What Is a Brute Force Attack?

A brute force attack is a type of cyber-attack that criminals use, in order to gain access to a computer system or the private data stored within. This type of attack involves a hacker attempting to guess information, such as passwords or access codes, by entering in various combinations of characters, words, or phrases until they arrive at the correct solution and gain access to the system. The attack works by attempting to crack passwords by comparing the guess with the knowns, such as passwords stored in a database. A brute force attack can be launched over the internet, through email, or even over a mobile device. Criminals use these types of attacks to gain access to a computer's private information or to interfere with a computer's operation. In many cases, the hacker does not even have to be within the vicinity of the target computer or device. The most common type of brute force attack is password hacking. A hacker will use software to enter in all possible combinations of letters, numbers and special characters into the system until they can guess the user's password. In some cases, they can use a dictionary of words, guessing common words and phrases. In addition to password attacks, a hacker can also try to gain access to a system by exploiting its vulnerability. If a vulnerability is found, a hacker can attempt to access it. This type of attack is often used when a company has not updated its software and security systems to protect itself against new threats. Cyber security professionals recommend multiple layers of protection to prevent brute force attacks. Companies should use strong passwords with two-factor authentication and regularly update their software to the latest version. All employees should also have the necessary training to understand the risks and be aware of the most effective ways of avoiding brute force attacks. Heimdal's Security software can provide even more robust protection against hackers. In addition to understanding the risks of brute force attacks, Heimdal Security's software monitors and provides security against various threats, from phishing, ransomware, and malware to hack attacks and other privacy threats. Heimdal Security's dedicated team also provides up-to-date advice and antivirus solutions to keep companies protected from any cyber-attack or security breaches. It's important for companies to be aware of the risks of a brute force attack and to take steps to prevent one occurring. Companies that use Heimdal Security's software can be sure they are better protected from any potential cyberattack. By understanding how to escape a brute force attack, companies can protect their data and take the necessary steps to help prevent cyber threats.

This Cyber News was published on heimdalsecurity.com. Publication date: Mon, 23 Jan 2023 18:57:29 +0000


Cyber News related to What Is a Brute Force Attack?

