The cybersecurity realm has been diligently pursuing increasingly sophisticated threats, focusing on issues such as zero-day vulnerabilities, supply chain breaches, and exploits generated by artificial intelligence. Despite these advancements, one fundamental entry point for cyber attackers remains unaltered: the exploitation of stolen credentials.
Identity-based attacks continue to serve as a primary initial access vector for modern breaches. Cybercriminals circumvent security measures by acquiring valid credentials through methods such as credential stuffing, which leverages databases from prior breaches, executing password spraying against exposed services, or engaging in phishing campaigns. With just a valid username and password, attackers can gain unauthorized access, bypassing the need for sophisticated exploits.
This kind of initial access poses a formidable challenge to cybersecurity defenses. When an attacker successfully logs in using legitimate credentials, the event does not trigger the alarms that would accompany more overt breaches, such as port scans or malware notifications. To the system, the attacker appears as just another employee. Once inside the network, they can further exploit weaknesses by dumping and cracking additional passwords, utilizing that access to move laterally across the organization, and expanding their presence within the environment. For ransomware groups, this rapid escalation can lead to data encryption and extortion within mere hours. Conversely, nation-state actors often leverage the same access route to establish a long-term foothold for persistent surveillance and intelligence collection.
### The Impact of AI on Cyber Attacks
Though the underlying attack strategies have remained relatively consistent, the execution has become markedly more sophisticated and rapid, thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence. Cyber attackers are employing AI technologies to enhance their operations by automating the testing of stolen credentials against larger databases, developing custom tools with greater speed, and crafting phishing emails that are significantly harder to identify as fraudulent.
This surge in efficiency places additional strain on already overburdened cybersecurity professionals. Cyber breaches are unfolding at a faster pace, touching various aspects of IT infrastructure, including identity systems, cloud environments, and endpoints. Incident response (IR) teams, which previously operated under a slower tempo, are increasingly finding that their established processes are insufficient in the face of evolving threats.
### A Modernized Approach to Incident Response
It is in this environment that the perspective on incident response becomes critical. Among the most effective methodologies is the Dynamic Approach to Incident Response (DAIR), which is explicitly designed to handle incidents of varying sizes and complexities more effectively than traditional linear models.
This classic model typically outlines a sequential process: preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and debriefing. However, real-world incidents rarely unfold in such a straightforward manner. New evidence often surfaces during containment that can alter the original understanding of the incident’s scope, and the forensic analysis may reveal attacker tactics unknown during the initial detection phase. More often than not, the scope of the incident expands rather than diminishes.
DAIR addresses this reality by employing an iterative loop following the detection and verification of an incident. Response teams engage in scoping the compromise, containing affected systems, eradicating threats, and recovering operations in a continuous cycle. For example, in response to a credential-based compromise, initial investigations might identify a single affected workstation. However, further forensic analysis may uncover additional persistence mechanisms, prompting the team to reassess the scope and search for the same indicators across the enterprise. Whenever new information, such as an attacker’s IP address, surfaces during these cycles, it necessitates revisiting containment and eradication strategies. This cyclical approach leads to improved intelligence that enhances subsequent response actions.
### Prioritizing Communication
In instances where multiple teams—including SOC analysts, cloud engineers, incident response leads, and system administrators—converge to handle an incident, maintaining alignment can pose significant challenges. Many organizations lack cohesive integration across these functions before an incident, but communication remains the crucial variable once a response is initiated.
Effective communication serves as the backbone of successful incident response. It ensures that scoping data is relayed to the right personnel, that containment actions are coordinated, and that decision-makers are equipped with accurate information to prioritize actions. In addition to communication, consistent practice and rehearsal are vital. The technical prowess of the team also plays an essential role. As AI increasingly becomes part of the defensive toolkit, skilled practitioners are crucial for optimal configuration and operation of these advanced tools.
### Investing in Skills Development
Organizations that effectively mitigate identity-based attacks tend to be those that prioritize investment in their workforce before incidents occur. They provide their teams with comprehensive training on how attackers operate—not just from a theoretical perspective, but through practical, hands-on experiences that employ the same tools and techniques used in real-life cyber compromises. Successful execution of the DAIR response loop demands practitioners who comprehend both the attacker’s perspective and the methods needed to investigate and analyze the evidence left behind at each stage of an attack.
In the upcoming June 2026 session, Jon Gorenflo, a SANS Instructor, will lead a class on SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, and Incident Handling at SANS Chicago 2026. The course is structured to provide insights into the entire attack lifecycle—from the initial credential compromise to lateral movements and persistence—while equipping attendees with the necessary incident response skills anchored in the DAIR model. For those keen to enhance both their offensive understanding and their defensive capabilities, this training represents an ideal starting point.
Enhancing preparedness in the realm of cybersecurity through ongoing education and training equips teams to better navigate the complexities of modern attacks, safeguarding organizations against the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.