What are dictionary attacks?

A dictionary attack is when someone tries to guess a password by checking all the words in a big list, like looking up answers in a real dictionary.

Imagine you have a lock on your toy box, and instead of trying every number from 000 to 999, someone uses a list of all the words they know, like "apple," "banana," and "dog." They try each word one by one until they find the right one that opens the lock. That's exactly what happens in a dictionary attack, only instead of a toy box, it’s a computer or phone, and instead of a list of words, it’s a big list with thousands of common passwords.

In a dictionary attack, the attacker uses a special tool that goes through each word (or password) in their list, one by one. If they find the right one, poof, they get inside!

It's like having a friend who knows all your favorite words and tries them all to open your toy box.

Many people use simple passwords like "password" or "123456," which are in the list. That means it doesn’t take long for the attacker to find the right one, just like how you might guess a friend's favorite word quickly if they're not careful!