How to Stop Brute-Force Attacks – Guide

It is no secret that criminals like passwords that are hard to remember. I’m not talking about passwords that contain words; I’m talking about passwords that are so simple to guess that my young niece could figure them out with little effort. It is also a problem to reuse old passwords or “tweak” old passwords (which 70% of users admit to doing). Brute force attacks are easy targets for these types of insecure passwords. That’s why preventing brute force attacks should be a priority for your cybersecurity efforts.

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has released a report that Cathay Pacific was the victim of a brute force attack in 2018 which resulted in a £500,000 penalty for non-compliance due to security measures. The ICO stated that this attack was inappropriate and required more attention from the airline. This attack is an example of how companies can suffer direct and indirect losses as a result of these incidents.

There is no one specific approach to preventing brute force attacks, as the best way to do this is to use a layered security approach combined with tried and true strategies. It’s important to eliminate as many weaknesses as possible in your cyber defenses, as well as other forms of cyber attack prevention methods.

How to Prevent brute force attacks

Some proven ways to prevent brute force attacks are as follows: ..

Use strong passwords.

  1. Make sure your password is easy to remember and difficult to guess.
  2. Use a unique, complex password for each account on your web application or public server.
  3. Keep your passwords updated and change them regularly.

Do not use your personal information for your online accounts. Use unique password combinations for each of your online accounts.

Using a strong password is one of the best ways to protect your online account. A study by SplashData found that 30% of passwords can be cracked in 10 attempts, so it’s important to make sure your passwords are difficult to guess. To make sure your passwords are as secure as possible, follow these tips:

  • Use long passwords that contain spaces and unique characters.
  • Include uppercase and lowercase numbers, symbols, and characters in your passwords.
  • Create a password longer than six characters.
  • Ideally, passwords should be at least 15 characters long.
  • Don’t use dictionary words of any language.
  • It’s better to use random strings instead of words. ..

Limit login attempts.

Most websites, including WordPress sites, by default allow unlimited login attempts. If you are the site administrator, you can use a plugin to limit possible login attempts on your site to block brute force attacks. These plugins allow you to enter the number of logins you want your visitors to have. When they exceed the number of attempts, their IP addresses will be banned from your site for a considerable period of time. ..

Monitor IP addresses.

If you’re concerned about security, you should limit login attempts to users coming from a specific IP address or range. This is especially important if most of your employees work remotely. To set up alerts when unusual login attempts are detected and make sure to block them. ..

Use two-factor authentication (2FA).

2FA is a security measure that adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. When enabled, 2FA requires a user to validate their identity by logging into an account before being granted access. For example, you will be asked to confirm that you are actually the one trying to log into your email when 2FA is enabled.

Use CAPTCHA.

CAPTCHA is a test used to distinguish between humans and computers. Websites use them to restrict the use of bots and spam. ..

Use unique login URLs

Creating unique login URLs for multiple groups of users would be another challenge and time-consuming step for an attacker. It may not necessarily stop a brute force attack; however, it can deter undisturbed intruders. ..

Disable root SSH logins

Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol used to access the internet. By setting the sshd_config file to the options “DenyUsers root” and “PermitRootLogin no”, it will prevent the root user from being able to access SSH.

Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs)

A web application firewall (WAF) is a security measure that can protect your system from brute force attacks and denial of service attacks. ..

Final note

This guide provides tips on how to stop brute-force attacks. If you have any questions about the content of this guide, feel free to ask us. Additionally, please share this guide with your friends to help spread awareness about its existence. ..