brute force attack

Charlie Yianni

min read

What is a Brute Force Attack?

A brute force attack is a hacking method that uses trial and error to guess possible passwords or encryption keys until the correct one is found. It's one of the oldest and most straightforward techniques attackers use to gain unauthorized access to accounts or systems.

Why Brute Force Attacks Are a Risk

Brute force attacks are especially dangerous because:

They can be fully automated, allowing attackers to try thousands of combinations per second
Weak or reused passwords are easily cracked
They can be used to compromise user accounts, web applications, or even encrypted files

Once access is gained, attackers may steal sensitive data, install malware, or move laterally across your systems.

Common Types of Brute Force Attacks

Simple brute force: Tries every possible combination of characters until the right one is found
Dictionary attack: Uses lists of commonly used passwords
Credential stuffing: Tries known email/password combinations from previous data breaches
Hybrid attack: Combines dictionary words with variations (e.g. replacing "a" with "@")

How to Prevent Brute Force Attacks

Use strong, unique passwords or passphrases
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Limit login attempts
Use CAPTCHA to slow automated attempts
Monitor for unusual login behavior or failed attempts