Analysing the Impact of Password Length and Complexity on the Effectiveness of Brute Force Attacks
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the critical role of password length and complexity in mitigating the effectiveness of brute force attacks, a prevalent method used by attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems. Passwords are the first line of defense in digital security, and their strength directly affects the time and resources required for a brute-force attack to be successful. The research explores the relationship between various password characteristics such as length, the inclusion of alphanumeric characters, special symbols, and case sensitivity and the resistance they provide against automated cracking attempts. Through a combination of theoretical analysis and practical simulation, the study demonstrates how even a small increase in password length can lead to exponential growth in the number of possible combinations, significantly delaying potential breaches.
Institutions: Taif University, La Trobe University
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409205739