Smartest way to prevent brute force in a way is to authenticate twice, in a way, talk about 2 factor authentication, this might be the best way to stop brute force attacks

Additional comments:

Developing robust security measures requires a deep understanding of logical flaws. The code shown in this meme perfectly illustrates a disastrous approach to brute force protection by adding an unnecessary condition that validates the password correctly only on the 2nd attempt. This logic essentially breaks the authentication process for every legitimate user with the assumption that they’ll enter their correct password a 2nd time if they were legitimate.

Secure systems demand more reliable strategies to prevent unauthorized access. Implementing account lockout policies, rate limiting, and multi factor authentication remain the gold standards for modern defense. These layers of security provide protection that does not sacrifice usability or reliability. Developers must always test their logic against real world scenarios to avoid creating vulnerabilities or accidental barriers for their users.