Password theft is undoubtedly one of the most important targets for hackers. For this they can use different methods and some of them are brute force and Phishing attacks . In this article we echo how Microsoft has managed to prevent the theft of billions of keys during the last year. We will also give some tips to be protected at all times.
Microsoft prevents the theft of millions of keys
Customers of some Microsoft services, such as Office 365 or Azure AD , have been victims of billions of password theft attempts. Cybercriminals have mainly used brute force and phishing attacks. However, Microsoft managed to successfully block these attempts.
In total, as indicated by Microsoft , during all of 2021 they blocked more than 25.6 billion brute force attacks against Azure AD and another 35.7 billion Phishing attacks through Office 365.
Microsoft has very advanced security solutions that allow you to avoid, or at least reduce as much as possible, these types of problems. They manage to stop brute force attacks or Phishing through prior knowledge, of large databases that allow them to detect these threats.
However, as indicated by the company itself, this is not enough. In fact, there are many Phishing emails or brute force attacks that can affect both home users and companies. And that is where the knowledge of the user comes into play, knowing how to be protected.
Measures to avoid these attacks
It is important to know that we have different methods to be protected against Phishing and brute force attacks. From Microsoft they recommend activating two-step authentication as the main measure to prevent password theft. It is undoubtedly an additional security barrier that we must apply not only to Microsoft accounts, but also to any other we have.
But beyond activating two-step authentication, it is also essential to have the systems properly protected . Hackers can sometimes take advantage of known vulnerabilities to launch their attacks. To prevent this we must install the latest versions and updates that are available, whether they are of the operating system or of any program that we use.
Having security programs is also essential. A good antivirus can detect the entry of malware that puts the security of the computer at risk. It can be used to block malicious downloads or help eliminate any virus or Trojan that may have entered without us noticing. You can see some tips to prevent malware from entering the system.
In short, although Microsoft has been able to stop billions of attempts at brute force and Phishing attacks, users need to take extreme precautions and activate multi-factor authentication, as well as install a good antivirus and all available updates. However, the best barrier is still common sense and avoiding making mistakes that could allow the entry of this type of computer attack.
