many accounts or across many sites. You must look for patterns, not single events.
- Look for repeated login failures. Password spraying often shows many users failing with one common password. The failures do not happen all at once. They spread across hours. This can look normal if seen account by account.
- Watch for first try success from new places. Credential stuffing may succeed on the first attempt because the password is already known. That login may come from a place or device that the user never used before. It may also happen at an unusual hour.
- Track login behavior over time. Both attacks reveal themselves in long patterns. Look at weekly login trends. Compare usual devices and locations for each user. Mark any new behavior that stays active. Real users have stable habits. Attack traffic shifts shape location and timing.
How To Prevent Credential Stuffing and Password Spraying
Prevention starts with simple habits. Both attacks take advantage of weak passwords and repeated passwords. They also rely on silent login attempts that no one checks. When you improve how passwords are stored and checked the risk falls fast.
- Use strong and unique passwords. When each account has its own strong password the attacker plan fails. Spraying cannot guess a simple word. Stuffing cannot reuse a known pair.
- Turn on multi factor authentication. Multi factor authentication adds a second check after the password. This step blocks silent entry even when the attacker knows the secret. Adaptive MFA goes further. It checks location, device trust, and user action in real time. It stays light for safe sign in and becomes strict when the risk rises. This smart step stops many stuffing and spraying runs before they reach the account.
- Block Known Breached Credentials. Your system should check every new password against lists of leaked secrets found in past breaches. This stops common words used in spraying and shuts down stolen pairs used in stuffing.
- Monitor for Credential Reuse. Your system should watch for any password that repeats an old secret or appears across many accounts. Reuse gives attackers a quick path into your network. When you stop reuse you break that path and make every account harder to reach.
- Monitor login activity and set limits. Check for unusual tries or new locations. Slow down or block repeated failures. If one password is tried across many accounts, stop the pattern.
End Password Attacks with Smart Solutions
Infisign brings identity and access into one place with its UniFed product and its Workforce IAM suite. This makes sign in safer and simpler for users and admins. The platform moves companies away from passwords and toward passwordless options with strong verification and clear control.
- Passwordless Authentication. : Infisign’s passwordless feature removes passwords fully and gives you a sign in that feels clean and safe. It uses biometrics and device passkeys built on FIDO2 and WebAuthn so your access stays strong. Magic links open your apps from your trusted device with one tap.
You sign in once and reach every tool you need. Zero knowledge proof keeps your secrets protected because you never share them at all. Attackers cannot steal what is never shown. You also avoid daily support pain over lost passwords.
- Universal Single Sign On. Infisign stands out because setup moves fast and stays simple. The whole setup finishes in only 4 hours. With built in social login your users can sign in with Google or Facebook or other accounts without making new passwords. Everything feels smooth and easy for every user.
- Infisign Smart MFA gives strong identity checks without slowing your work. It raises or lowers security based on real time signals like location. device trust, user role and strange activity. Normal sign in stays smooth. Extra checks appear only when the risk rises. It works the same on cloud apps on premises tools and hybrid setups. It blocks phishing and keeps every login safe while the experience stays familiar for users.
Why Infisign Adaptive MFA Works
- Adjusts checks based on location device health user role and real time risk so sign in stays safe
- Works with your existing authenticator apps and identity tools so nothing feels new
- Extends SSO and MFA to legacy and on premises apps without heavy changes
- Enables biometric sign in and device bound passkeys that cannot be copied or phished
- Supports full passwordless login with biometrics passkeys, push approvals OTP or QR sign in
Supported Authentication Methods
- Biometric verification with face or fingerprint on trusted devices
- FIDO2 and WebAuthn hardware keys for strong phishing resistant access
- Time based one time passcodes from authenticator apps
- Push approval prompts on known devices
- Email or SMS codes as a controlled fallback
- NAG and MPWA support to enable biometric login on legacy and on premises apps
- Infisign’s Privilege Access Management. Infisign gives admin power only when it is needed and it disappears as soon as the job is done. You get rights for the time you must act and no longer. Every privileged action is logged in real time so you always know who did what and when. The least privilege rule is built in so standing access stays low. Outside experts get just in time access instead of full time rights. You cut risk and keep a full clean audit record for every sensitive step.
- Automated Lifecycle and Clear Audit. Account creation, role changes and offboarding happen automatically. Logs and reports show who accessed what and when. This makes it easier to notice slow password spraying or sudden credential stuffing activity.
- Zero Trust and Decentralized Identity Support. Infisign does not assume trust based on network location. Every access request is verified. Identity can be stored in secure user controlled forms instead of large central stores which reduces risk.
Credential stuffing and password spraying rely on weak habits, static secrets, outdated access and blind spots in governance. These features remove those weak zones and turn identity into a controlled and high trust system.
- Reusable Identity and Decentralized Wallets. Infisign lets users verify identity once and reuse it across apps so password repetition drops and attackers lose easy entry points.
- Zero Knowledge Proof Authentication. The system proves identity without exposing secrets which removes the common interception point attackers target during replay attempts.
- AI Driven Access Assistant. Access requests move instantly through an automated engine and users ask for permissions through Slack or Teams so no delay leaves a gap for attackers.
- Decentralized Identity Support. Identity stays inside user controlled structures which removes central credential stores and weakens large scale stuffing attempts.
- Identity Governance and Access Reviews. Roles and rights update automatically so unused access disappears and attackers cannot ride old permissions to move deeper.
- Compliance and Audit Intelligence. Every identity action stays tracked so unusual login waves or silent first try hits become visible before damage spreads.
- Self Service Customer Identity. Customers manage profiles and consent themselves which removes manual mistakes and closes weak entry points.
- Instant Integration with 6000+ Apps. Infisign connects quickly to modern and legacy systems so all apps share the same strong protection against password based attacks.
Want to stop password attacks with real control and simple sign in?
Book a demo with Infisign and watch how fast your access becomes safe, smooth and passwordless.
FAQs
What is the difference between brute force and credential stuffing?
Brute force guesses many password choices for one account. Credential stuffing uses already stolen username and password pairs across many accounts. Brute force guesses. Stuffing reuses. Both try silent entry.
What are the three main types of password attacks?
Brute force tries many password guesses. Password spraying tests one common password across many accounts. Credential stuffing reuses stolen username and password pairs from breaches to enter new systems.
How do you detect password spraying attacks?
Look for many login failures spread across different accounts over long hours. Notice one same password tried repeatedly. Check slow patterns across logs. Single events look normal but patterns reveal attack.
