How Stealer Logs Are Redefining Identity Attacks

The age of cyber intrusions is evolving. Hackers no longer need to painstakingly exploit vulnerabilities or brute-force their way into systems. Instead, they are leveraging a new favorite tool: stolen credentials. Fueled by info stealer malware, stealer logs — a collection of usernames, passwords, session tokens, and cookies — are enabling threat actors to infiltrate systems with ease.

The 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) reveals a startling statistic: 80% of breaches involve stolen credentials. This dependency has catapulted stealer logs into a coveted resource among cybercriminals, with thriving Dark Web markets enabling their trade. This article uncovers how identity attacks are reshaping the cybersecurity landscape and what organizations can do to counteract these threats.

Why Are Identity Attacks Dominating the Cyber Threat Landscape?

Identity-based cyberattacks have become a critical challenge for organizations globally. Stolen credentials, often found in stealer logs, are at the core of these breaches. IBM’s research estimates an average financial loss of $4.24 million per breach, underscoring the serious consequences of compromised identities.

Further research highlights that 62% of interactive intrusions involve the abuse of valid accounts, and attempts to harvest credentials via cloud instance metadata APIs have surged by 160%. Attackers now focus on cloud infrastructure and applications, targeting sensitive accounts to facilitate ransomware deployment, data theft, and operational disruptions.

The rapid adoption of cloud-based infrastructure has exacerbated these risks. A compromised credential today could grant attackers access to sensitive systems, allowing them to navigate networks, escalate privileges, and execute secondary attacks with devastating precision.

How Do Attackers Exploit Stolen Credentials?

Cybercriminals employ several methods to steal and abuse credentials. The most common include:

• Phishing Attacks: Sophisticated emails and cloned websites trick users into revealing sensitive information.
• Infostealer Malware: Tools like Redline and Raccoon silently collect login data, cookies, and tokens from victims’ devices.
• Credential Stuffing: Automated tools use stolen login credentials to find valid matches across multiple platforms.

Poor password hygiene significantly exacerbates the problem. Despite widespread awareness, many users still rely on weak passwords such as “123456” or “admin.” Worse, 45% of remote workers use the same password for personal and professional accounts, increasing the risk of large-scale breaches.

By capitalizing on stolen credentials, attackers bypass traditional defenses and gain easy access to systems.

What Role Do Stealer Logs Play in Identity Attacks?

Stealer logs are at the center of modern identity attacks. Collected by infostealer malware, these logs contain sensitive information, including usernames, passwords, and session tokens. They are sold on Dark Web marketplaces, offering attackers a ready-made toolkit to impersonate legitimate users and infiltrate systems undetected.

A prime example is the Snowflake breach, where attackers used stolen credentials from stealer logs to infiltrate high-profile customer accounts. The absence of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) allowed them to exploit these accounts, causing significant disruptions for organizations such as Ticketmaster and Neiman Marcus.

Who Are Initial Access Brokers (IABs), and How Are They Fueling Attacks?

The rise of Initial Access Brokers (IABs) has further amplified the threat posed by stealer logs. These brokers specialize in extracting and selling access to compromised systems. According to CrowdStrike, IAB advertisements on Dark Web forums have increased by 147%, reflecting the growing demand for stolen credentials.

IABs streamline the attack process by providing pre-verified access to ransomware groups and other threat actors, enabling them to bypass early intrusion stages and focus on exploitation.

Why Are Stealer Logs So Valuable to Cybercriminals?

Stealer logs are prized for their versatility and efficiency. They allow attackers to:

• Launch Identity Attacks: Impersonate users to gain unauthorized access.
• Deploy Ransomware: Use initial access to encrypt systems and extort victims.
• Escalate Privileges: Leverage stolen credentials to gain admin access.

Their utility makes stealer logs a cornerstone of modern cyberattacks, reducing technical barriers and increasing the scale of identity-based attacks.

How Can Organizations Defend Against Stealer Logs?

With identity attacks on the rise, businesses must adopt proactive measures to protect themselves:

Strengthen Password Security

Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and enforce strong password policies. User education is equally vital — 99% of cloud security failures are attributed to customer mistakes, according to Gartner.

Monitor the Dark Web

Use tools like SOCRadar’s Advanced Dark Web Monitoring to detect compromised credentials in real-time. By identifying exposed assets early, businesses can mitigate risks before attackers exploit them.

What Can SOCRadar’s Free Dark Web Report Reveal?

To combat the risks of stolen credentials, SOCRadar offers a Free Dark Web Report that provides actionable insights into your organization’s exposure to the Dark Web. The report includes:

• Threat severity analysis.
• Identified employee credentials in leaks.
• Data from infected devices within your organization.

Stay ahead of cyber threats with real-time intelligence from SOCRadar. This will empower your organization to secure its critical assets and minimize risks.

Learn more about the Free Dark Web Report here: SOCRadar Labs

Published initially on socradar.io, November 21, 2024: https://socradar.io/hackers-dont-hack-they-log-in-stealer-logs-and-identity-attacks/