# Credential Compromise **Domain:** Cybersecurity / Identity / Access Control **Doc Type:** Canonical Threat Node **Maturity:** Foundational ## Definition **Credential compromise** occurs when passwords, tokens, recovery channels, cryptographic keys or other authentication factors become available to an unauthorized actor. ## Operational Context Compromised credentials can provide account access, impersonation, privilege escalation and persistence. Remediation requires more than changing a password when recovery channels or administrative roots are also untrusted. ## See Also [[wiki/Authentication|Authentication]], [[wiki/Identity Theft|Identity Theft]], [[wiki/Recovery Topology|Recovery Topology]], [[wiki/Attack Surface|Attack Surface]]