What Is a Brute Force Attack? - A brute force attack is a type of cyber-attack that criminals use, in order to gain access to a computer system or the private data stored within. This type of attack involves a hacker attempting to guess information, such as passwords or access ...
2 years ago Heimdalsecurity.com
What is a dictionary attack? - A dictionary attack is a method of breaking into a password-protected computer, network or other IT resource by systematically entering every word in a dictionary, or word list, as a password. A dictionary attack can also be used in an attempt to ...
1 year ago Techtarget.com
Attack Vector vs Attack Surface: The Subtle Difference - Cybersecurity discussions about "Attack vectors" and "Attack surfaces" sometimes use these two terms interchangeably. This article guides you through the distinctions between attack vectors and attack surfaces to help you better understand the two ...
2 years ago Trendmicro.com
Ransomware gang creates tool to automate VPN brute-force attacks - Büyükkaya says Black Basta has been using the automated BRUTED platform since 2023 to conduct large-scale credential-stuffing and brute-force attacks on edge network devices. The Black Basta ransomware operation created an automated ...
7 months ago Bleepingcomputer.com Black Basta
9 Best DDoS Protection Service Providers for 2024 - eSecurity Planet content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More. One of the most powerful defenses an organization can employ against distributed ...
1 year ago Esecurityplanet.com
CVE-2023-48764 - Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in GuardGiant Brute Force Protection WordPress Brute Force Protection – Stop Brute Force Attacks.This issue affects WordPress Brute Force Protection ...
1 year ago Tenable.com
Malicious Go Module Package as Fast SSH Brute Forcer - A recent cybersecurity analysis has uncovered a malicious Go module package designed to function as a fast SSH brute forcer. This threat leverages the Go programming language's capabilities to execute rapid and efficient brute force attacks against ...
2 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com
QNAP takes down server behind widespread brute-force attacks - QNAP took down a malicious server used in widespread brute-force attacks targeting Internet-exposed NAS devices with weak passwords. The Taiwanese hardware vendor detected the attacks on the evening of October 14 and, with assistance from Digital ...
1 year ago Bleepingcomputer.com
CVE-2024-21662 - Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to versions 2.8.13, 2.9.9, and 2.10.4, an attacker can effectively bypass the rate limit and brute force protections by exploiting the application's weak cache-based ...
1 year ago Tenable.com
CVE-2020-11052 - In Sorcery before 0.15.0, there is a brute force vulnerability when using password authentication via Sorcery. The brute force protection submodule will prevent a brute force attack for the defined lockout period, but once expired, protection will ...
5 years ago
Midnight Blizzard: Russian Threat Actors Behind Microsoft Corporate Emails' Breach - On Friday, Microsoft informed that some of its corporate accounts suffered a breach in which some of its data was compromised. The attack was first detected on January 12th, and Microsoft in its initial investigation attributed the attack to the ...
1 year ago Cysecurity.news
Ukrainian Networks Launch Massive Brute Force Attacks Amid Ongoing Conflict - In the midst of ongoing geopolitical tensions, Ukrainian networks have reportedly initiated large-scale brute force attacks targeting various systems. These cyber offensives are part of a broader strategy to disrupt adversary operations and assert ...
2 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com Ukrainian Networks
SuperBlack Actors Exploiting Two Fortinet Vulnerabilities to Deploy Ransomware - The attackers consistently created local system administrator accounts with names designed to blend in with legitimate services, including “forticloud-tech,” “fortigate-firewall,” and “adnimistrator” (a deliberate ...
7 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com LockBit CVE-2024-55591
'Defunct' DOJ ransomware task force raises questions, concerns | TechTarget - "The Office of the Deputy Attorney General (ODAG) memorandum that established the Ransomware Task Force also contained several strategic areas, including directing the Ransomware Task Force to design and implement a strategy to disrupt and dismantle ...
1 year ago Techtarget.com LockBit
Black Basta Ransomware Attack Edge Network Devices With Automated Brute Force Attacks - After gaining initial access through compromised edge devices, Black Basta actors follow a structured attack chain deploying post-exploitation frameworks like Cobalt Strike or Brute Ratel to establish command-and-control channels, extract ...
7 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com Black Basta
How long does it take to crack a password in 2024? - With AI entering the game, the time to brute force passwords has been reduced significantly already and continues to be reduced. ADVERTISEMENT. Password guidelines and rules have not changed all that much for users in the past ten or so years, ...
1 year ago Ghacks.net
New Outlaw Linux Malware Leveraging SSH Brute-Forcing & Corn Jobs to Maintain Persistence - This malware has demonstrated remarkable longevity in the threat landscape by leveraging simple yet effective tactics such as SSH brute-forcing, strategic persistence mechanisms, and cryptocurrency mining operations to maintain a growing botnet of ...
7 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com
CVE-2024-22425 - ...
1 year ago
The old, not the new: Basic security issues still biggest threat to enterprises - Attacks on critical infrastructure reveal industry faux pas. Ransomware attacks on enterprises saw a nearly 12% drop last year, as larger organizations opt against paying and decrypting, in favor of rebuilding their infrastructure. X-Force analysis ...
1 year ago Helpnetsecurity.com
7 Best Attack Surface Management Software for 2024 - Attack surface management is a relatively new cybersecurity technology that combines elements of vulnerability management and asset discovery with the automation capabilities of breach and attack simulation and applies them to an organization's ...
1 year ago Esecurityplanet.com
Threat Actor Allegedly Selling Bruteforcer for Cisco VPN - Priced at $1,000, the Cisco VPN Bruteforcer builds upon the checker’s foundation, maintaining its core technical specifications, such as a native Windows executable in pure C, achieving up to 400 login attempts per second, and utilizing ...
8 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com
Massive Spike in Password Attacks Targeting Cisco ASA VPN Followed by Microsoft 365 - A dramatic surge in password spray attacks targeting enterprise infrastructure, with Cisco ASA VPN systems experiencing an unprecedented 399% increase in attacks during Q1 2025, while Microsoft 365 authentication services saw a 21% rise in similar ...
4 months ago Cybersecuritynews.com
MySQL servers targeted by 'Ddostf' DDoS-as-a-Service botnet - MySQL servers are being targeted by the 'Ddostf' malware botnet to enslave them for a DDoS-as-a-Service platform whose firepower is rented to other cybercriminals. This campaign was discovered by researchers at the AhnLab Security Emergency Response ...
1 year ago Bleepingcomputer.com
CVE-2019-0039 - If REST API is enabled, the Junos OS login credentials are vulnerable to brute force attacks. The high default connection limit of the REST API may allow an attacker to brute-force passwords using advanced scripting techniques. Additionally, ...
1 year ago
CVE-2021-41171 - eLabFTW is an open source electronic lab notebook manager for research teams. In versions of eLabFTW before 4.1.0, it allows attackers to bypass a brute-force protection mechanism by using many different forged PHPSESSID values in HTTP Cookie header. ...
1 year ago

Cyber Trends (last 7 days)