IDENTITY-BASED attacks remain the primary entry point for breaches, with attackers obtaining valid credentials through credential stuffing, password spraying against exposed services, or phishing campaigns—no exploits needed, just a valid username and password. Once inside, they dump and crack additional passwords, reuse credentials to move laterally, and expand their foothold across the environment, leading to encryption and extortion in hours for ransomware crews or long‑term persistence for nation‑state actors.
AI is accelerating these operations by scaling credential testing, speeding up tooling development, and crafting phishing emails harder to distinguish from legitimate messages, putting pressure on defenders who must keep pace. The recommended response framework emphasises DAIR—a dynamic incident‑response loop that cycles through scoping, containment, eradication, and recovery as new information emerges, rather than following a linear model.
Effective defence also hinges on communication across SOC analysts, cloud engineers, IR leads, and administrators, plus ongoing training so defenders understand both attacker techniques and the evidence left behind. This article, published 21 April 2026, highlights that organisations investing in people and practising the DAIR approach are better positioned to disrupt credential‑based breaches. according to The Hacker News