brute force attack

A Dictionary of the Internet | 2001 | 700+ words | Copyright

brute force attack Any criminal attempt to access a computer system by the repeated execution of some action. An example of this is an attempt to decipher a message which has undergone ENCRYPTION by repeatedly trying a large number of keys for DECRYPTION. If the encryption method is secure a successful attack using brute force would have to employ a prohibitively large amount of computer power. Brute force attacks on schemes such as the DATA ENCRYPTION STANDARD and the SECURE SOCKETS LAYER have been successful. They have often been carried out with the active support of the developers of the schemes; however, the resources required and the time taken for the attack have been so prohibitively high that the systems are regarded as secure. The term can also be used to describe attacks on a computer network which are based on SCANNING ATTACKS.

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DARREL INCE. "brute force attack." A Dictionary of the Internet. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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DARREL INCE. "brute force attack." A Dictionary of the Internet. 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O12-bruteforceattack.html

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