Glossary
Brute Force Attack
A brute force attack is like trying every possible combination on a lock until it opens. Computers can try millions of passwords per second. Simple passwords like '123456' get cracked instantly. Long, complex passwords take years or centuries to crack this way.
What is Brute Force Attack?
An attack method that uses trial and error to guess passwords, encryption keys, or other credentials by systematically trying every possible combination until the correct one is found.
Why Should You Care?
Brute force attacks remain a primary vector for initial access to enterprise systems, and compromised or guessed credentials are involved in a large share of breaches. Once successful, attackers gain a foothold to steal sensitive data, deploy ransomware, or establish persistent access for lateral movement within networks. Because credential-based intrusions can take a long time to detect and remediate, they create extended exposure windows and substantial operational costs.
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Real-World Example
In 2024, security vendors observed large-scale brute-force and password-spray campaigns using vast pools of source IP addresses to hammer VPN and remote-access portals from vendors like Palo Alto Networks, Ivanti, and SonicWall. Separately, the Snowflake-related breaches that year showed how attackers used stolen credentials against cloud data platforms that lacked enforced multi-factor authentication, exposing data across many customer organizations—illustrating how brute force and credential abuse against cloud infrastructure can cascade widely when MFA is absent.
How to Protect Against Brute Force Attack
- 1.
Use passwords at least 16 characters long
- 2.
Enable account lockout after failed attempts
- 3.
Implement rate limiting on login pages
Related Terms
Password Manager, Two Factor Authentication, Credential Stuffing
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