Login Brute Forcing
What is Brute Forcing?
Definition: A trial-and-error method used to crack passwords, login credentials, or encryption keys by systematically trying every possible combination until the correct one is found.
Analogy: Similar to a thief trying every key on a keyring to unlock a treasure chest.
Factors Influencing Brute Force Success:
Password Complexity: Longer passwords with a mix of characters are harder to crack.
Computational Power: Modern hardware can attempt billions of combinations per second.
Security Measures: Account lockouts, CAPTCHAs, and other defenses can hinder brute-force attempts.
How Brute Forcing Works:
Start: The attacker initiates the process using specialized software.
Generate Combination: The software creates potential password combinations based on parameters.
Apply Combination: The generated combination is tested against the target system.
Check Success: The system checks if the combination matches the stored password.
Access Granted: If successful, the attacker gains unauthorized access.
Repeat: The process continues until the correct combination is found or the attacker gives up.
Types of Brute Forcing Techniques:
Simple Brute Force
Systematically tries all possible combinations of characters within a defined character set and length range.
Trying all combinations of lowercase letters from 'a' to 'z' for passwords of length 4 to 6.
No prior information about the password is available, and computational resources are abundant.
Dictionary Attack
Uses a pre-compiled list of common words, phrases, and passwords.
Trying passwords from a list like 'rockyou.txt' against a login form.
The target will likely use a weak or easily guessable password based on common patterns.
Hybrid Attack
Combines elements of simple brute force and dictionary attacks, often appending or prepending characters to dictionary words.
Adding numbers or special characters to the end of words from a dictionary list.
The target might use a slightly modified version of a common password.
Credential Stuffing
Leverages leaked credentials from one service to attempt access to other services, assuming users reuse passwords.
Using a list of usernames and passwords leaked from a data breach to try logging into various online accounts.
A large set of leaked credentials is available, and the target is suspected of reusing passwords across multiple services.
Password Spraying
Attempts a small set of commonly used passwords against a large number of usernames.
Trying passwords like 'password123' or 'qwerty' against all usernames in an organization.
Account lockout policies are in place, and the attacker aims to avoid detection by spreading attempts across multiple accounts.
Rainbow Table Attack
Uses pre-computed tables of password hashes to reverse hashes and recover plaintext passwords quickly.
Pre-computing hashes for all possible passwords of a certain length and character set, then comparing captured hashes against the table to find matches.
A large number of password hashes need to be cracked, and storage space for the rainbow tables is available.
Reverse Brute Force
Targets a single password against multiple usernames, often used in conjunction with credential stuffing attacks.
Using a leaked password from one service to try logging into multiple accounts with different usernames.
A strong suspicion exists that a particular password is being reused across multiple accounts.
Distributed Brute Force
Distributes the brute forcing workload across multiple computers or devices to accelerate the process.
Using a cluster of computers to perform a brute-force attack significantly increases the number of combinations that can be tried per second.
The target password or key is highly complex, and a single machine lacks the computational power to crack it within a reasonable timeframe.
Credits to HTB
Role of Brute Forcing in Penetration Testing:
Purpose: Brute forcing is a vital tool in penetration testing, simulating attacks to identify vulnerabilities.
When to Use:
When other access methods fail.
To expose weak password policies.
To target specific accounts, especially those with elevated privileges.
Join us in exploring the intricacies of brute forcing and learn how to protect against these attacks effectively!
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