Bruteforce Attack

A trial-and-error method used to guess login credentials or encryption keys. Hackers use bruteforce to work through several possible username/password o encryption keys hoping to guess correctly so as to gain unauthorized access to user emails.

Bruteforce is one of the oldest cyberattack methods, but it is still effective and popular with hackers. Hacking accounts with this method can take anything from a few seconds to many years. Shorter passwords which are not complex (i.e., do not have a combination of characters, numbers and symboles) are easy to crack with this method.

Bruteforce is used by hackers to gain access to computer or email systems so as to steal personal data, spread malware to cause disruptions or hijack systems for malicious activity.