We are going through a phase where online security is the most needed. Almost everything has shifted to the internet. And with new facilities come new threats – cyber threats. That’s why securing online systems is more critical than ever today. One of the most common and dangerous threats to cybersecurity is the brute force attack. These attacks involve systematically guessing passwords or encryption keys to gain unauthorized system access. Preventing brute force attacks is crucial for protecting sensitive data, maintaining user privacy, and ensuring the integrity of digital infrastructures. Let’s learn how to prevent brute force attacks.

Key Stats of Brute Force Attacks

Increase in Brute Force Attacks During the Pandemic

According to a report by McAfee, there was a 630% increase in remote desktop protocol (RDP) brute force attacks between January & March 2020. This surge was attributed to the rise in remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial Impact

A study by IBM Security found that the average cost of a data breach involving a brute force attack is $4.24 million. This includes the costs of detection, escalation, notification, and response – plus lost business & reputation damage.

Frequency of Attacks

Research by Kaspersky revealed that, in 2020, over 3.9 billion brute force attacks were detected worldwide. This indicates that such attacks are frequent and pose a persistent threat to all online businesses.

Effectiveness of Strong Passwords

Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) highlighted that 81% of hacking-related breaches involve weak or stolen passwords. This underscores the need for strict password policies & user education.

What are Brute Force Attacks?

Brute force attacks are a type of cyberattack where attackers use trial and error methods to guess passwords, encryption keys, or login credentials. These attacks rely on automated tools that test thousands or millions of possible combinations in minutes. There are several types of brute force attacks to be aware of.

Types of Brute Force Attacks

Simple Brute Force Attack

This involves trying all possible combinations of characters until the correct one is found. While effective, this method is time-consuming, especially with complex passwords.

Dictionary Attack

In this approach, attackers use a pre-defined list of likely passwords, known as a dictionary. This method is faster than simple brute force attacks but is limited to the words within the dictionary.

Hybrid Attack

Hybrid attacks are a mix of dictionary attacks and simple brute force attacks. They start with a dictionary of common words and then add variations, such as numbers or symbols, to each word.

Credential Stuffing

This method involves using credentials obtained from previous data breaches. Since many users reuse passwords across multiple sites – credential stuffing can be highly effective.

Reverse Brute Force Attack

Instead of starting with a specific username, attackers pick a common password and try it on a list of usernames. This method can be particularly effective in environments where users share common passwords.

How to Identify Brute Force Attacks?

Identifying brute force attacks on time can help minimize the impact and prevent unauthorized access. Here are some common indicators and methods for detecting these attacks.

Unusual Login Activity

A sudden spike in failed login attempts is a strong indicator of a brute force attack. Monitoring tools can help detect these oddities by tracking login patterns and flagging unusual behavior.

IP Blacklisting

Repeated login attempts from a single IP address can be a brute force attack. Executing IP blacklisting can help block these malicious attempts by restricting access from suspicious IPs.

Geolocation Alerts

Login attempts from unusual geographic locations can be a sign of an attack. Use geolocation tracking to set up alerts for login attempts from regions outside the normal activity range.

Account Lockouts

Many failed login attempts within a short period can trigger account lockouts. This prevents further attempts and alerts administrators to a potential attack.

Unusual Network Traffic

A spike in network traffic, especially at login pages or authentication servers, can indicate a brute force attack. Network monitoring tools can help you prevent this cyberattack by detecting these unusual activities.

Behavioral Analysis

Analyzing user behavior patterns can help identify deviations that may indicate a brute force attack. For example, if a user who typically logs in during business hours suddenly attempts to log in at odd hours, this could be a red flag.

How to Prevent Brute Force Attacks?

Preventing brute force attacks requires a multi-layered approach that includes technical measures, user education, and robust security policies. Here are some helpful ways to prevent brute force attacks.

