Attackers Exploit Stolen Sessions to Bypass Identity Controls

Prophet Security's Q3 2026 Threat Report reveals that identity-related attacks accounted for nearly half of confirmed malicious activities, with credential phishing at 28% and direct account/session attacks at 18%. The report highlights that attackers successfully exploited stolen authenticated sessions, circumventing existing security measures like conditional access. During the analysis period from May 1 to July 31, 2026, the Prophet AI SOC Analyst processed 4.7 million alerts, determining that 93% were benign and 7% malicious. Notably, in two cases, attackers maintained access even after accounts were disabled, indicating a significant gap in response protocols. The report emphasizes the need for organizations to enhance their session and token revocation processes to mitigate these risks.

Key Points: • Identity-related attacks constituted nearly 50% of malicious activities. • Stolen authenticated sessions bypassed existing security controls. • Organizations need to improve session revocation processes.