15 Harmful Ways Info-Stealers Can Exploit Corporate Credentials

Most of us are excited about technology. We’re loving the amazing new devices and productivity-enhancing apps, the ability to get some much more done in so much less time. Whenever a new innovative tool is released, we can’t wait to put it through its paces.

Technology is awesome and we’ve reached the point where we can’t live without it. We need technology to communicate, to transact business, to keep in touch with our customers and loved ones, to handle our day-to-day affairs. Hard to remember a time when we didn’t have smartphones. The youngest of us have been enmeshed in technology since birth.

With all the great benefits of technological advancement has also come a certain level of blind trust.

Consumers assume the device makers know what they’re doing. The average buyer doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about security and issues of information privacy. Users freely download information and install apps, visit websites, and divulge personal information on social media, often without a second thought.

At Gold Comet, we love technology too. Our entire platform is based on patented technology and quantum innovation – but our primary focus is on keeping your data secure. Whether it’s intellectual property information, financial records, general documentation and correspondence, or the personnel records maintained by your HR department.

Because all of your data has immeasurable value. You need to protect it from infiltration and theft. When you buy a new IoT device or try out a new app, there are security concerns you should consider.

Following are just a few of the ways info-stealers can take your invaluable information and use it to harm you or your enterprise.

!5 Ways Info-Stealers Exploit Your Credentials

1. Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Data 

Cybercriminals can use stolen credentials to access confidential company files, exposing sensitive information that can lead to data breaches and legal consequences.

2. Financial Fraud 

Attackers can commit financial fraud by initiating unauthorized transactions, leading to monetary losses, damaged credit, and loss of stakeholder trust.

3. Corporate Espionage 

Competitors or hackers may use stolen credentials to spy on business strategies, products, or intellectual property, undermining competitive advantages.

4. Business Email Compromise (BEC) 

Stolen email credentials enable attackers to impersonate executives, leading to fraudulent wire transfers or compromising vendor relationships.

5. Network Penetration 

Cybercriminals can use credentials to gain access to a company’s network, infiltrating deeper systems, planting malware, or disrupting operations.

6. Ransomware Deployment 

Once inside, attackers can deploy ransomware, locking company data and systems until a ransom is paid, paralyzing operations and causing financial damage.

7. Social Engineering Attacks 

Stolen credentials allow hackers to impersonate employees and launch more convincing phishing or social engineering attacks targeting other staff members.

8. Vendor and Client Data Exposure 

Cybercriminals can use compromised credentials to access vendor or client systems, leading to third-party data breaches that damage partnerships and reputation.

9. Credential Stuffing Attacks 

Hackers can use stolen credentials for credential stuffing, attempting to access other systems where employees may reuse passwords, escalating security risks.

10. IP Theft 

Stolen credentials provide access to intellectual property, trade secrets, and proprietary technology, leading to competitive disadvantages or legal disputes.

11. DDoS Attack Coordination 

With access to internal systems, cybercriminals can coordinate Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks that overwhelm company resources and disrupt services.

12. Unauthorized Software Installation 

Attackers can install malicious software or spyware, compromising systems, stealing additional data, or using the network for further criminal activities.

13. Internal Sabotage 

Stolen credentials can be used via insider threat to alter or delete important business data, disrupting operations, damaging reputation, and affecting financial stability.

14. Reputation Damage 

Data breaches due to stolen credentials erode customer trust, leading to brand damage, loss of business, and challenges in restoring public perception.

15. Regulatory Non-Compliance 

If stolen credentials lead to data leaks, the business may face hefty fines and penalties for violating data protection laws like CMMC, GDPR, CCPA, or HIPAA.

This is by no means a total list of the methods info-stealers can use to harm business operations. As technology advances, cybercriminals are keeping pace, coming up with their own innovative ways to use new technological capabilities to their advantage.

You can’t protect your organization from dangers unseen. Better to stay informed and be proactive in your cybersecurity protections than constantly fall victim to zero-day type exploits that give little advance warning and no time to mitigate.

Gold Comet publishes a weekly newsletter called Cybercrime Defined, which explores the various nefarious ways cybercriminals seek to exploit enterprise as well as personal data privacy. To receive the newsletter, simply subscribe on our home page and be sure to download your free checklist of security checkpoints!

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