Leaked Credentials
Millions of credentials are leaked every year in data breaches.
Millions of credentials are leaked every year in data breaches. If your credentials are on the dark web, attackers can use them to access your systems, even if you've already changed the password in your own system.
Leaked Credentials: Most Common Problems in Identity Security
We monitor public databases of leaked credentials and verify if there's evidence of malicious use. What we see most every week:
Credentials in Third-Party Breaches
Corporate credentials appear in databases of third-party service breaches. Even though it's not your fault, your credentials are exposed.
Password Reuse
Same password used on multiple services. If one is leaked, all accounts with that password are at risk.
Lack of MFA
Critical services (email, VPN, cloud) without two-factor authentication. Without MFA, a leaked password is enough to access.
Password Spraying and Credential Stuffing
Evidence of attackers testing leaked credentials on multiple services. Large-scale automated attacks.
Unauthorized Access
Access from suspicious locations using leaked credentials. Evidence that credentials are already being used.
Lack of Rotation
Passwords that aren't rotated after known leaks. Continuous risk even after the leak is discovered.
Impact and Typical Signs
If your credentials are leaked or compromised, you'll see some of these signs:
Critical signs requiring immediate action:
- Unauthorized access to corporate accounts (email, VPN, cloud services)
- Emails sent from your account without your knowledge
- Unauthorized changes in service configurations (O365, Google Workspace)
- Loss of access to critical accounts
Early warning signs:
- Login attempts from suspicious locations
- Identity spoofing (phishing from your domain)
- Exfiltration of sensitive data
How to Know if Your Credentials are Leaked
Indicators that your credentials may be compromised:
- You receive "new login" alerts from unknown locations
- Email forwarding rules appear that you didn't create
- Changes in MFA or account recovery configuration
- Unusual activity in cloud services (mass downloads, permission changes)
- Failed access attempts followed by a successful access from another IP
- Service notifications about suspicious activity
Differentiating Leak vs Compromise
It's important to understand the difference:
- Leak: Your credentials appear in a public database (Have I Been Pwned, leak databases). It doesn't mean you've already been attacked, but it significantly increases risk.
- Compromise: An attacker has used your credentials to access your systems. This requires immediate containment action.
Our service detects leaks before they become compromises, and verifies if there's evidence of malicious use.
Most Common Causes
Once attackers have leaked credentials, they use them to:
Password Spraying
Test the same password on multiple services (email, VPN, cloud services). If you reuse passwords, a single compromise affects everything.
Credential Stuffing
Use automated bots to test leaked credentials on thousands of sites. Large-scale attacks that test millions of combinations.
Corporate Email Access
Email is the gateway to everything (password resets, access to other services). With email access, they can access everything else.
VPN and Remote Access
If the VPN uses the same credentials, direct access to the internal network. Once inside, they can move laterally.
O365 / Google Workspace
Access to documents, calendars, contacts, and ability to send emails as your company. Sensitive information and spoofing capability.
Third-Party Services
SaaS tools that use SSO or the same credentials. A single compromise can affect multiple integrated services.
What Leaked Credentials Evaluation Includes
We perform a complete audit of leaked credentials. What we specifically look at:
Proactive Monitoring
We review public databases of leaked credentials to identify if your accounts appear. Continuous search across multiple sources.
Compromise Verification
We analyze logs and activity to determine if credentials were already used maliciously. Evidence of unauthorized access.
Credential Hygiene
We help you rotate compromised passwords, implement MFA, and establish secure password policies. Practical and actionable improvements.
Exposure Analysis
We identify which services and systems are at risk if those credentials are used. Prioritization by criticality.
Containment Plan
If we detect active compromise, we provide immediate steps to close access. Quick response to incidents.
Security Policies
We help you establish password policies, mandatory MFA, and periodic rotation. Long-term prevention.
We prioritize by risk: first credentials with evidence of malicious use, then leaked but unused.
Deliverables
You'll receive a detailed report with:
List of Affected Accounts
Accounts with leaked credentials (without exposing credentials in plain text). Complete risk inventory.
Status of Each Account
Leaked but unused, or evidence of malicious use. Clear prioritization of what requires immediate action.
Prioritized Recommendations
What to change first, which services are at highest risk. Clear and actionable action plan.
Containment Plan
Immediate steps if there's active compromise. Quick response to confirmed incidents.
Security Policies
Guide to establish secure passwords, MFA, and rotation. Documentation ready to implement.
Verification Checklist
How to check if there's suspicious activity in your services. Continuous maintenance of your identity security.
Timelines
Leaked credentials evaluation is completed in 3-5 business days. If we detect evidence of active compromise, we provide an urgent report within 24 hours with immediate containment steps.
Evaluation Scope and Limits
To be clear about what it covers and what it doesn't:
We do not access your systems without explicit authorization: We only consult public databases and analyze logs you provide. We do not perform access tests without permission.
We do not change passwords for you: We give you the plan, you execute it or delegate it. We focus on identifying and documenting, not executing changes.
We do not provide continuous identity management services: Only evaluation and planning. If you need continuous management, we can recommend options.
Next Step
If your company uses cloud services, corporate email, or remote access, it's likely that some of your credentials are leaked. An evaluation gives you visibility of the real risk and a clear plan to reduce it before it becomes an incident.
Questions frequently asked
Preguntas frecuentes
How does it affect me if I already changed the password?
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If you changed the password after the leak, the immediate risk is reduced. However, if you reuse passwords on other services, those services remain at risk. Additionally, if the leak occurred a long time ago, they may have already accessed before you changed the password. We evaluate if there's evidence of prior access.
Does MFA help if the password is leaked?
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Yes, absolutely. MFA (two-factor authentication) is the best protection against the use of leaked credentials. Even if they have your password, they can't access without the second factor. We help you implement MFA on critical services if you don't have it yet.
What exactly do you monitor?
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We review public databases of leaked credentials (Have I Been Pwned, leak databases, known dark web markets). We search for your corporate domains, company emails, and username patterns. We don't access your systems, we only consult public sources.
What happens if I find leaked credentials from former employees?
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If an employee left the company but their credentials are still active or were reused, that's a risk. We help you identify which accounts are affected and how to deactivate them or rotate credentials. We also evaluate if there's evidence that those credentials were used after the employee left.
How long do attackers take to use leaked credentials?
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It depends. Some attackers test leaked credentials in minutes or hours. Others save them and use them months later. That's why it's important to detect leaks early and rotate credentials before they're used. Our continuous monitoring alerts you when new leaks appear.
What's the difference between a leak and a data breach?
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A leak is when your credentials appear in a public database (it can be from a third-party service you used). A breach is when someone directly accesses your systems and steals data. Leaks are more common and often come from external services you used. Breaches are more serious but less frequent.
Can I do this myself with free tools?
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You can manually consult Have I Been Pwned, but our service is more complete: we review multiple sources, verify if there's evidence of malicious use, analyze the impact on your specific services, and give you a prioritized action plan. Additionally, we automatically alert you if new leaks appear in the future.
Need help with this?
Start with an initial security assessment that identifies the most critical risks and gives you a prioritized action plan.