Ethical Hacking: Techniques, Tools, and Countermeasures, 4th Edition

Cryptanalysis

Cryptographic systems, much like any security control, are subject to attacks specially designed to exploit their weaknesses. In the case of encryption, specific attacks may be more aggressive and targeted because the use of encryption suggests that something of increased value is present and desirable to access. When you examine the strength and power of encryption, it is easy to believe, at least initially, that the technology is unbreakable in all but a few cases. In reality, most encryption can be broken if an attacker has the necessary computing power, creativity, a good understanding of cryptographic algorithms, and sufficient time. Attacks that often work against cryptography include brute-force password attack methods, ...