brute-force attack

[broot-fawrs uh-tak]

noun

Computers.

1. a computer hacking technique in which every possible combination of characters is tried until the sought-after password or encryption key is found.

   A malicious hacker may resort to a brute-force attack to gain entry to your account.

Word History and Origins

Origin of brute-force attack¹

First recorded in 2000–05

Example Sentences

The simplest approach is to systematically try all possible password combinations in what is known as a brute-force attack.

From Scientific American

If an attacker is able to capture a list of user data and associated hashes, however, there is still the possibility of a brute-force attack.

From Scientific American

This way, you get a password that is easy to remember and cannot be cracked directly by a dictionary or brute-force attack.

From Scientific American

The introduction of a salt increases the computing time for a brute-force attack many times over.

From Scientific American

Password spraying is a brute-force attack that often involves a hacker systematically guessing users’ potential passwords repeatedly in a short time frame.

From Washington Times