Everyone knows that any password is a special secret word or phrase that the user uses for the purpose of quick authentication in the services of various software components.
With its help, you can get personal access to personal information, financial information, various transactions, and more. A password is reliable protection in the world of digital reality, which helps prevent unauthorized access to personal information and data.
What is the password cracking process?
Password cracking is a special procedure for methodically guessing an encrypted word or phrase that an attacker is trying to obtain from a centralized database. These actions are usually used in 2 cases:
- When you need to recover a forgotten password;
- When you need to find out the password of another system user without his knowledge for illegal actions with his credentials.
In the QA realm, the password cracking process is typically used to test the security of an application by finding as many existing vulnerabilities in its system as possible.
In today's realities of development of the IT community, many programmers have set themselves the goal of creating special algorithms that could crack established passwords in minimal time intervals. More than half of the tools presented in this segment of programming focus on logging into the system based on the maximum number of valid word and letter combinations.
If a hacker has a very complex password (the structure of which consists of a special combination of numbers, letters and special characters), then cracking it can take from several hours to a couple of weeks. There are also special programs with built-in password dictionaries, but the success rate of using such tools is lower, since while simultaneously selecting a combination, key queries are stored in the application, and this takes some time.
Recently, a lot of programs have been created to crack passwords. All of them, naturally, have their strengths and weaknesses.
Next, we’ll talk in detail about the 10 most popular web tools for testing passwords that are relevant in 2019.
№1 Brutus
It is a very popular remote tool for the password cracking process. According to its developers, Brutus can easily be considered the most high-quality and effective tool for selecting the correct password.
This is a completely free product that comes exclusively for the Windows operating system. By the way, the first release of this software was carried out back in 2000.
The program supports protocols:
- HTTP (standard authentication);
- HTTP (HTML/CGI form);
- POP3;
- FTP;
- SMB;
- Telnet and other types (for example, IMAP, NNTIP).
Brutus
The functionality of the product also allows the user to independently create the necessary types of authorization. Brutus performance is designed for simultaneous connection of up to 60 requests.
There are options to pause and stop the request. In other words, it is possible to stop the attack or postpone its continuation. Although this product has not been updated for a long time, it can rightfully be considered a very effective and efficient web tool for testing password strength.
Can any password be hacked?
Password is this set of characters. Any combination can be selected, the only difference is how much time it will take. But, of course, this is a very significant difference. How to crack a password that contains 10 characters? From 10 characters you can create so many combinations that even a super-powerful computer, which you, of course, don’t have, can’t sort through in a day. What a day it is. Sometimes you can’t go through combinations even in weeks or months.
What to do? Obviously, there is no need to solve the problem head-on if your password does not consist of one digital character. We will have to look for workarounds, and these paths will be different for each specific case. Let's start with the theory.
conclusions
A password is what should make any web product and component as secure as possible from unauthorized access. All of the above tools, which are a must-have for any professional QA team providing security testing services, are eloquent proof that no password is uncrackable.
But at the same time, taking into account the capabilities of these products, in practice it is possible to build very good protection that could incorporate the most advanced security techniques.
Knowledge and repeated use of these tools will help to conduct a high-quality security audit of the software used and check how and by what means maximum security can be achieved in the modern realities of developing the capabilities of the IT world.
How to crack a password on a windows computer
Losing your account password at first glance looks like a disaster.
There is no access anywhere - neither to the Internet, nor to system folders. Blue screen with usernames and absolute hopelessness. But it's not all that scary. Hacking a Windows password is actually one of the simplest. All you need is to log into the system in safe mode. You will immediately have access to the Administrator account. This is the most important account from which you can do anything. Change or remove the password in particular.
Reboot the computer, press the key depending on your system. Most often it is F8, sometimes F12. Next, go to the Admin user, to the control panel, depending on the version of your system - go to the password setting menu, find your account, perform the usual steps to change the password, as if you were changing the password yourself and oh-oh - access to your account is in your hands.
Just try not to forget the new password while you reboot the system!
#5 John the Ripper
A fairly popular free tool, with the help of its functionality you can crack passwords in web products running Linux, Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. It quickly finds weak passwords and decrypts them.
John the Ripper
There is a separate licensed build for professional testing teams and network administrators. You can also configure target functionality for a specific operating system.
To download the product, you can use the following link - https://www.openwall.com/john/
How to hack a password on a phone
Mobile devices are also competing for the top spot in the ranking of the most frequently forgotten passwords. The amount of private information in such a personal item requires that you treat it with care. Passwords are made more and more complex, and one day the password defeats the owner. You won’t find any safe modes here anymore; your phone or tablet will indifferently display a screen for you to enter your password and it seems like there is no way out. But of course this is not true. In order to determine the hacking method, first determine your system. The most common ones are Android and iOS. We will consider them.
Hack password on android
The first method is simpler. If you have a Google account (and remember its password), then unlocking your phone will be a breeze. First, enter the pattern combinations, you can do it at random, you can try to remember yours (you might guess right). If you don’t guess correctly, the screen will lock and the message “Try a little later” will appear. And below is another one - “Forgot your pattern key?” Here we click on this inscription. You will be redirected to log in to your Google account, and after entering your name and password, you will be given the opportunity to install a new pattern.
