What is Password Spraying and How Can You Prevent It?
Password spraying is a stealthy type of cyberattack that exploits weak or commonly used passwords to gain access to multiple user accounts. Unlike traditional brute-force attacks that bombard a single account with endless password guesses, password spraying takes a different approach: attackers try one commonly used password across many accounts.
This technique helps hackers bypass lockout policies, since they’re not hammering a single account with multiple attempts. Unfortunately, it works all too often—because the weakest link in cybersecurity is usually people and how they manage their passwords.
How Does Password Spraying Work?
Hackers often collect usernames from leaked databases, public directories, or previous breaches. Once they have this list, they “spray” one password (like Password123 or Welcome2024) across all those accounts.
The process is usually automated, allowing attackers to quickly and quietly test huge numbers of username-password combinations without immediately triggering security alarms.
Because of its efficiency and simplicity, password spraying has become a go-to tactic for both cybercriminals and state-sponsored hackers.
How Password Spraying Differs From Other Attacks
Brute-force attacks: Focus on one account, trying every possible password until they get in. These are resource-heavy and easier to detect.
Credential stuffing: Uses stolen username-password pairs (from data breaches) and tests them on other sites where people might have reused the same credentials.
Password spraying: Targets many accounts at once, but with a small set of common passwords—making it harder to detect and stop.
How Organizations Can Detect and Prevent Password Spraying
Preventing these attacks requires a proactive and layered defense. Here are some best practices:
Strong password policies – Require employees to create complex, unique passwords that are updated regularly.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) – Add an extra verification step, like a code or app prompt, to drastically reduce the chances of unauthorized access.
Regular security audits – Review authentication logs, access attempts, and overall security posture to spot weaknesses before attackers do.
Advanced login detection – Monitor for unusual login patterns, such as multiple attempts from one IP address targeting different accounts.
User education – Train staff on the dangers of weak passwords and the importance of enabling MFA.
Incident response planning – Have a clear plan to respond quickly: alert users, reset compromised credentials, and investigate thoroughly.
Final Thoughts
Password spraying continues to be one of the most effective cyberattacks because it takes advantage of human behavior. Organizations that strengthen password policies, enforce MFA, and actively monitor login activity will be much better equipped to defend against it.
If you’d like to learn how we can help secure your organization against password spraying and other cyber threats, contact us today.
