The basic principle behind a brute force attack is straightforward: keep trying different combinations until you find the right one.

The “bruting” definition is a colloquial term for this process, referring to the brute force nature of an attack in cyber security.

These attacks involve systematically attempting all possible combinations of passwords or encryption keys to gain unauthorized access to a system or account.

The prevalence of bruting is alarmingly high — often acting as a go-to method for cybercriminals due to their simplicity and potential effectiveness. The impact can be severe, ranging from compromised personal accounts to large-scale data breaches in organizations.

What is a Brute Force Attack?: Bruting

Understanding Brute Force Attacks: What is Brute Force Attack?

The primary goal of attackers using the bruting method is to gain unauthorized access to protected resources. This could be for various purposes, such as stealing sensitive data, hijacking accounts, or gaining a foothold in a network for further attacks.

Common targets for brute force attacks include:

• Login credentials for email accounts, social media, or corporate networks
• Encryption keys used to protect sensitive data
• Wi-Fi passwords
• SSH (Secure Shell) access to servers

Types of Brute Force Attacks

Simple Brute Force Attacks

Simple bruting is the most basic form. In this approach, attackers systematically try every possible combination of characters until they find the correct password. For example, they might start with “a”, then “b”, then “c”, and so on, gradually increasing the length and complexity.

While thorough, this method is extremely time-consuming, especially for longer passwords. For instance, cracking an 8-character password consisting of lowercase letters and numbers could take years with average computing power.

Dictionary Attacks

Dictionary attacks are a more refined approach. Instead of trying every possible combination, attackers use pre-compiled lists of common words, phrases, and password combinations. These “dictionaries” often include variations like common misspellings and letter-number substitutions (e.g., “p@ssw0rd”).

This method is particularly effective against weak passwords that use common words or phrases. It’s much faster than a simple brute-force attack but can still be thwarted by strong, unique passwords.

Hybrid Brute Force Attacks

Hybrid attacks combine elements of simple brute force and dictionary attacks. They start with dictionary words but then add numbers, special characters, or additional words. For example, an attacker might take the word “password” and try variations like “password123!”, “Password2023”, or “MyPassword”.

This approach is more efficient than simple brute force while being more comprehensive than pure dictionary attacks. It’s particularly effective against passwords that people think are strong but actually follow predictable patterns.

Credential Stuffing

Credential stuffing leverages the unfortunate reality of password reuse. Attackers take credentials leaked in one data breach and try them on other platforms. For instance, if your email and password from a compromised shopping site are leaked, attackers might try those same credentials on your bank account or social media.

This method is alarmingly effective due to the widespread practice of password reuse. It underscores the critical importance of using unique passwords for each of your accounts.

Reverse Brute Force Attacks

Reverse brute force attacks flip the script. Instead of trying many passwords against one username, attackers try a small set of common passwords against many usernames. This method is particularly useful when attackers have a list of valid usernames but no password information.

This approach can be surprisingly effective, especially against large organizations where at least a few users are likely to have weak passwords. It’s also harder to detect, as the attempts are spread across multiple accounts rather than concentrated on one.

The Anatomy of a Brute Force Attack

Attack Preparation

Attackers don’t just jump into bruting blindly. They typically follow a structured preparation process:

• Target selection: Attackers choose their target based on potential value and perceived vulnerabilities.
• Information gathering: They collect data about the target system, such as the login page URL, username format, and password policy.
• Tool selection: Attackers choose appropriate tools based on the target’s characteristics. Popular tools include Hydra, John the Ripper, and Hashcat.
• Resource allocation: They determine the computing power needed and may set up distributed systems or leverage cloud resources for more efficient attacks.

Execution Process

Then, the execution of a brute force attack usually follows these steps:

• Automated attempts: Attackers use scripts or specialized software to automate login attempts.
• Rate limiting: To avoid detection, they often limit the rate of attempts, spreading them out over time.
• Proxy usage: Attackers may route their traffic through multiple proxies to hide their true IP address and evade IP-based blocking.
• Error analysis: They analyze error messages to gain insights into the target system’s behavior and refine their approach.

