Passwords remain one of the most common methods of authentication in the digital world. But as convenient as they are, passwords are also vulnerable. Among the oldest yet still effective methods of stealing credentials is the brute force attack – a relentless trial-and-error approach that cybercriminals use to crack accounts, systems, and encrypted data.
Brute force attacks exploit weak, reused, or poorly protected passwords. With modern automation, attackers can attempt millions of combinations per second using specialized tools. And with todayās distributed botnets, brute force campaigns can be launched at a massive scale against enterprises, cloud apps, and even IoT devices.
To counter this, organizations need multi-layered defenses, continuous monitoring, and AI-driven detection. Seceonās aiSIEM, aiXDR-PMax, and aiSecurityScore360, powered by Machine Learning and Dynamic Threat Modeling, enable proactive detection and prevention of brute force attempts in real time.
A brute force attack is a hacking method that systematically attempts all possible combinations of usernames, passwords, or encryption keys until the correct one is found.
The concept is simple: try every option until access is gained. The power of brute force lies in automationāattackers use scripts and tools to attempt thousands or millions of guesses per second.
Brute force attacks donāt exploit software vulnerabilities; they exploit human weaknesses in password management.
Brute force is not a one-size-fits-all technique. Attackers use variations tailored to efficiency and stealth.
Attempts every possible combination of characters. Effective but slowāmainly used on short or weak passwords.
Uses precompiled lists of common passwords, words, or phrases. Faster than pure brute force and effective against users who choose predictable passwords.
Combines dictionary lists with variations, such as adding numbers, symbols, or capitalization to common words (e.g., āPassword123!ā).
Uses stolen usernames and passwords from previous breaches to access accounts on other sites where users may have reused credentials.
Instead of targeting a specific username, attackers use a common password against many different usernames.
Tries a small set of common passwords across many accounts to avoid lockouts.
Distributed brute force attempts launched from thousands of compromised devices to evade detection and overwhelm defenses.
Why do attackers still rely on brute force in an era of advanced cybercrime? Because it works. Motivations include:
The versatility and low cost of brute force make it attractive to both malicious actors and penetration testers.
Attackers use specialized tools to automate brute force campaigns. Some of the most well-known include:
These tools are readily available and often open-source, making brute force attacks accessible even to novice hackers.
Organizations can reduce brute force risks with layered defenses:
Require long, complex passwords and eliminate common words.
Even if passwords are guessed, MFA adds an extra verification layer.
Temporarily lock accounts or slow down login attempts after repeated failures.
Prevent automated tools from overwhelming login portals.
Use AI-driven monitoring to flag unusual login attempts across accounts.
Educate users to avoid password reuse and encourage password managers.
Always verify users and devices; never rely solely on static credentials.
Store credentials securely to prevent offline brute force cracking.
Encryption is a cornerstone of cybersecurity, and brute force attacks are often aimed at cracking it.
An encryption key is a string of characters used in algorithms to encrypt or decrypt data. The longer and more complex the key, the harder it is to brute force.
For example, a 128-bit AES encryption key has 3.4 x 10^38 possible combinations, making brute force infeasible with current computing power. Strong key management, combined with monitoring, ensures sensitive data remains secure.
Seceon integrates brute force protection into its Open Threat Management (OTM) Platform, which powers aiSIEM, aiXDR-PMax, and aiSecurityScore360.
Seceon uses machine learning to detect unusual login attempts, rapid credential failures, and distributed attack patterns.
Continuously adapts to emerging brute force techniques by building behavioral baselines for accounts and flagging anomalies in real time.
When brute force is detected, Seceon automatically:
Seceon correlates login activity with endpoint, network, and cloud telemetryāhelping analysts understand the full scope of an attack.
aiSecurityScore360 provides real-time risk assessments of accounts and credentials, helping organizations prioritize remediation.
Seceonās multi-tenant design enables MSSPs to extend brute force defense across hundreds of customers with a single pane of glass.
With Seceon, brute force attempts are detected early, contained automatically, and prevented from escalating into breaches.
Q1: What is a brute force attack?
A: A brute force attack is a hacking method where attackers use trial-and-error techniques to guess login credentials, encryption keys, or PINs until they find the correct one. It often relies on automated tools to attempt thousands or millions of combinations per second.
Q2: Is a brute force attack illegal?
A: Yes. Brute force attacks are considered illegal because they involve unauthorized attempts to access accounts, systems, or data. Conducting a brute force attack without explicit permission (such as in penetration testing) violates computer crime laws in most jurisdictions.
Q3: How common are brute force attacks?
A: Brute force attacks are very common. In fact, they account for a significant percentage of credential-based attacks globally, with millions of attempts occurring daily against web applications, email accounts, and cloud services. Attackers favor brute force because itās inexpensive, automated, and often effective against weak or reused passwords.
Q4: How long would it take to crack an eight-character password?
A: The time varies based on password complexity and attacker resources. A simple eight-character password (only lowercase letters) can be cracked in seconds with modern GPUs. However, an eight-character password using uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols could take hours or even days to crackāthough still vulnerable compared to longer, more complex passwords. Security experts recommend at least 12ā16 characters for strong protection.
Brute force attacks may be one of the oldest tricks in the hackerās toolkit, but they remain highly effective against weak or reused passwords. In todayās interconnected worldāwhere stolen credentials are the gateway to ransomware, account takeovers, and insider threatsābrute force defense is essential.
Seceonās AI/ML-powered, DTM-driven platform provides the visibility, intelligence, and automation organizations need to stop brute force attacks in their tracks. By unifying detection, prevention, and response, Seceon ensures enterprises and MSSPs alike can stay one step ahead of attackers.
Donāt let brute force break your defenses. Protect your credentials, assets, and reputation with Seceon.
