Brute Force Attack

A brute force attack is a type of malicious cyberattack. It uses trial and error to crack passwords, login credentials and encryption keys or to find hidden web pages. The hacker simply tries all possible combinations hoping to find the correct one, usually using a strong computer system and automated tools. Even though it is a quite old method, it is still a popular tactic. The name “brute force” comes from the hackers using excessive forceful attempts to try and “force” access to the targeted account, network, etc. Depending on the length and complexity of a password, it can take seconds to many years to crack it.