Post-Attack Activities

After a successful breach, attackers typically create backdoors or new admin accounts to maintain access. They’ll then create lateral movement, exploring the network, and looking for valuable data or additional systems to compromise.

They’ll extract sensitive information, often in small chunks to avoid detection. And once they’ve gotten what they want, they’ll attempt to erase logs and other evidence of their intrusion.

Why Brute Force Attacks Are Effective

Weak Password Practices

Many people will simply follow common weak password practices, like easily guessable information (birthdays, names, etc.), reusing passwords across multiple accounts, and using short passwords or common words.

The risks of using default passwords are particularly high, as these are often well-known and can be easily exploited. A good password should be at least 12 characters long, combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Lack of Security Measures

Not implementing proper authentication protocols can make it easier for attackers to automate their attempts. This can include no multi-factor authentication, no account lockout policies, insufficient encryption for stored passwords, and no CAPTCHA or progressive delays.

Automated Attack Tools

Modern brute force attack tools are sophisticated and readily available, performing sometimes even thousands of login attempts per second.

These tools often come with features like:

• Multiple protocol support (HTTP, FTP, SSH, etc.)
• Distributed attack capabilities
• Built-in wordlists and password generation algorithms

The availability of these tools makes large-scale attacks more feasible, even for less skilled attackers. This poses significant challenges for defenders, who must constantly update their defenses to keep pace with evolving attack capabilities.

How to Detect Bruteness & Brute Force Attacks

Network Traffic Analysis

Examining patterns in network data can help security teams identify suspicious activities that may indicate an ongoing attack. Key indicators include a high volume of failed login attempts from a single IP address or a series of login attempts using different usernames.

Log Monitoring

System and application logs can reveal important information about login attempts, including usernames, IP addresses, and timestamps.

Security teams should look for patterns of repeated failed login attempts, especially those occurring in rapid succession or at unusual times.

Behavioral Anomalies

Unusual user behavior can be a strong indicator of a brute-force attack. Behavioral analytics systems can establish baselines of normal user activity and flag deviations from these patterns.

For example, multiple login attempts from different geographic locations within a short time frame or attempts to access numerous accounts from a single IP address are red flags. Implementing User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) tools can help organizations detect these anomalies quickly and respond to potential threats.

Qostodian offers four-dimensional search capabilities, allowing you to view your risk through people, data sources, files and information. Its people-centric point of view allows to identify noncompliant behaviour such as accumulation, excessive retention and oversharing.

How to Prevent Brute Force Attacks

Strong Password Policies

An effective password policy is a cornerstone of defense against brute force attacks. Key elements include requiring long passwords (at least 12 characters), a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Regular password changes and prohibiting password reuse are also important.

It’s important to educate your team about the importance of strong passwords and the risks of using easily guessable information is crucial. Password managers can be invaluable tools (like 1Password or Last Pass) allowing users to generate and securely store complex, unique passwords for each account.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a powerful layer of security against brute force attacks. By requiring an additional form of verification beyond the password, MFA significantly increases the difficulty of unauthorized access.

Common MFA methods include:

• SMS codes
• Authenticator apps
• Biometrics
• Hardware tokens

Even if an attacker manages to crack a password, they would still need the second factor to gain access. This makes MFA one of the most effective defenses against brute force attacks.

Account Lockout Mechanisms

These systems temporarily or permanently lock an account after a certain number of failed login attempts. While effective, it’s important to balance security with user convenience.

Overly aggressive lockout policies can lead to user frustration and increased support calls. Best practices include implementing progressive delays between login attempts, using CAPTCHAs after a few failed attempts, and sending alerts to both the user and security team when lockouts occur.

Use Qohash as Data Security Posture Management!

Qohash offers comprehensive data security posture management capabilities that can significantly enhance an organization’s defense against bruting and data loss.

Our advanced analytics through our ongoing data monitoring tool, Qostodian, can detect things like unusual patterns and flag potential brute force attacks before they succeed. Request a demo today and take the next steps to ensure robust protection for sensitive data and systems for your team.