Introduction to Brute Force Attacks
A brute force attack is a trial-and-error technique used by cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information such as passwords, encryption keys, or login credentials. Essentially, it involves systematically attempting every possible password combination until the correct one is found. It’s akin to a thief trying to open a combination lock by testing every possible number sequence.
Despite their seemingly crude approach, brute force attacks remain a favored tactic for cybercriminals because, with sufficient time and resources, they often succeed. Some other reasons why brute force attacks remain popular include:
- These attacks are simple and straightforward to execute and don’t require sophisticated hacking skill
- Despite widespread awareness of cybersecurity risks, too many people still use weak or reused passwords across multiple accounts
- Brute force attacks can be applied to any system protected by a password, making them a versatile tool for hackers
- The use of bots and the surge in Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) power have dramatically reduced the time needed to crack passwords through brute force methods.
Online accounts for email and web applications are ideal targets for brute force attacks. Brute force attacks can also target any computer or network device, including servers and routers. Regardless of whether your system operates on Windows, Linux, or macOS, it remains susceptible to these types of attacks.
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Understanding Brute Force Attack Types
Simple Brute Force Attack
At its most basic level, a simple brute force attack uses automation and scripts to systematically guess passwords at a high rate of speed. This method proves highly effective against week passwords such as “password1” or “12345678.”
Dictionary Attack
Dictionary attacks utilize precompiled lists of common words and popular password combinations. This method exploits people’s tendency to choose easily memorable passwords. The lists can be customized based on region-specific terminology, cultural references, and target demographics.
Hybrid Brute Force Attack
Hybrid brute force attacks combine dictionary and simple brute force techniques to enhance effectiveness by considering both common words and typical variations. The attack may start with common base terms from dictionary lists and then apply character swaps and combinations.
Reverse Brute Force Attacks
Reverse brute force attacks invert the traditional approach by starting with a known password and attempting to find a matching username. This method tests a single password against multiple possible usernames and is effective at exploiting password reuse across different accounts.
Credential Stuffing
Credential stuffing leverages stolen username and password combinations from previous data breaches. The premise is that users simply reuse the same credentials across multiple platforms. This method relies on automated tools to throw stolen credentials at popular websites. This approach is effective due to the large volume of stolen credentials out there.
How Brute Force Attacks Work
Again, the process is pretty simple as the mission is to guess every possible combination of characters until the correct one is found. Basically, the process is as follows:
- Identify a target such as an online user account
- Gather information about the target’s environment such as username formats, password policies and clues which may narrow down the password possibilities
- Execute the attack, starting with simple passwords and expanding in complexity as needed
- Once a correct password or key is discovered, the attacker gains unauthorized access, allowing them to perform some malicious deed
Commonly Used Tools and Software
There are a variety of tools on the market that can aid someone in a brute force attack. These include:
- John the Ripper: A highly customizable password cracking tool that supports multiple platforms and password hash formats and can perform both dictionary and brute force attacks
- Hydra: A widely used brute force tool that supports numerous protocols, including HTTP, FTP, SSH, and Telnet. Its customization abilities makes it ideal for testing login credentials across web applications, servers, and network devices.
- Aircrack-ng: Primarily used for cracking Wi-Fi passwords, it performs dictionary attacks against wireless networks
- L0phtCrack: A specialized tool designed for auditing and recovering Windows passwords that is a popular choice for penetration testing and security auditing of Windows-based systems. It employs multiple attack methods and can be used for malicious purposes as well.
- Hashcat: Designed to leverage the parallel processing power of GPUs, perform password cracking operations at remarkably high velocities.
- Rainbow Crack: Utilizes pre-computed rainbow tables to reduce the time required for password cracking
Role of Automation in Brute Force Attacks
Like so many things, automation can greatly accelerate the success speed of a brute force attack as thousands of combinations can be tested every second. These automated tools can run continuously without any human intervention.
Computing Power Enhancements
Attackers often have access to distributed networks of botnets and other compromised devices that can be leveraged to conduct large-scale brute force attacks. This allows them to share the computational load across multiple systems which also aids in avoiding detection. GPUs have significantly enhanced the speed of brute force attacks by performing parallel computations. Attackers are also leveraging cloud computing to leverage cloud resources on demand for computational power. The addition of GPUs and cloud computing significantly enhances an attacker’s ability to execute complex brute force operations.
Motives Behind Brute Force Attacks
Data Theft and Personal Gain
The primary motivation for a brute force attack is data theft or personal financial gain. Attackers may target bank accounts, credit card details and other financial data for direct monetary theft or fraud. Stolen information can be used for identity theft, future credential stuffing attacks, or sold on the dark web. In some cases, hackers may also use compromised accounts to access confidential business data, trade secrets, or intellectual property for competitive advantage or financial gain.
