Which of the following is a disadvantage of a Brute-force attack?

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a Brute-force attack?

• A. A. Most passwords today are complex.
• B. B. The password may not be in the list or dictionary.
• C. C. The attack requires a lot of time and resources to succeed.
• D. D. Brute-force can only occur online.

Answer: (C)

A brute-force attack involves systematically trying all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found. One of the significant disadvantages of this method is that it requires a substantial amount of time and computing resources, particularly when targeting complex passwords. With the increase in password complexity and length, the number of potential combinations grows exponentially, making it increasingly impractical for an attacker to effectively launch a brute-force attack. This demand for significant time and resources means that brute-force attacks can often be thwarted by mechanisms such as account lockout policies or rate limiting on authentication attempts. These measures can slow down an attacker considerably or even stop them altogether after a certain number of failed attempts. Hence, while brute-force attacks can technically be successful, the effort and resources needed make them less efficient compared to other attack methods that exploit vulnerabilities or employ more strategic approaches. In contrast, the other choices touch on aspects of brute-force attacks but do not encapsulate the primary disadvantage as effectively as the need for extensive time and resources. For instance, while complex passwords can present a challenge, they do not inherently negate the feasibility of a brute-force attack; they simply increase the time required. Similarly, the fact that the correct password may not be in a predefined list addresses the quality of the

A brute-force attack involves systematically trying all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found. One of the significant disadvantages of this method is that it requires a substantial amount of time and computing resources, particularly when targeting complex passwords. With the increase in password complexity and length, the number of potential combinations grows exponentially, making it increasingly impractical for an attacker to effectively launch a brute-force attack.

This demand for significant time and resources means that brute-force attacks can often be thwarted by mechanisms such as account lockout policies or rate limiting on authentication attempts. These measures can slow down an attacker considerably or even stop them altogether after a certain number of failed attempts. Hence, while brute-force attacks can technically be successful, the effort and resources needed make them less efficient compared to other attack methods that exploit vulnerabilities or employ more strategic approaches.

In contrast, the other choices touch on aspects of brute-force attacks but do not encapsulate the primary disadvantage as effectively as the need for extensive time and resources. For instance, while complex passwords can present a challenge, they do not inherently negate the feasibility of a brute-force attack; they simply increase the time required. Similarly, the fact that the correct password may not be in a predefined list addresses the quality of the