Ways to Prevent Brute Force Attacks

Use Strong Passwords

Users must create complicated passwords that can’t be guessed. Passwords should include uppercase & lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Applying a password policy that enforces these requirements can help improve password strength.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA enhances security by requiring users to verify their identity using two or more methods before accessing the account. This can include something the user knows (password), something they have (security token), or something they are (biometric verification).

Limit Login Attempts

Restricting the number of failed login attempts can help prevent brute force attacks. After a certain number of failed attempts, the account can be temporarily locked or require additional verification steps.

Use Captchas

Adding captchas to login pages can help distinguish between human users and automated bots. Captchas require users to complete tasks such as identifying images or solving a puzzle – that is difficult for bots to perform.

Regularly Update Software

Keeping software & systems up to date with the latest security patches can help protect against vulnerabilities that attackers may exploit. This involves keeping operating systems, applications, and security tools updated.

Monitor & Analyze Logs

Review login & network logs regularly – it can help identify patterns indicating a brute force attack. Deploying log analysis tools can automate this process and provide real-time alerts.

Educate Users

Training users on the importance of strong passwords and security best practices can help reduce the risk of brute force attacks. Regular security awareness programs can reinforce good habits and inform users about the latest threats.

Enforce Account Lockout Policies

Configure account lockout policies to temporarily disable accounts after a certain number of failed login attempts. This can slow down attackers and provide an opportunity to investigate potential breaches.

Use IP Whitelisting

Restrict access to critical systems & applications to specific IP addresses or ranges. This can help prevent unauthorized access from unknown or suspicious IPs.

Deploy Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems (IDPS)

IDPS can help detect and prevent brute force attacks by monitoring network traffic and identifying suspicious activity. These systems can automatically block IP addresses associated with malicious behavior.

Top 5 Tools for Preventing Brute Force Attacks

Here are five additional software tools that can help prevent brute force attacks.

Fail2Ban

This intrusion prevention software scans log files and bans IP addresses that show malicious signs, such as too many password failures, effectively blocking brute force attacks.

Akamai Kona Site Defender

This complete security solution offers web application firewall (WAF) capabilities to detect and mitigate brute force attacks.

Cloudflare

Known for its DDoS protection, Cloudflare also provides security features like rate limiting, IP blacklisting, and WAF to defend against brute force attacks.

Wazuh

An open-source security monitoring tool, Wazuh provides real-time threat detection – including the ability to identify and block brute force attempts through its log analysis and intrusion detection capabilities.

Bitdefender GravityZone

This endpoint security tool offers advanced threat detection and response features – including protection against brute force attacks by monitoring and blocking suspicious login attempts.

How Does a Brute Force Attack Work?

A brute force attack works by systematically trying all possible combinations of passwords or encryption keys until the correct one is found. Attackers use automated tools to speed up this process, enabling them to test thousands or millions of combinations in minutes.

The attack begins with the attacker obtaining a list of potential usernames or encryption keys. For password brute force attacks, the attacker might start with a password list or dictionary – containing frequently used passwords. This is known as a dictionary attack. The attacker uses the automated tool to try each password in the list against the target system.

If the simple dictionary method fails, attackers may use a more sophisticated approach called a hybrid attack. This method starts with a base dictionary and then appends or prepends characters, such as numbers or symbols, to each word, significantly increasing the number of possible combinations.

Another technique is credential stuffing, where attackers use credentials obtained from previous data breaches to attempt logins on different systems, banking on the fact that many users reuse passwords.

Brute force attacks exploit the persistence and speed of automated tools to break into systems with weak security measures. Preventing these attacks requires a quick response to suspicious activities.

Conclusion

Brute force attacks are a persistent and dangerous threat to cybersecurity. You must learn the nature of these attacks and utilize various prevention measures to reduce the risk. Strong passwords, MFA, limiting login attempts, and regular software updates are just a few strategies to help protect against brute force attacks. Moreover, educating users & monitoring suspicious activity can also help secure your digital platform. Taking these steps can help protect sensitive data and user privacy.

If you need help with online security – you can connect with us. We offer high-grade cyber security services and all kinds of servers and their maintenance services.

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