System Hijacking and Malware Distribution
Brute force attacks are frequently used as an entry point to breach a system, paving the way for more sophisticated attacks such as deploying malware, ransomware, or trojans. Once a device is compromised, it can also be co-opted into a botnet, enabling attackers to launch larger-scale operations. Cybercriminals often focus on privileged user accounts within a network, as gaining access to these accounts can unlock critical areas of the corporate infrastructure.
Website Vandalism and Reputation Damage
Attackers may want to target websites to deface them or disrupt the functionality of the site in the name of political activism or personal revenge. Hackers may inject obscene or offensive content into websites to damage the organization’s public image. In other cases, they may steal sensitive information that the website accesses and publicly release it to tarnish the reputation of the organization and create customer distrust.
Financial Profit through Adware and Activity Data
There are multiple indirect ways that attackers can use a brute force attack for financial gain. These include ad injections to create ad revenue, redirecting legitimate website traffic to malicious or competitor sites, or data harvesting in which data is collected from the compromised sites and sold to interested parties.
Popular Tools for Brute Force Attacks
There are a variety of tools on the market that can aid someone in a brute force attack. Some of these are used for legit purposes while others are purely used for malicious intent. Some of the well-known tools today include:
- John the Ripper: A highly customizable password cracking tool that supports multiple platforms and password hash formats and can perform both dictionary and brute force attacks
- Hydra: A widely used brute force tool that supports numerous protocols, including HTTP, FTP, SSH, and Telnet. Its customization abilities make it ideal for testing login credentials across web applications, servers, and network devices.
- Aircrack-ng: Primarily used for cracking Wi-Fi passwords, it performs dictionary attacks against wireless networks
- L0phtCrack: A specialized tool designed for auditing and recovering Windows passwords that is a popular choice for penetration testing and security auditing of Windows-based systems. It employs multiple attack methods and can be used for malicious purposes as well.
- Hashcat: Designed to leverage the parallel processing power of GPUs, perform password cracking operations at remarkably high velocities.
- Rainbow Crack: Utilizes pre-computed rainbow tables to reduce the time required for password cracking
Many of these tools are compatible with multiple operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS. Many can be customized as well so that attackers can target specific vulnerabilities or adapt to different environments. They offer an assortment of features such as built-in dictionaries and password lists that are updated periodically. Most are built on a modular architecture that allows them to adapt to evolving security measures and protocols.
Different tools are used for different circumstances. Some are better at exploiting weak SSH passwords while others are better adept at testing login forms and authentication mechanisms in web applications. Other specific uses include cracking WIFI encryption or using brute force RDP credentials to gain remote control over a target system.
Vulnerabilities Exploited by Brute Force Attacks
Weak Passwords and Common Password Patterns
Weak passwords make it easy for brute force attacks because rather than focus on every possible password combination, they can focus on commonly used weak passwords. The characteristics of a weak password are as follows:
- Short passwords of 8 or less characters
- Predictable patterns such as “123456” or “qwerty” are often the first guesses
- Repetitive or sequential characters such as “abcdef” or “1111111” make it too easy.
- Common words or phrases such as the name of a regional sports team, city name or “hello123” are easy to predict.
When systems rely on weak passwords, brute force attacks become highly effective. Attackers don’t need to try every possible combination; instead, they can focus on the most commonly used weak passwords.
Unsecured and Default Credentials
Default credentials pose a significant security risk in enterprise environments as many devices and software applications come pre-configured with standard username and password combinations. A typical examine is “admin/admin”. These default settings are widely known among IT professionals and cybercriminals alike as they are often documented in product manuals and readily available online. Consequently, these unchanged default credentials can be overlooked, creating easy entry points for attackers to exploit. Because these devices also lack a policy to force a password change, they can be forgotten, creating easy entry points for attackers to exploit.
Single-Factor Authentication Systems
The ease at which brute force attacks can be implemented vividly shows how the era of solely relying on password-based authentication has come to an end. Without a supplementary form of authentication, a compromised password immediately grants full access to an attacker. Single factor systems are in fact more susceptible to other attack methods too such as credential stuffing and password spraying. Many insurance companies are now requiring a multifactor solution (MFA) solution to qualify for cyber insurance. It is also becoming a requirement for a growing number of compliance regulations.
Prevention and Mitigation Strategies
Preventing brute force attacks requires proactive measures on both individual and organizational levels. Here is how individuals can do their part:
- Create strong passwords and passphrases that are at least 14 characters long
- Incorporate a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols
- Avoid using common words, phrases or easily guessable information
- Don’t use personal details such as birthdates or pet names
- Don’t reuse passwords across multiple accounts
Because it can be difficult to keep track of a unique, lengthy, complex password for every account, password managers provide a way of generating and storing them for easy retrieval and application.
