7 Types of Password Attacks and How to Prevent Them
Understand the most common password attack techniques—like brute force, credential stuffing, and phishing—and learn how to defend against each one.
Common Types of Password Attacks
Attackers rarely guess passwords manually. Instead, they automate the process with different techniques. Brute-force attacks try every possible combination until they find one that works, while dictionary attacks cycle through lists of common words and patterns. Credential stuffing uses usernames and passwords leaked from one site to break into other sites where people reused the same credentials.
Other techniques focus on tricking people rather than cracking passwords directly. Phishing emails and fake login pages steal credentials outright, keyloggers capture what you type, and shoulder surfing or hidden cameras can capture passwords in public spaces. Understanding these patterns makes it easier to spot and block them.
Technical Defenses Against Password Attacks
Strong technical controls make many password attacks far less effective. Rate limiting and account lockouts slow down brute-force attempts, while CAPTCHAs and bot-detection tools help block automated login traffic. Storing passwords using modern hashing algorithms and salting prevents attackers from immediately reading credentials even if they compromise the database.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most powerful defenses: even if an attacker steals or guesses the password, they still cannot log in without a one-time code, hardware key, or biometric factor. Enforcing minimum password length, complexity, and uniqueness also increases the cost of guessing or cracking attempts.
User Best Practices for Stronger Passwords
From the user side, the most important step is to avoid reusing passwords across accounts. A single breach on a low-value site should not automatically unlock your email, banking, and social media. Use a password manager to generate and store long, random passwords so you do not have to memorize them.
Be cautious with links in email and text messages, especially those that lead to login pages; when in doubt, navigate directly to the site instead of clicking a link. Turn on MFA wherever it is offered, favoring app-based authenticators or security keys over SMS. Finally, change any passwords that may have been exposed in known data breaches.