{"id":279930,"date":"2026-09-09T07:10:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T07:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/?p=279930"},"modified":"2026-09-09T07:18:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T07:18:30","slug":"what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Brute Force Attack? Types, Signs and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 id=\"h-key-highlights\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Learn what a brute force attack is and why it puts small-business logins and customer data at risk.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discover how attackers automate password guessing online and offline, and what makes some guesses succeed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explore the common attack types, including dictionary attacks, credential stuffing and password spraying.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Know the warning signs that your website is under a brute force attack right now.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose layered defenses that block automated login attempts and keep your admin area safe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you run a website, it helps to understand what a brute force attack is before one targets your login page. A brute force attack is a trial-and-error method that attackers use to guess passwords and login credentials until one combination works. These attacks are automated, run at large scale and aim at the accounts that control your site, your store and your customer data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide explains what a brute force attack is in plain language. It then shows how the attacks work and the forms they take. You will also learn the signs that your site is being targeted and the practical steps that reduce your risk. Along the way, you will see where tools like Bluehost Malware Protection fit into a layered defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-a-brute-force-attack\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a brute force attack?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A brute force attack is a trial-and-error method that attackers use to systematically guess passwords, login credentials or encryption keys until one of them works. It succeeds through sheer volume, not through a hidden software flaw. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/resources-tools\/resources\/project-upskill-glossary\">CISA brute force definition<\/a>, which draws on NIST guidance, attackers crack passwords and keys by methodically trying possible combinations one after another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most brute force attacks aim at login pages, such as your WordPress dashboard, your hosting control panel or an email account. The attacker points automated software at that login and lets it submit guess after guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because the work is automated, a single attacker can attempt thousands or millions of combinations. The attack relies on computing power and time rather than any clever exploit, which is why strong credentials and good login defenses matter so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-does-a-brute-force-attack-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does a brute force attack work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-12_15_41-PM.png\" alt=\"How does a brute force attack work?\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An attacker rarely types guesses by hand. Instead, automated software or a network of infected machines called a botnet submits many username and password combinations very quickly. Brute force is a recognized credential-access method in the <a href=\"https:\/\/attack.mitre.org\/techniques\/T1110\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MITRE ATT&amp;CK brute force technique<\/a> catalog. That catalog groups it into guessing, cracking, spraying and credential stuffing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are two broad settings, and they move at very different speeds. An online attack runs against a live login page, so it is slower and limited by your defenses, such as rate limits and account lockouts. An offline attack runs against a stolen database of scrambled passwords. The attacker can then test guesses on their own hardware with no login limits in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Success depends on two things: how strong your password is and how the password is stored. Sites protect stored passwords by hashing them, which converts each password into a fixed string that is hard to reverse. Weak passwords and weak hashing make cracking faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivesystems.com\/newsroom-posts\/04-29-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hive Systems 2025 password table<\/a> shows why length matters. Their research found that an eight-character password made of only lowercase letters can be cracked in about three weeks. That is roughly 20% faster than their 2024 estimate. The figure models an offline attack using consumer-grade GPUs. Online attacks against a live login are far slower, because rate limits and lockouts slow every guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Attackers do not build these tools from scratch. They use ready-made cracking software and rented botnets, which makes the attacks cheap to launch against many sites at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-types-of-brute-force-attacks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of brute force attacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brute force is a family of related techniques, not a single method. The table below summarizes the most common types, then the sections after it explain the ones you are most likely to meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Attack type<\/th><th>How it works<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>Simple brute force<\/td><td>Tries every possible character combination in sequence<\/td><td>Testing aaaa, aaab, aaac and onward<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Dictionary attack<\/td><td>Guesses from a prepared list of common words and passwords<\/td><td>Trying password123, letmein and qwerty<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hybrid attack<\/td><td>Combines dictionary words with added numbers or symbols<\/td><td>Trying summer2025 and letmein!<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Reverse brute force<\/td><td>Starts with one common password and tests it across many usernames<\/td><td>Trying 123456 against thousands of accounts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Credential stuffing<\/td><td>Reuses username and password pairs leaked from other breaches<\/td><td>Replaying a leaked login on your store<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Password spraying<\/td><td>Tries a few common passwords across many accounts to avoid lockouts<\/td><td>Testing Winter2025 on every staff account<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Rainbow table<\/td><td>Uses precomputed hash tables to reverse unsalted password hashes<\/td><td>Matching a stolen hash to its plain password<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-dictionary-and-hybrid-attacks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dictionary and hybrid attacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A dictionary attack works from a list of likely passwords, such as common words, names and previously leaked credentials. A hybrid attack extends that list by adding numbers, capital letters or symbols to each word, which catches passwords like <code>Spring2025!