More than three million employee-linked corporate accounts were compromised between 2022 and 2024 across Fortune 500 companies, according to Enzoic.
This surge is fueled by the widespread use of corporate email addresses for personal accounts and the growing threat of infostealer malware, highlighting the need for stronger cybersecurity measures such as credential and password monitoring.
Enzoic’s analysis found that 1 in 10 Fortune 500 employees had their credentials exposed in recent years, with each account exposed 5.7 times on average. These leaked credentials pose significant risks for account takeover (ATO), fraud, and data breaches.
Industries at risk
The report highlights that ten major Fortune 500 sectors experienced a significant increase in account compromises, with sharp increases in:
- Commercial banks and utilities – Nearly 120,000 exposed accounts in 2024 alone, making them prime cybercrime targets due to financial and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
- Telecommunications – A 4x rise in compromised accounts, exposing critical digital infrastructure.
- Internet services and retailing – Continuing to be a top target, given its extensive digital footprint.
The infostealer epidemic
The findings suggest a fundamental shift in credential compromise tactics, with the surge in infostealer malware like Redline, Raccoon, and Vidar fueling the escalation. These sophisticated malware families extract login credentials, session cookies, and digital fingerprints.
“The surge of exposed accounts linked to Fortune 500 companies marks a critical change in the security landscape,” said Dylan Hudson, Head of Threat Research and Data Science at Enzoic. “Organizations must prioritize these foundational vulnerabilities in their security postures and adopt real-time credential monitoring to mitigate the ever-growing risk of ATO and resultant data breaches.”
Mitigating the credential crisis
With high levels of new credential compromise from infostealers, businesses and organizations need to adopt proactive cybersecurity strategies, including:
- Continuous credential screening to detect compromised accounts before exploitation.
- Zero-trust security models that reduce reliance on passwords alone.
- Employee education to prevent corporate email use for personal online accounts.