brute force attack

The systematic, exhaustive testing of all possible methods that can be used to break a security system. For example, in cryptanalysis, trying all possible keys in the keyspace to decrypt a ciphertext. See dictionary attack. See also brute force programming.

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(cryptography)

brute force attack - A method of breaking a cipher (that is, to decrypt a specific encrypted text) by trying every possible key. The quicker the brute force attack, the weaker the cipher. Feasibility of brute force attack depends on the key length of the cipher, and on the amount of computational power available to the attacker. Brute force attack is impossible against the ciphers with variable-size key, such as a one-time pad cipher. Breaking ciphers with many workstations.