Organizations face a critical reality that many security professionals have long understood but too few enterprises have properly addressed: credentials remain the keys to the kingdom and cyber hygiene continues to be neglected. Despite advances in security technology, passwords remain the first line of defense and often the weakest links.
Passwords are just the visible edge of a much deeper problem: fragmented identity visibility. Behind every credential lies an identity, whether human or non-human, that may no longer need access, is overprivileged, or hasn’t rotated credentials in years. At Anetac, we believe risk begins when you lose sight of who (or what) has access, why, and whether that access is appropriate.
The Fundamental Truth of Identity Security
Passwords alone cannot safeguard digital identities in today’s hybrid environments, where employees access resources from multiple locations using various devices. According to recent industry reports, identity-based vulnerabilities have emerged as the primary attack vector for modern breaches, with compromised credentials involved in approximately 80% of all hacking-related data breaches. This alarming statistic underscores how critical proper credential management has become in our interconnected world.
Yet most organizations still treat this as a password strength problem instead of an identity context problem. Too many enterprises still lack visibility into who owns each credential, when it was last rotated, and whether the account behind it is even in use.
The Alarming State of Password Hygiene
At Anetac, we have uncovered concerning patterns in credential management across industries. In financial institutions, some passwords have remained unchanged for over 15 years, creating critical security blind spots in organizations handling some of the most sensitive financial data in the world. The healthcare sector shows equally troubling trends, with 74% of healthcare credentials remaining unchanged for more than 90 days, putting patient data and critical systems at significant risk. Critical infrastructure sectors demonstrate widespread credential sharing, with multiple employees using the same login information, violating basic security principles and making attribution nearly impossible when incidents occur. Across all industries, the average enterprise password remains unchanged for 180 days, well beyond security best practices, creating extended windows of vulnerability.
The true danger isn’t just in stale passwords; it’s in accounts that no one knows exist. Dormant service accounts and orphaned human accounts with outdated or weak passwords represent a treasure trove for malicious actors seeking entry points into corporate networks. These forgotten access points often retain privileged permissions and go unmonitored for months or years, providing perfect attack vectors.
Anetac helps organizations discover and surface these blind spots by analyzing credential age, tracking last password rotation, mapping access chains, and identifying unused or over-privileged identities across both human and non-human identities. We provide intelligence on when credentials were last rotated and how they are being used. This context enables organizations real, scalable remediation.
The Necessity of Cyber Hygiene in a Security-First Culture
Creating a security-first culture requires organizations to implement fundamental cyber hygiene practices regardless of industry. Even companies outside the cybersecurity sector must prioritize basic security protocols as part of their operational DNA. We recommend rotating credentials every 90 days at a minimum. This practice significantly reduces the window of opportunity for attackers who may have obtained credentials through various means, including phishing, brute force attacks, or dark web marketplaces.
Human error remains a significant vulnerability in the security chain. Organizations must invest in regular security awareness training to create vigilant employees who understand their role in protecting company assets. This education should cover:
- Phishing identification techniques, teaching employees to recognize suspicious email characteristics such as urgent language, unexpected attachments, and subtle domain spoofing.
- Social engineering awareness to help staff understand psychological manipulation tactics
- Proper reporting procedures to ensure that suspicious activity reaches security teams quickly, reducing the time between compromise and detection—a critical factor in limiting breach impact.
Keeping all devices and software current with security patches is essential for closing known vulnerabilities that attackers will exploit. Organizations should implement automated update systems to ensure consistency across the enterprise environment. Clear patch management procedures establish accountability and ensure critical updates aren’t missed during busy operational periods. Regular maintenance windows provide predictable times for updates to minimize business disruption while keeping security prioritized. Critical security updates deserve special attention and expedited deployment, particularly for zero-day vulnerabilities that pose immediate threats.
The AI Threat Multiplier
The rise of artificial intelligence presents new challenges in the security landscape. What many organizations fail to recognize is how AI fundamentally changes the threat equation: A good threat actor becomes great with AI, and a great threat actor can scale with AI.
