Brute Force Attack
Brute force tries many passwords/keys until one works.
Updated: 2026-03-06
Definition
Brute force attacks attempt many credential combinations to guess passwords or keys.
Defenses include MFA, rate limiting, account lockouts, and strong password policies.
Key points
- Targets authentication systems
- Defend with MFA + rate limiting
- Monitor for repeated failed logins
Common mistakes
- Locking accounts too aggressively (DoS risk).
- Weak password policies and reused passwords.
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