The number of "brute force" attacks on small and midsize companies has risen 
dramatically in the past few months, according to Houston-based Alert Logic Inc., an on-demand IT network security company that focuses on small and medium-size businesses.
Brute force attacks are those in which an attacker uses multiple ways to hack into a company’s private network, trying various methods until the break-in attempt succeeds, said Chris Smith, vice president of marketing at Alert Logic.
Over the past three months, brute force attacks have increased by more than 1,000%, Alert Logic said in a statement. Since brute force attacks are considerably more dangerous than random e-mail-borne viruses, the increase indicates that criminals are specifically taking advantage of the lesser security measures used by smaller businesses, the company said. ‘Brute force’ attacks against SMBs on the rise
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