Illegitimate Access Is On the Rise — Can MSSPs Stop It?Illegitimate Access Is On the Rise — Can MSSPs Stop It?

Cybercriminals are no longer just exploiting software vulnerabilities; they are orchestrating multi-step campaigns that begin with credential theft and end with the exfiltration of sensitive data.

Legitimate credentials give attackers illegitimate privileged access to systems where they can remain undetected for long periods of time, often moving silently until they’ve harvested enough information to escalate access and steal valuable information. As organizations struggle to protect themselves from exposure, managed security service providers (MSSPs) are stepping in as a critical line of defense.

Credential Theft Tripled in 2024

New research reveals an alarming shift in attacker behavior: Credential theft techniques (T1555 - Credentials from Password Stores) grew from 8% in 2023 to 25% in 2024, marking a 3X increase. This explosion in credential-focused attacks underscores how adversaries have doubled down on successful techniques for low-hanging fruit. Ironically, the increased adoption of password managers makes them a high-value target for attackers to unlock or scrape their memory. They also try previously collected passwords to unlock password managers or steal browser-stored credentials by extracting master keys and decrypting stored passwords. 

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The implications of this are profound. Attackers who successfully obtain administrator credentials can move laterally across networks, disabling defenses, exfiltrating data and even deploying ransomware as a final blow. In many breaches, possessing an admin or domain-level credential is enough to compromise a large portion of an environment.

Why Traditional Defenses Are Falling Short

Despite widespread awareness of credential-based attacks, many organizations remain unprepared to protect against them. Defenders often rely on outdated security measures such as signature-based detection, quarterly vulnerability scans and reactive patching. Meanwhile, attackers continuously refine their methods, leveraging living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins), process injection and command-line scripting to avoid detection.

Compounding this issue is the fragmentation of security controls. Many enterprises operate in silos, where logs, alerts and threat intelligence are not effectively correlated. This lack of centralized visibility enables attackers to remain undetected for extended periods. Moreover, personnel shortages and rising alert volumes mean defenders don’t always have time or resources to investigate every anomaly. To close the gap, organizations must adopt a proactive security approach — one that continuously validates defenses, integrates behavioral monitoring and prioritizes rapid response. This is where MSSPs provide immense value.

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How MSSPs Protect Companies from Today’s Attackers

Given the complexity of today’s threats, more businesses are turning to MSSPs for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. MSSPs are uniquely positioned to help companies counter credential-based threats through:

Security Expertise. MSSPs employ security analysts, incident responders and SOC teams who have deep expertise in identifying, assessing and mitigating cyber threats. These experts help organizations interpret security findings from exposure validation tools and implement necessary defenses. They also offer guidance on optimizing security controls based on real-world attack scenarios identified through validation testing.

Compliance and Regulatory Expertise. MSSPs assist organizations in mapping exposure validation results to compliance requirements such as PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA and ISO 27001. They help remediate security gaps by aligning security controls with industry best practices and regulatory mandates. MSSPs conduct security audits and ensure that businesses maintain continuous compliance by addressing vulnerabilities identified in validation exercises.

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Advanced Threat Intelligence. MSSPs stay up-to-date with the latest threat intelligence and MITRE ATT&CK trends. They can flag new information for businesses, like the fact that just 10 MITRE ATT&CK techniques account for more than 90% of attacks. MSSPs can leverage these insights to make strategic recommendations for security teams to focus on the most prevalent techniques, such as process injection (T1055) and credential theft (T1555).

Best-Practice Recommendations. MSSPs advocate for zero-trust security models, ensuring that even if attackers obtain credentials, they cannot move freely within an organization’s network. Based on exposure validation findings, they can optimize firewall rules, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and endpoint security configurations. By continuously refining security architectures, MSSPs ensure that organizations are resilient against known and emerging threats.

Collaboration Between MSSPs and the Enterprises They Protect

The battle against credential-based threats requires a multi-layered approach that combines technology, expertise and continuous monitoring. Organizations that rely solely on traditional security tools will remain vulnerable to the sophisticated strategies employed by today’s adversaries.

MSSPs can help businesses take a holistic approach to their security posture by integrating exposure validation, threat intelligence and real-time monitoring. However, working with an MSSP is not a silver bullet — security teams must take an active role in strengthening their defenses. Investing in zero-trust architectures, securing credential stores and adopting continuous security validation practices are essential steps toward cyber resilience.

As attackers continue to refine their tactics, organizations must evolve just as quickly. MSSPs are at the forefront of this fight, ensuring that businesses remain one step ahead in the ongoing battle against cyber threats. The question is no longer whether credential theft will be attempted — it’s whether you have the right defenses in place to stop it from taking down your infrastructure.