dictionary attack


noun Computers.

an attempt to break into a password-protected computer or computer system with a software program that successively tries all the words in a large dictionary or other word list.
an attempt by a spammer to obtain a list of valid email addresses by testing possible usernames in combination with a domain name.

British Dictionary definitions for dictionary attack

dictionary attack

noun

an attempt to hack into a computer or network by submitting every word in a dictionary as a possible password