How to break AES CBC with PKCS#5 padding?

Question

If I have a string encoded with AES CBC with PKCS#5 padding, how can one possibly decrypt/crack it? What are the approaches that one can take to break its security?

Answer 1

You may take the following approaches:

1. You can check if the key generation or storage has any weaknesses;
2. You can check if padding oracle attacks apply;
3. You can check if (part of) the ciphertext has been generated previously (using the same IV).

Neither of these methods work when AES CBC has been correctly applied. AES does provide adequate confidentiality, even for many ciphertext&plaintext pairs.