![]() This uses an automated process of feeding a list of commonly-used passwords and phrases into a computer system until something fits. The dictionary attack is a slightly more sophisticated example of a brute force attack. Most brute force attacks employ some sort of automated processing, allowing vast quantities of passwords to be fed into a system. Reverse brute force attacks involve hackers taking some of the most commonly used passwords and attempting to guess associated usernames. Credential recycling, for example, relies on the fact that many people reuse their passwords, some of which will have been exposed by previous data breaches. Brute force attackīrute force attacks refer to a number of different methods of hacking that all involve guessing passwords in order to access a system.Ī simple example of a brute force attack would be a hacker simply guessing a person’s password based on relevant clues, however, they can be more sophisticated than that. Some malware will even proactively hunt through a user’s system for password dictionaries or data associated with web browsers. Keyloggers, and their ilk, record a user’s activity, whether that’s through keystrokes or screenshots, which is all then shared with a hacker. ![]() Alongside highly disruptive malicious software like ransomware, which attempts to block access to an entire system, there are also highly specialised malware families that target passwords specifically. Keyloggers, screen scrapers, and a host of other malicious tools all fall under the umbrella of malware, malicious software designed to steal personal data. ![]() Successful social engineering attacks can be incredibly convincing and highly lucrative, as was the case when the CEO of a UK-based energy company lost £201,000 to hackers after they tricked him with an AI tool that mimicked his assistant’s voice. This can be just as effective if done in person, using a fake uniform and credentials, although that’s far less common these days. ![]() A common tactic is for hackers to call a victim and pose as technical support, asking for things like network access passwords in order to provide assistance. Speaking of social engineering, this typically refers to the process of tricking users into believing the hacker is a legitimate agent. Our recent favourite is the case of the first Nigerian astronaut who is unfortunately lost in space and needs us to act as a man in the middle for a $3 million dollar transfer to the Russian Space Agency – which apparently does return flights. The days of emails from supposed princes in Nigeria looking for an heir, or firms acting on behalf of wealthy deceased relatives, are few and far between these days, although you can still find the odd, wildly extravagant, claim here and there. Netflix, Amazon, and Facebook are often used for this purpose, as it’s highly likely that the victim will have an account associated with these brands. Today’s phishing usually involves some form of social engineering, where the message will appear to have been sent from a legitimate, often well-known company, informing their customers that they need to take action of some kind. What happens next depends entirely on the malware being executed – some may encrypt files and prevent the user from accessing the machine, while others may attempt to stay hidden in order to act as a backdoor for other malware.Īs computer literacy has improved over the years, and as users have grown accustomed to online threats, phishing techniques have had to become more sophisticated. ![]() Instead of being directed to a helpful resource, a malicious file is downloaded and executed on the user’s machine. The typical tactic is to trick a user into clicking on an embedded link or downloading an attachment. MIT technology review insights Download now To make matters worse, these passwords tend to be reused across multiple sites, with one in three people (32%) having the same password to access different accounts. Passwords that are weak or easy to guess are more common than you might expect: recent findings from the NCSC found that around one in six people uses the names of their pets as their passwords, making them highly predictable. In the words of US politician Katie Porter, most parents utilise a stronger password to stop their children from “watching too much YouTube on their iPad”. Despite this, even if the password hadn’t been leaked, it wouldn’t have been hard for attackers to guess it. It was revealed that ‘solarwinds123’, a password created and leaked by an intern, had been publicly accessible through a private GitHub repository since June 2018, enabling hackers to plan and carry out the massive supply chain attack. It’s worth taking into account the role of a leaked password in one of the biggest cyber security stories of the last two years, the SolarWinds hack.
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