What are the techniques used in preventing a Brute Force Attack?

Brute Force Attack is a trial and error method that is employed for application programs to decode encrypted data such as data encryption keys or passwords using brute force rather than using intellectual strategies. It’s a way to identify the right credentials by repetitively attempting all the possible methods.

Brute Force attacks can be avoided by the following practices:

  • Adding password complexity: Include different formats of characters to make passwords stronger.
  • Limit login attempts: set a limit on login failures.
  • Two-factor authentication: Add this layer of security to avoid brute force attacks.

The best defense against password attacks is ensuring that your passwords are as strong as they can be. Brute force attacks rely on time to crack your password. So, your goal is to make sure your password slows down these attacks as much as possible, because if it takes too long for the breach to be worthwhile. A brute force attack uses trial-and-error to guess login info, encryption keys, or find a hidden web page. Hackers work through all possible combinations hoping to guess correctly.

These attacks are done by ‘brute force’ meaning they use excessive forceful attempts to try and ‘force’ their way into your private account(s).

This is an old attack method, but it’s still effective and popular with hackers. Because depending on the length and complexity of the password, cracking it can take anywhere from a few seconds to many years.