CAPEC-70: Try Common or Default Usernames and Passwords
Description
An adversary may try certain common or default usernames and passwords to gain access into the system and perform unauthorized actions. An adversary may try an intelligent brute force using empty passwords, known vendor default credentials, as well as a dictionary of common usernames and passwords. Many vendor products come preconfigured with default (and thus well-known) usernames and passwords that should be deleted prior to usage in a production environment. It is a common mistake to forget to remove these default login credentials. Another problem is that users would pick very simple (common) passwords (e.g. secret or password) that make it easier for the attacker to gain access to the system compared to using a brute force attack or even a dictionary attack using a full dictionary.
- Likelihood of attack
- Medium
- Typical severity
- High
- Abstraction
- DetailedA low-level, detailed pattern, often for a particular technology.
Mechanism of attack: Employ Probabilistic Techniques
Prerequisites
- The system uses one factor password based authentication.The adversary has the means to interact with the system.
Skills required
- LowAn adversary just needs to gain access to common default usernames/passwords specific to the technologies used by the system. Additionally, a brute force attack leveraging common passwords can be easily realized if the user name is known.
Consequences
- ConfidentialityAccess ControlAuthorization
Gain Privileges
Mitigations
- Delete all default account credentials that may be put in by the product vendor.
- Implement a password throttling mechanism. This mechanism should take into account both the IP address and the log in name of the user.
- Put together a strong password policy and make sure that all user created passwords comply with it. Alternatively automatically generate strong passwords for users.
- Passwords need to be recycled to prevent aging, that is every once in a while a new password must be chosen.
Related weaknesses (CWE)
ATT&CK techniques (CAPEC taxonomy mapping)
Marked techniques are also explained, with detection notes and certification relevance, on our interactive ATT&CK map.
Across MITRE's defensive frameworks
Linked through the 1 ATT&CK technique above.
Counter with D3FEND
Defensive techniques MITRE D3FEND maps to the same ATT&CK techniques.
- D3-LAMLocal Account Monitoring1 shared
- D3-DAMDomain Account Monitoring1 shared
- D3-ALAccount Locking1 shared
- D3-AAAgent Authentication1 shared
- D3-RUAARestore User Account Access1 shared
- D3-ULAUnlock Account1 shared
- D3-UAPUser Account Permissions1 shared
- D3-CDPChange Default Password1 shared
- D3-AMAccess Modeling1 shared
Detect with CAR
MITRE CAR analytics that cover the same ATT&CK techniques.