{"id":53688,"date":"2023-09-15T15:36:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T15:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.networkworld.com\/article\/3706948\/ibm-x-force-use-of-compromised-credentials-darkens-cloud-security-picture.html#tk.rss_security"},"modified":"2023-09-15T15:36:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T15:36:00","slug":"ibm-x-force-use-of-compromised-credentials-darkens-cloud-security-picture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/ibm-x-force-use-of-compromised-credentials-darkens-cloud-security-picture\/","title":{"rendered":"IBM X-Force: Use of compromised credentials darkens cloud security picture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As connectivity to cloud-based resources grows, cybercriminals are using valid, compromised credentials to access enterprise resources at an alarming rate.<\/p>\n

That’s one of the chief findings of the IBM X-Force Cloud Threat Landscape Report<\/a>, which also found a 200% increase (about 3,900 vulnerabilities) in cloud-oriented Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) in the last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver 35% of cloud security incidents occurred from attackers\u2019 use of valid, compromised credentials,\u201d wrote Chris Caridi, strategic cyber threat analyst with IBM X-Force, in a blog<\/a> about the report. \u201cMaking up nearly 90% of assets for sale on dark web marketplaces, credentials\u2019 popularity among cybercriminals is apparent, averaging $10 per listing \u2013 or the equivalent of a dozen doughnuts.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the increased use of edge, branch and remote networked users accessing multicloud environments, it is clear organizations need to tighten the access privileges IT gives those users.<\/p>\n

In fact, X-Force found plain text credentials located on user endpoints in 33% of engagements involving cloud environments.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn particular, there was a high frequency of service account credentials stored on endpoints, and many were over-privileged. Excessively privileged users can be defined as those who have more permissions than they need to do their job or task,\u201d the report stated.<\/p>\n