The brute force method, along with phishing or probe attacks, is one of the most popular ways of stealing data. It involves cracking passwords by creating and checking all possible cipher combinations. This method of hacking can be done manually or by computer - there are special programmes to improve code guessing. However, it is possible to protect yourself from losing sensitive information or simply accessing your profile. Learn how to stay safe online.
Brute force password cracking – co to znaczy?
Brute force password cracking is, in the simplest terms, a way of cracking passwords and cryptographic keys. The brute force method is one of the oldest hacking techniques and is therefore not very complicated. It involves checking all available combinations that could potentially be used to encrypt access. Guessing the code continues until the combinations of letters, numbers and also other characters do not reveal the access password.
In theory, therefore, this technique allows any password to be guessed. However, in practice, a brute force attack does not always work. The high computational complexity makes this way of cracking passwords impractical for long ciphers. Revealing a sufficiently elaborate code may therefore prove impossible. 
How to carry out a brute force attack? - ways of cracking
There are several types of brute force attacks, which differ in their effectiveness and speed. The time it takes to crack a password using the brute force method depends primarily on whether the hacker uses cracking software or decrypts the security manually.
Typing in successive combinations of symbols by yourself is referred to as simple brute force. This method of cracking does not require hackers to have complex skills, but only research into the owner of the account, mailbox or server. Many users use simple passwords related to their name, date of birth, place of residence or the name of their favourite band.
However, brute force programmes can offer slightly more advanced methods than generating and manually typing in various strings of characters. One way to decrypt passwords is the dictionary technique.
The dictionary attack is not based on guessing individual code symbols, but on revealing entire phrases or expressions contained in a password. The algorithm driving this method uses a dictionary of popular words and generates potential passwords based on analysis of the user's logins or other data.
The hacking trade also uses a combination of simple brute force and a dictionary attack. This is a hybrid method that can be carried out by knowing the username. In this case, the hacker must use trial and error to arrive at a combination consisting of a word and numbers or other special characters.
Another method hackers use is what is known as reverse brute force. In this case, the aim is not to break the cipher, but to find a matching login. The attacker chooses a short, popular password and then enters it into a database and looks for the addresses of users who have used the code in question.
Yet another type of brute force cracking is the statement clogging method. This technique is used by hackers when they know both the login and password of an Internet user. Such information can be used to attempt to log in to accounts on different sites or portals. Many people use the same username and password for several sites. By trial and error, it is therefore possible to find where the attacked person has a profile. 
What type of software is sometimes used for brute force attacks?
Brute force attacks are some of the most popular, but also time-consuming hacking activities. That is why a number of programmes have been developed to help break internet security and speed up the whole process of decrypting codes.
Among the best-known systems is the THC Hydra software. This is the software with the widest range of network protocols, i.e. rules that determine how data is transmitted. This means that, using THC Hydra, you can deal with well-known protocols such as HTTP, FTP, Telnet or SMB.
Another commonly used cracking tool is Aircrack-Ng. The purpose of this software is to capture data from Wi-Fi networks and break security such as WEP, WPA or WPA2-PSK.
Other examples of security cracking software include Ophcrack, SAMInside, John the Ripper, Rainbow Crack or Ncrack. The various tools use different brute force methods and also run on selected operating systems (Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, etc.).
What is the most common cause of hacking and brute force attacks?
Brute force attacks can easily be carried out when an account is poorly secured. The most common cause of hacking is therefore short, uncomplicated and popular passwords such as 'password123'. Hackers also exploit the use of a single set of access keys for multiple portals. Sometimes, however, the fault does not lie with the Internet user. Cyber attacks also work through leaked databases or breaches of security rules of specific sites.
Avoiding brute force - how to use the internet safely?
Brute force attacks can be avoided by properly protecting data on the network. A basic rule of security is to create a password that is difficult to crack. This means a password that is at least 8-10 characters long and contains upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.
It is also important to remember that the same access codes cannot be used on different sites. Even if a hacker guesses the username and password on one portal, he or she will not be able to break into all other user accounts straight away.
An additional strengthening of protection will be the use of two-factor authentication and limiting the possibility of login attempts after a misspelled password. All solutions reduce the risk of hackers decrypting logins or getting to your key.
As a precaution, it is also a good idea to install antivirus to help guard against malware or ransomware in the event of an unwanted attack.
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