<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is a quick brute force vs dictionary attack clarification. A simple brute force attack tries every possible combination. A dictionary attack only tries a curated list of likely guesses, which makes it faster but narrower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-credential-stuffing-and-password-spraying\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Credential stuffing and password spraying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Credential stuffing reuses login pairs stolen from other breaches, betting that people reuse the same password across sites. It is common enough to matter for small sites. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verizon.com\/business\/resources\/articles\/credential-stuffing-attacks-2025-dbir-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Verizon 2025 DBIR<\/a> reported that, among SSO-provider customers, credential stuffing made up a median of about 19% of authentication attempts, and about 12% even for small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Password spraying flips the approach. Instead of many guesses against one account, the attacker tries a few common passwords across many accounts. That helps them slip under lockout thresholds, which trigger after several failed tries on a single login.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-do-attackers-use-brute-force-attacks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do attackers use brute force attacks?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-12_22_04-PM.png\" alt=\"Why do attackers use brute force attacks?\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Attackers run brute force attacks because a working login opens the door to almost everything else. The motives usually fall into a few groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Steal data and credentials:<\/strong> a valid login exposes customer records, orders and saved payment details.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Financial gain:<\/strong> attackers drain accounts, place fraudulent orders or sell access to other criminals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Install malware or ransomware:<\/strong> admin access lets them plant malicious code or lock your files for a payment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hijack server resources:<\/strong> compromised sites get used to send spam, mine cryptocurrency or attack other targets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Damage reputation:<\/strong> a defaced or blacklisted site erodes the trust you built with visitors and customers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stakes are not hypothetical. The Verizon 2025 DBIR found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verizon.com\/business\/resources\/articles\/credential-stuffing-attacks-2025-dbir-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">compromised credentials<\/a> were the initial access vector in 22% of breaches. That makes guessed and stolen logins one of the leading ways attackers get in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-signs-your-website-is-under-a-brute-force-attack\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Signs your website is under a brute force attack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brute force attacks leave a trail, so a little monitoring helps you catch one early. Watch for these signals, which often show up in your hosting logs, security dashboard or email alerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A sudden spike in failed login attempts over a short window<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Login attempts from unfamiliar IP addresses or countries you do not do business with<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Account lockouts that you or your team did not trigger<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Site slowdowns or unexplained resource spikes as guesses flood your login<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New admin accounts or user roles that no one on your team created<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any one of these can have an innocent cause, so look for them together and check the source. For more detail on what a compromised site looks like, review these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/signs-hacked-compromised-wordpress-website\/\">signs your site is compromised<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-prevent-brute-force-attacks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to prevent brute force attacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-12_17_33-PM-1.png\" alt=\"How to prevent brute force attacks\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is to layer defenses that each slow attackers down, since one setting on its own leaves gaps. The steps below work together, and sites that handle payments or customer data generally need most of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-use-strong-unique-passwords\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use strong, unique passwords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Length is the most important factor in a password, because each extra character multiplies the number of guesses an attacker must try. A long passphrase of several unrelated words is easier to remember and harder to crack than a short string of symbols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reusing passwords is what makes credential stuffing work, so give every account its own login. