Infostealers Transform Millions of Devices into Credential Theft Machines

Infostealers have emerged as the leading method for hackers to access credentials, impacting over 11 million devices and circulating billions of stolen identities.

Key Points:

• Infostealers infected more than 11 million devices in 2025.
• Over 3.3 billion credentials and identity artifacts are now in illicit marketplaces.
• Stealers are available for rent at low costs, with new varieties appearing frequently.
• Techniques used by stealers make them difficult to detect by security systems.
• Stolen credentials often lead to quick unauthorized access to valuable data.

Infostealers are becoming the go-to tool for cybercriminals aiming to steal credentials from infected devices. With a staggering number of over 11.1 million devices compromised in 2025 alone, the impact on both individuals and organizations has been profound. These stealthy programs gather everything from passwords and session tokens to personal information that can be exploited. Reports suggest that more than 3.3 billion credentials are currently being traded on dark web platforms, furthering the access challenges faced by enterprises trying to keep their data secure.

The ease of access to infostealers via underground marketplaces, where they can be rented for as little as $60 a month, is alarming. Not only does this affordability enable cybersecurity risks on a large scale, but the rapid emergence of new stealers complicates detection efforts. The techniques employed by these infostealers often involve evasion strategies that allow them to operate within enterprise systems without being flagged, making them a stealthy and effective threat. Many victims may remain unaware of their compromised status until it's too late, typically once their stolen credentials are leveraged for malicious purposes.

By combining collected data with specific system metadata, such as IP addresses and operating system versions, attackers maximize the effectiveness of each breach. The landscape of cyber threats is evolving, and as these infostealers continue to proliferate, organizations must find ways to defend against this sophisticated form of credential theft.

What strategies should organizations implement to protect against infostealers and credential theft?

Learn More: Security Week

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