Attack vectors are the vulnerable entry points that cyberattackers exploit to access your system. They’re not the attack itself, but rather the route hackers use to deploy it. Weak credentials, for example, are a vector that makes it easy to launch brute-force attacks, one of the most common cyberattacks. 

Knowing these potential vulnerabilities helps you shore up your defenses. With this in mind, here are eight of the most common attack vectors every IT team should be aware of.

1. Phishing & social engineering attacks

The most common attack vector is that soft, squishy thing between users’ ears: their brains. And sadly, you can’t just patch it with an update. Phishing attacks are those that take advantage of everyday human error.

How threat actors exploit phishing

Threat actors send users carefully worded emails that exploit users’ sense of urgency, compassion, or respect for authority. For example, they’ll manipulate them into clicking malware-laden links or revealing login information to a manager who “needs it right now.”

Signs your organization is being targeted

You’ll need to catch cybercriminals in the act to discover whether you’re being targeted for social engineering attacks. One common sign is a surge of suspicious emails that include particularly strong, coercive language. Every company email service needs a “Report possible phishing” button, so users can flag suspicious messages whenever they see them.

How to prevent phishing-based initial access

Proper security awareness training (SAT) is key to preventing social engineering attacks. Publish regular threat intelligence reports so every employee knows about common threats, and bring up examples in company-wide meetings. 

It’s also wise to make it tougher for attackers to access sensitive files, even if they get hold of a user’s credentials. Layered access controls, multi-factor authentication, and credential monitoring provide an extra layer of defense.

2. Weak or compromised credentials

Weak, reused passwords are almost as bad as having no password at all. It takes very little effort for attackers to exploit them.

How credential compromise enables initial access

Attackers obtain lists of leaked passwords from initial access brokers—cybercriminals who specialize in breaching corporate networks and selling credentials to other hackers—and try them out to see which ones work. 

If passwords are weak, hackers might not even have to go to a broker. They could just try common varieties or use password cracking tools to see if they can get inside on their own. 

Detection signals of credential abuse

Signs of credential abuse include suspicious login activity, like repeated failed logins or unusual sign-in locations, and the sudden activation of dormant accounts.

Reducing risk through access control

To reduce risk, only grant the minimum access each user needs, implement multi-factor authentication for every account in your organization, and continuously monitor for a breach.

3. Unpatched software and known vulnerabilities

While having to pause regularly to install security patches is a hassle, these updates are essential to closing gaps across the cyber threat landscape.

Why do known vulnerabilities remain high-risk?

Some vulnerabilities only become clear after an attacker tries to exploit them. Even if developers work quickly on a patch in response, those vulnerabilities are still open in the meantime. Closing a known gap should be priority one once someone discovers it.

Identifying exploit attempts

Keep up to date on known issues across all the software you use. Update scanning parameters to include anything that could indicate cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities, like abnormal service behavior or unexpected outbound traffic.

Reducing exposure through patch prioritization

Apply patches to vulnerable systems and internet-facing assets first. This will close external gaps that attackers might use to inject ransomware or set up persistence mechanisms.

4. Exposed remote access services

Remote access is great for improving collaboration between distributed workforces, but it also dramatically expands your attack surface. Recent cybersecurity statistics show credential abuse and edge-device vulnerabilities are leading causes of breaches.

How attackers discover exposed services

Threat actors use automated external recon tools to scan millions of internet-facing ports and connected devices every day. Hackers are just waiting for opportunities to present themselves. Every time you set up or expand a remote access system, you risk leaving an opening for scanning software to find.

Warning signs of remote service exploitation

Attackers act fast when they find an open port, immediately stuffing it with stolen credentials or bombarding it with brute-force attacks. It’s a vicious assault, but the good news is these attempts leave an obvious trail you can detect easily with continuous monitoring. Other common signs include unusual session times and people logging in from unfamiliar locations.

Minimizing public exposure

Wherever possible, create a layered defense between your infrastructure and the outside world. Make use of virtual machines and proxy servers that mask internet traffic, build strong authentication processes into your systems, and continuously monitor for signs of disruption.

5. Misconfigured cloud environments

Cloud storage is convenient, but incorrect settings or permissions can turn it into a persistent vulnerability.

How cloud misconfigurations enable initial access

One poorly controlled team folder is all it takes for a threat actor to gain a foothold in your infrastructure. All they have to do is find the vulnerability, and that’s not hard if they use automated data scrapers and indexers. 