AI tools enable threat actors to generate more convincing phishing attempts by analyzing communication patterns and social media to create highly personalized messages that bypass traditional security awareness training. These systems can automate credential stuffing attacks at unprecedented scale, attempting millions of username and password combinations across multiple sites in hours rather than days or weeks. Pattern analysis capabilities help attackers identify vulnerable accounts and target them with precision. Sophisticated social engineering scenarios powered by AI can now mimic executive communication styles or leverage personal information to create highly convincing pretexts for accessing sensitive systems or transferring funds.
Enterprises relying on legacy cybersecurity solutions are in the digital dark ages, attempting to counter AI-enhanced threats with horribly outdated defenses. These organizations are fighting tomorrow’s battles with yesterday’s weapons, creating an asymmetric advantage for attackers who have enthusiastically embraced technological innovation.
The Identity Vulnerability Management Ecosystem
Modern security requires protecting both human and non-human identities with equal vigilance. Service accounts, API keys, application identities, and machine credentials often have even more privileged access than human users, yet receive far less security scrutiny. These non-human identities frequently operate with persistent, high-level permissions and minimal oversight, creating perfect targets for attackers seeking to establish persistent access to critical systems.
Comprehensive identity security includes several essential elements:
- Behavioral analytics to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate compromise, even when credentials are valid.
- Lifecycle management to ensure that identities are properly provisioned, monitored, and deprovisioned as organizational roles change.
- Continuous verification to replace the outdated model of periodic authentication, ensuring that users remain who they claim to be throughout their sessions.
- Credential age to identify accounts with passwords that haven’t been rotated passed organization standards
Beyond Password Management
Effective identity security requires capabilities beyond basic password management:
- Detection capabilities for aged credentials allow security teams to identify accounts that may have been overlooked in regular rotation schedules.
- Analysis of behavioral anomalies helps identify potentially compromised accounts even when credentials appear valid.
- Identification of lifecycle blind spots ensures that accounts aren’t forgotten during employee transitions or project completions, preventing the accumulation of orphaned accounts with valid access.
- Advanced tools verify the actual identity behind the account through multiple factors, including location, device characteristics, and behavior patterns.
This comprehensive approach acknowledges that passwords aren’t disappearing anytime soon, but contextualizes their importance within the broader identity ecosystem. Organizations must recognize that credential security represents a foundational element of their overall security posture, not just a compliance checkbox.
Credentials & Cyber Hygiene in the AI Age Matter More Than Ever Before
The uncomfortable truth is that password hygiene remains a cornerstone of effective cybersecurity. Despite advances in security technology, credentials continue to be a primary attack vector. Organizations must treat password management with the same seriousness given to any other critical security asset.
In today’s world, password hygiene is just one layer of defense. Identity vulnerability management, the ability to continuously discover, monitor, and reduce risks tied to every account, is the foundation.
In an era where identity is the perimeter, the ability to properly manage, monitor, and secure credentials over time represents the difference between security resilience and becoming the next breach headline. Organizations that create a security-first culture, implement proper cyber hygiene practices, and deploy modern identity security solutions position themselves to withstand the evolving threat landscape—where credentials remain both our greatest vulnerability and our most critical defense.
About the Author
Tim Eades serves as CEO and Co-Founder of Anetac, combining his deep cybersecurity expertise with a proven track record of building and scaling successful security companies. With over two decades of executive leadership, Tim has consistently delivered exceptional growth and successful exits in the enterprise software and security sectors.
Before founding Anetac, Tim served as CEO of vArmour for nine years and as CEO, led Silver Tail Systems to its successful acquisition by RSA (EMC’s security division) in 2012. As CEO of Everyone.net, he drove the company’s growth and eventual acquisition by Proofpoint. His executive experience also includes leadership roles at BEA Systems, Sana Security, Phoenix Technologies, and IBM, where he achieved the distinction of being the No. 1 salesperson in Europe. Beyond his operational roles, Tim serves as General Partner and Fellow Founder at Cyber Mentor Fund, where he actively invests in and mentors the next generation of cybersecurity entrepreneurs. His investment portfolio spans over 50 companies, reflecting his commitment to advancing innovation in cybersecurity. He currently serves on the board of Boxx Insurance, Enveil and Device Authority and holds advanced degrees in business, international marketing, and financial analysis from Solent University in England. Tim’s approach combines rigorous business acumen with hands-on technical expertise, enabling him to identify and solve critical security challenges while building capital-efficient, high-growth companies.
Tim Eades and Anetac can be reached at our company website https://anetac.com/