Security Strategies for Organizations
As the frontline of your organization’s cybersecurity, employees are often the most exposed to potential threats, cybersecurity training should be considered essential to enhance their awareness and strengthen their ability to identify and respond to security risks. An educated user is one of the most powerful tools to combat brute force attacks. Conduct regular security awareness training and be sure to explain the risks associated with poor password practices. Regularly update training to address evolving threats.
As mentioned, organizations should implement MFA that requires additional verification factors such as biometrics, one-time codes or FIDO keys. To prevent unlimited login attempts, organizations should implement account lockouts after a certain number of failed attempts or use CAPTCHA challenges to prevent automated attacks.
Visibility is essential to secure just about anything. By implementing a real time threat detection system, organizations can continuously monitor network activities and user behaviors. This allows IT and security teams to quickly identify and respond to potential security incidents.
Common Questions about Brute Force Attacks
One common question is how long it takes for an attacker to successfully compromise a password using a brute force attack. The answer of course is it depends. For instance, a password of only 6 characters can be cracked within minutes regardless of complexity. However, complexity starts impacting the attack duration at 8 characters. An 8-character password of letters only can be cracked within seconds whereas an 8-character password comprised of mixed case, numbers, and symbols can take several years. Cracking a 16-character password that includes a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols using a brute force attack would take over a century given the vast number of possible combinations.
You may wonder if brute force attacks are illegal. Here it depends on the motivation of the attack. Organizations will periodically hire a security team to implement attacks against its own enterprise to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen defenses. Ethical hackers are authorized to test the robustness of a system as part of a bounty initiative.
Brute force attacks are typically illegal when used to gain unauthorized access to systems, networks, or personal data. In the United States, for example, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) makes unauthorized access to computer systems a criminal offense. There are also certain regulations that hold organizations responsible to protect themselves against such attacks. For instance, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union holds organizations accountable for safeguarding user data against breaches.
Conclusion
Brute force attacks remain a significant threat due to their simplicity and potential effectiveness. The fact is that these attacks can be executed by individuals with minimal technical expertise using readily available tools. However, organizations can implement straightforward defense measures such as conducting regular security awareness training for employees, enforcing strong password policies and account lockout policies along with implementing MFA. Add some modernized monitoring and auditing tools and any organization can create a resilient defense against most types of password attacks, significantly enhancing their overall cybersecurity posture.
FAQs
What type of attack allows an attacker to use a brute-force approach?
A brute-force attack approach relies on trial-and-error methods. The best example would be an attack in which an attacker uses some type of automated tool to throw every possible password combination at an account until the correct one is found. Other examples include dictionary attacks, reverse brute force attacks and credential stuffing.
What is meant by brute force attack?
A brute force attack is a systematic approach where attackers attempt every possible combination to uncover passwords, encryption keys, or login credentials. It’s similar to a thief methodically testing every possible combination on a lock until finding the one that works.
What is a famous example of a brute force attack?
Two famous examples of a brute force attack were the LinkedIn attack in 2012 and Dunkin Donuts incident that occurred in 2015. LinkedIn fell victim to an attack where cybercriminals used brute force techniques to gain unauthorized access to the platform’s user database, compromising millions of user accounts. Dunkin’ Donuts faced a similar threat when attackers employed brute force methods to infiltrate nearly 20,000 user accounts within a span of just five days. The Dunkin’ Donuts breach resulted in the theft of tens of thousands of dollars in rewards cash from the compromised accounts.
What is the difference between a password attack and a brute force attack?
A password attack is a broader category of cyberattacks aimed at compromising user credentials utilize any of a variety of technical and nontechnical methods. A brute force attack is a specific type of password attack that uses a systematic trial and error to guess passwords. The attack approach employs automated tools and relies on computational power rather than social manipulation.
What is another name for a brute force attack?
A brute force attack can also be referred to as an exhaustive search attack as it methodically attempts every possible combination to find the correct solution. Some other terms that are associated with brute force attacks, even though they may use slightly different tactics, include dictionary attacks, password cracking and credential stuffing.
What are the signs of a brute force attack?
Signs of a brute force attack often include unusual activity patterns and specific indicators on your systems or network. Here are some key signs to watch for:
- A high number of login failures from the same IP address or user account within a short period
- Attempts to access multiple accounts from a single source
- Unusual spikes in server activity or bandwidth usage
- Login attempts originating from unfamiliar or unexpected locations
- Suspicious activity on dormant or little-used accounts
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