Other examples of potential entry points include exposed storage buckets, excessive identity and access management (IAM) permissions, and unsecured application programming interfaces (APIs).

Signs of cloud configuration abuse

The first thing most attackers do when they break into a secure cloud service is start scraping everything they can. This means using automated bots to extract as much data as they can get their hands on. Log monitoring through a managed security information and event management (SIEM) system can detect signals like unusual privilege escalations and bulk downloads.

You should also keep an eye out for unusual storage resource access, abnormal API activity, and unexpected privilege escalation.

Reducing cloud attack surface

Compartmentalize cloud storage access by limiting services on a need-to-know basis. That way, if someone does get into your network, they can’t move anything far from the point of entry. This minimizes damage while allowing you to isolate and shut down affected systems.

6. Supply chain and third-party access

Vendors and other third-party users are an important part of your business. But they can also introduce new vulnerabilities that require additional attack surface management.

How threat actors exploit trusted vendors

No matter how much you trust your vendors, they can provide an opening for attackers if they use compromised credentials or poorly maintained software. Even if indirectly, they’re interacting with the same infrastructure that employees use, which is just as useful to attackers.

Indicators of third-party account misuse

You’ll notice signs of a third-party vulnerability when you start getting unexpected logins from new or long-dormant accounts. Another sign is that certain accounts have unnecessarily escalated privileges.

Minimizing third-party risk exposure

Only grant as much access as vendor accounts need to do their work, and implement multi-factor authentication to keep them secure. Also, monitor any shared integrations to ensure all parties are regularly updating them with the latest security patches.

7. Insider threats and privilege misuse

Threats can come from within, too. This could be a bad actor, or even a user who doesn’t know they’re part of a malicious strategy.

How legitimate access becomes an attack vector

A user with more permissions than they need might be tempted to wander into systems they shouldn’t. From here, it’s easy for them to make mistakes or open vulnerabilities without them even knowing it.

Detecting abnormal insider activity

Deviations in user behavior raise fairly obvious flags, such as accounts suddenly accessing systems they’ve never used before. You can easily detect these patterns with a proper identity threat detection and response (ITDR) setup.

Reducing privilege-related risk

Take a detect and prevent approach—monitor account behavior closely and carefully restrict privileges.

8. API and application-layer exploits

Always-on APIs are excellent tools, but they also leave an always-on attack vector that hackers check often.

How application vulnerabilities enable entry

Even a minor flaw in your API authentication flow can allow malicious requests. This makes the interface an easy attack vector for structured query language (SQL) injection and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. 

Indicators of application-level exploitation

Any unusual API requests or increased login attempts should raise flags. API exploits also usually come with a spike in error responses, as attackers try every method they can to break in.

Minimizing application attack surface

Input validation is the best way to prevent malicious SQL injection. Continuous traffic monitoring will also help you shut down DDoS attacks before they become an issue.

Threat actors tend to go for low-hanging fruit when picking an attack vector. Typically, that means social engineering through phishing and spear phishing or exploiting weak credentials with brute-force attacks and credential stuffing. They begin with basic reconnaissance but quickly make the most out of every vulnerability they find.

The key to keeping attackers out is making yourself a harder target. Reduce attack surfaces, train employees regularly, and stay up to date on security patches, and they’ll move on to easier victims. Even determined attackers will have a tougher time breaking in if you also deploy continuous monitoring and endpoint detection—both of which you can get through a managed endpoint detection and response (EDR) setup.

Huntress’s Managed EDR monitors endpoint behavior 24/7, combining advanced detection technology with a human-led, AI-centric SOC that quickly separates real threats from false positives. When they find something suspicious, Huntress analysts move from detection to active remediation, identifying, isolating, and evicting attackers, with a mean time to respond (MTTR) of about eight minutes on average. 

Most data breaches and ransomware attacks begin when a threat actor finds a vulnerability in a common attack vector that they check every day. Even a single moment of complacency is all they need to break in. The key to deterrence is making yourself a harder target, so they prey on other, less-protected companies.

With 24/7 Managed EDR, you’ll always have Huntress watching over you, continuously monitoring behavior and checking defenses to ensure everything is up to scratch. 

Don’t let yourself be a victim—sign up for a demo or start for free to shore up your cybersecurity defenses.