Overview

This article will explain the ACSIA alert called "user login attempt fail".

Explaining the user login attempt fail

"User login attempt fail", in the context of cybersecurity, refers to an unsuccessful or failed attempt by a user to log into a computer system or a network. When a user tries to access the system by providing their username and password, but the login credentials are incorrect or invalid, the system registers it as a "login attempt fail."

Example of a "user login attempt fail" attack:

Let's imagine a scenario where a company has an internal network with various user accounts to allow employees to access shared resources and data. The company takes security seriously and has implemented measures to protect against unauthorized access.

An attacker outside the company wants to gain unauthorized access to the company's network to steal sensitive data or disrupt operations. The attacker knows that gaining access to a valid user account is a potential way to achieve their goal.

To carry out the attack, the attacker first identifies the usernames of employees in the company through various means, such as social engineering, phishing, or data breaches.

The attacker then attempts a "user login attempt fail" attack. They use a program or script known as a "brute-force attack" to systematically guess different combinations of passwords for the identified user accounts.

For example, the attacker tries common passwords, dictionary words, or variations of the usernames as passwords. They use an automated tool to quickly attempt a large number of login combinations.

As the attacker's tool tries to log in using the guessed passwords, the system registers each attempt. However, since the attacker does not know the correct passwords, all these login attempts fail.

While individual "user login attempt fail" events may not be concerning on their own, they could be a sign of an ongoing attack when detected in large numbers or over a short period.

ACSIA notifies you when it registers 15 failed login attempts in a row.