How passwords get cracked, in 3 small steps · part 1 of 3 · Brute force and the search space
How long does it take to guess a 4-digit PIN?
Four dials, ten digits each: 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10,000 possible PINs, the search space. A brute-force attack simply tries them all. Change the number of dials and watch the guesses multiply.
What you turn: Number of digits
Next in the Bastion playlist
The reel
The full lesson · 6:20
The long version
The same idea, slower: more examples, and pauses to try each step yourself.