What best describes a brute force attack?

A brute force attack is characterized as a method of systematically trying all possible password combinations to gain unauthorized access to an account or system. This approach involves iterating through every possible combination of characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols, until the correct password is found. Given the vast range of potential combinations, brute force attacks can be time-consuming, especially with strong and complex passwords; however, they remain a straightforward and direct approach to bypassing security measures that depend on password authentication.

In contrast, the other options describe different types of security threats or methods. Ignoring security protocols pertains to other forms of attacks but does not specifically identify the methodical process of a brute force attack. A technique to decipher encrypted data suggests a different kind of attack involving cryptography, rather than the exhaustive checking of passwords. Lastly, a denial-of-service attack focuses on disrupting service availability rather than accessing accounts through password guessing, which is the essence of a brute force method. Hence, identifying the nature of a brute force attack is best captured by the correct choice.