Exhaustive Key Search

Question

What is Exhaustive Key Search?

Answer 1

Exhaustive key search, or brute-force search, is the fundamental method of trying every possible key in turn until the accurate key is identified. To recognize the accurate key it might be essential to possess a plaintext and its corresponding cipher-text, or when the plaintext has certain recognizable characteristic, cipher-text alone may suffice. Exhaustive key search can be mounted on any cipher and at times a weakness in the key schedule of cipher can help in enhancing the effectiveness of an exhaustive key search attack.