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verizon.com\/business\/resources\/articles\/credential-stuffing-attacks-2025-dbir-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Verizon 2025 DBIR<\/a> looked at users whose devices were infected with infostealer malware. Only about 49% of their passwords were unique across services, which shows how common reuse is in that group. A password manager creates and stores unique passwords for you, and you can also strengthen your site with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/bluehost-com-blog-wordpress-security-keys\/\">WordPress security keys<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-turn-on-multi-factor-authentication-mfa\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multi-factor authentication adds a second step to login, such as a code from an app or a hardware key. Even if an attacker guesses your password, they still cannot get in without that second factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MFA is one of the strongest defenses you can add. <a href=\"https:\/\/cheatsheetseries.owasp.org\/cheatsheets\/Credential_Stuffing_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OWASP<\/a> describes multi-factor authentication as by far the best defense against most password-based attacks, including credential stuffing and password spraying. Turn it on for every admin and staff account first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-limit-login-attempts-and-lock-accounts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Limit login attempts and lock accounts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Slowing down guesses takes much of the power out of an automated attack. A few controls help here, and each has limits, so layer them rather than relying on one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Account lockout:<\/strong> temporarily locks an account after several failed attempts, though attackers can abuse it to lock out real users.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rate limiting:<\/strong> caps how many login attempts an IP can make in a set time, which slows bots without blocking people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>IP blocking:<\/strong> blocks addresses with repeated failures, though attackers using botnets rotate through many addresses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CAPTCHA:<\/strong> asks for a human check after failed attempts to filter out simple bots.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also tighten access at the source by learning how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/limit-access-by-ip-to-your-wp-login-php-file-in-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">restrict WordPress login access<\/a> so fewer automated requests ever reach your login.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-add-a-web-application-firewall-and-monitoring\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add a web application firewall and monitoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A web application firewall, or WAF, inspects incoming traffic and filters malicious and bot requests before they reach your login page. That stops many automated attempts at the edge, before a single guess is submitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pair the firewall with continuous monitoring and alerts so you learn about a surge in failed logins while you can still act. Keeping your core software, themes and plugins updated closes the extra weaknesses attackers combine with guessed logins. For a broader walkthrough, see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/how-to-secure-your-website\/\">secure your website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-protecting-your-site-a-quick-checklist\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protecting your site: a quick checklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use this recap as a fast reference once you understand the threat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strong, unique passwords:<\/strong> give every account a long passphrase and store them in a password manager.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multi-factor authentication:<\/strong> require a second factor on admin and staff logins first.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Login limits:<\/strong> combine lockouts, rate limiting, IP blocking and CAPTCHA to slow automated guessing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Firewall and monitoring:<\/strong> filter bot traffic with a WAF and watch for failed-login spikes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Updates:<\/strong> keep your platform, themes and plugins current to close known weaknesses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Backups:<\/strong> keep recent, tested backups so you can recover quickly if an account is breached.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a step-by-step version you can work through, follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/website-security-checklist\/\">website security checklist<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-final-thoughts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brute force attacks are automated, cheap to run and aimed straight at the logins that control your site. Your best response is to layer defenses. Start with unique passwords and multi-factor authentication, then add login limits, a firewall and steady monitoring so no single failure exposes your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bluehost Malware Protection fits into that layered approach. Its Brute Force Login Protection, included in the AI Malware Defense tier with Business and higher hosting plans, helps block automated login attempts and restrict admin access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Protect your website logins today !!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ready to block automated login attempts? Protect your site&#8217;s logins with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/website-security\">Bluehost Malware Protection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1788938172312\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is a brute force attack illegal?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, in most places running a brute force attack against a system you do not own or have permission to test is illegal. Unauthorized access to computers and accounts is a crime under laws such as the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Security professionals only run these tests with written permission from the system owner.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1788938173709\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is the most common hacked password?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The world&#8217;s most common password is 123456, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/nordpass.com\/most-common-passwords-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NordPass&#8217;s 2025 research<\/a> on the top 200 most common passwords. In the United States, admin ranks number one, and password also stays among the most common. These strings appear first in dictionary-attack wordlists, so they are cracked almost instantly. Switch to a long, unique passphrase.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1788938174583\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How can you tell if your password has been leaked?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Check your email addresses and passwords against a reputable data breach notification service that flags credentials found in known leaks. Watch for sign-in alerts from unfamiliar devices or locations, which can point to a stolen password. If a password shows up in a breach or you are unsure, change it right away and give that account its own unique passphrase.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1788938175556\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What is a real-world example of a brute force attack?