Cyberattacks are evolving fast, but some hacking methods remain stubbornly effective. Brute force attacks are a prime example鈥攕imple, relentless, and surprisingly successful. Despite advancements in cybersecurity, attackers still exploit weak passwords and poor security practices to break into systems.
If you work in IT security, you鈥檝e probably dealt with or at least worried about brute force attacks. This guide breaks them down鈥攈ow they work, why they鈥檙e effective, real-world examples, and, most importantly, how to defend against them.
A brute force attack is a hacking method that relies on trial and error to guess login credentials, or other sensitive information. Attackers use automated tools to cycle through password combinations until they hit the right one.
At first glance, brute force attacks seem like an outdated or inefficient tactic, but they work鈥攅specially when people still use weak passwords like "123456" or "password."
Brute force attacks take advantage of computing power and automation. Here are some of the most common approaches:
It鈥檚 a numbers game鈥攖he more attempts an attacker makes, the better their chances. If you start to see repeated failed logon attempts (Event ID 4625 in the Security Event Log on Windows), this could be an indicator of a brute force attack.
Brute force attacks aren鈥檛 all the same. Understanding their variations can help you prevent them:
Brute force attacks 蝉丑辞耻濒诲苍鈥檛 work anymore, but they do. Here鈥檚 why:
When successful, brute force attacks can have serious consequences:
In April 2024, private information for over 49 million of Dell鈥檚 customers from 2017-2024 was on the dark web. The attack was carried out by an attacker who to gain access to sensitive information. They then carried out social engineering attacks, posing as a Dell partner, or reseller, to verify the data.
In August 2021, affecting over , including 7.8 million existing postpaid customers. The attacker, John Erin Binns, gained access through an unprotected GPRS gateway in Washington by performing a brute force attack on an SSH login. This breach exposed sensitive personal information, including names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and driver's license details. This resulted in a .
Over on Alibaba e-commerce site TaoBao via . This particular attack highlighted the need for MFA, as well as how password reuse can be easily leveraged by attackers to gain access to victims鈥 accounts. The fallout of the technical report on this attack resulted in a .
While Dunkin鈥 Donuts wasn鈥檛 itself the target of a brute forcing attack in 2015, they did little to prevent such attacks against . This resulted in , resulting in a .
So, how do you stop brute force attacks before they happen? Here are the best strategies:
Encourage complex, unique passwords. Best practices include:
鉁 At least 12 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
鉁 Avoiding common passwords like "password123."
鉁 Using passphrases (e.g., "I!Love#CyberSecurity21").
鉁 Not reusing passwords across different accounts.
鉁 Not saving passwords in your browser.
鉁 Use a password manager to store complex passwords.
Even if a password gets cracked, MFA (like text message codes or biometrics) can stop unauthorized access.
Lock accounts after too many failed attempts to stop automated guessing.
Requiring CAPTCHAs during login can block bots from brute force attacks.
Store passwords using hashing algorithms with encryption and salting to make them harder to crack.
Track repeated failed logins and block IPs showing suspicious behavior.
Many breaches happen because someone doesn鈥檛 know they鈥檙e at risk. Teach staff and users about strong passwords, phishing risks, and security best practices.
Attackers don鈥檛 always build their own tools鈥攖hey use existing ones. Here are a few:
Brute force attacks aren鈥檛 going away anytime soon, but neither are IT security professionals. The key is staying proactive鈥攕trengthen password security, educate users, and leverage modern defenses like MFA and encryption.
At the end of the day, cybersecurity is a constant battle between attackers and defenders. The more layers of security you put in place, the harder it becomes for hackers to break through.
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