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A common example is a wave of credential stuffing against a website login. Attackers take username and password pairs leaked from an unrelated breach. They then use bots to replay those pairs against your site, betting that some customers reused the same login. Accounts that share passwords across services are the ones that fall.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1788938278737\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can you stop a brute force attack completely?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No, you cannot block every attempt, because a public login can be reached by anyone with a bot. You can, though, make those attempts fail and slow them to a crawl. Strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, login limits and a firewall together reduce your risk so far that most automated attacks give up.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key highlights If you run a website, it helps to understand what a brute force attack is before one targets your login page. A brute force attack is a trial-and-error method that attackers use to guess passwords and login credentials until one combination works. These attacks are automated, run at large scale and aim at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":182,"featured_media":279925,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3707],"tags":[3330,3340,3343],"ppma_author":[3002],"class_list":["post-279930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai-insights","tag-how-to-guides","tag-tips-tricks","tag-tutorials"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is a Brute Force Attack? 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Explore common examples and proven tips to prevent breaches fast.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bluehost Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bluehost\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-09T07:10:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-09T07:18:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-12_10_26-PM.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1731\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"909\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ankit Uniyal\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bluehost\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bluehost\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ankit Uniyal\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.bluehost.com\\\/blog\\\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.bluehost.com\\\/blog\\\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ankit Uniyal\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.bluehost.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bfb700c9924e14373c506e3fcbefe5be\"},\"headline\":\"What Is a Brute Force Attack? 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As an expert in SEO and user behavior, I create content that not only ranks but resonates with the target audience.","url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/author\/ankit-uniyal\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938172312","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938172312","name":"Is a brute force attack illegal?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, in most places running a brute force attack against a system you do not own or have permission to test is illegal. Unauthorized access to computers and accounts is a crime under laws such as the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Security professionals only run these tests with written permission from the system owner.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938173709","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938173709","name":"What is the most common hacked password?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The world's most common password is 123456, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/nordpass.com\/most-common-passwords-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NordPass's 2025 research<\/a> on the top 200 most common passwords. In the United States, admin ranks number one, and password also stays among the most common. These strings appear first in dictionary-attack wordlists, so they are cracked almost instantly. Switch to a long, unique passphrase.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938174583","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938174583","name":"How can you tell if your password has been leaked?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Check your email addresses and passwords against a reputable data breach notification service that flags credentials found in known leaks. Watch for sign-in alerts from unfamiliar devices or locations, which can point to a stolen password. If a password shows up in a breach or you are unsure, change it right away and give that account its own unique passphrase.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938175556","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938175556","name":"What is a real-world example of a brute force attack?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A common example is a wave of credential stuffing against a website login. Attackers take username and password pairs leaked from an unrelated breach. They then use bots to replay those pairs against your site, betting that some customers reused the same login. Accounts that share passwords across services are the ones that fall.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938278737","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-types-signs-and-prevention\/#faq-question-1788938278737","name":"Can you stop a brute force attack completely?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No, you cannot block every attempt, because a public login can be reached by anyone with a bot. You can, though, make those attempts fail and slow them to a crawl. Strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, login limits and a firewall together reduce your risk so far that most automated attacks give up.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":3002,"user_id":182,"is_guest":0,"slug":"ankit-uniyal","display_name":"Ankit Uniyal","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20250104_140442-scaled-e1761108582194.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20250104_140442-scaled-e1761108582194.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":"","9":"","10":"","11":"","12":"","13":"","14":"","15":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/182"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279930"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":279934,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279930\/revisions\/279934"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/279925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279930"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=279930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}