Important! This method only works when your account is linked to a device.
The second method is more complicated. Log into Google Play via your computer (using your username and password from your device). Install the Screen Lock Bypass application via the web interface. Then install another application, absolutely any one. The installation will trigger Screen Lock Bypass automatically and the lock screen will be reset. Don't forget to change your password before the next blocking!
The third method is simple, but not desirable. You can reset your device to factory default. Each device has its own reset mechanism (read the instructions), but usually you need to turn off the phone, then simultaneously hold down the volume key and the home key (and sometimes the 3rd key). After which a system menu will appear on the screen in which you need to select the item - Wipe data / factory reset, and then agree with the risks. Next, all data will be deleted from the phone (return to factory settings). Then, after the reset is complete, select Reboot System (reboot the device). Remember that after resetting, all personal data and installed applications will be deleted. The phone or tablet will be the same as you brought it from the store.
Hack password on ios (iphone)
To reset the lock screen in Apple, you will need to connect your device to your computer and enter Recovery Mode. Launch iTunes, and select “restore”, and then set it up as new. Here you will be asked to set a new password or leave the device without a password. You decide.
How to crack a password on a laptop
The process of recovering a password on a laptop is no different from the process of recovering a password on a personal computer. Therefore, feel free to go back two steps and carefully read the instructions for recovering your password in wndows.
What can you do to prevent your password from being hacked?
As you can see, hacking a password is not difficult only if it is on your device and you have access to other accounts. A stranger cannot log into iTunes or Google Play, so all you need is to set a simple password that can be easily guessed by brute force. Do not write down or leave your password in a visible place, and change your passwords monthly.
How to crack the administrator password
First method: In order to hack the administrator password, log into the command line from a different account. Type the command “control userpasswords2” and press enter. A window with account users will open - select the one you need and uncheck the “require password entry” checkbox. That's it - the administrator account is now passwordless.
Second method: Restart the computer in safe mode (you need to press F8 or F12 while the PC is booting and select the menu item - boot with command line support. As soon as the command line appears, write: “CD WINDOWS” and press “Enter”. Then type: “rename *.pwl *.abc” and press “Enter” or “rename *.pwd *.abc” and press “Enter" depending on your version of windows. After restarting the computer, the administrator password will be reset.
Third method: Reboot the computer in safe mode (you need to press F8 or F12 while the PC is booting and select the menu item - boot in safe mode with command line support. Next, select any administrator account that is not protected by passwords (or the password for which you need known).After loading the command line, enter: “net user username password” and press “Enter”. That’s it, the job is done, restart the computer and enjoy it to your health.
PS: “username” is replaced with the real username on this computer, “password” is replaced with the real password.
№7 Medusa
This program is as similar as possible to the web product described above. According to its creators, Medusa is a multifunctional and fast tool for “brute force” forcing entry into a protected system.
Medusa
Supports the following protocols:
- HTTP, FTP, CVS, AFP,
- IMAP, MS SQL, MYSQL,
- NCP, NNTP, POP3, PostgreSQL, pcAnywhere, rlogin,
- SMB, rsh, SMTP, SNMP, SSH, SVN,
- VNC, VmAuthd and Telnet.
This is a command line tool, which means that before using it directly, it is advisable to study the most popular commands and operations. The potential effectiveness of the software depends entirely on its ability to connect to the network. On a local network, up to 2000 passwords can be checked simultaneously in one second.
The software functionality also allows you to perform a parallel attack. Let's say you need to hack several email accounts in parallel. With Medusa, all you need to do is provide a list of potential names and enter a task with potential passwords.
To learn more about the capabilities of the product, follow the link - https://foofus.net/goons/jmk/medusa/medusa.html
You can download this tool at - https://www.foofus.net/jmk/tools/medusa-2.1.1.tar.gz
Online password recovery services
Instant decryption
www.tmto.org www.xmd5.org/index_en.htm md5.benramsey.com www.md5decrypter.com www.cmd5.com www.md5encryption.com www.thepanicroom.org/index.php?view=cracker www.panpan .org/2006/md5asp/HOME.ASP www.bisix.tk md5pass.info hash.insidepro.com/index.php?lang=rus The last one is the site of the PasswordsPro password brute force program, a fairly large database, easy to use.
NOT instant decryption
rainbowtables.net - you need to contact the administration by e-mail milw0rm.com/cracker/insert.php www.hashchecker.com/?_sls=add_hash - quota 3 hashes per day
Paid services
passcracking.com Very good service, large databases, after registration the search is carried out in all available ones. There is also a paid search service, payment via SMS. hashcracking.info In my personal opinion, this is the best and deserves special attention. In addition to the fact that it searches the database for passwords (instant decryption), it adds those not found to a special password queue. The brutter installed on the server moves along that queue from top to bottom. (12 tables in total. CharSet=az,0-9 password lengths: 1-8 characters. Hit probability: 97.80%. Maximum password search time for one hash: 12 minutes) If you want the password to be searched as quickly as possible, you can specify the price for it. The queue is sorted by price. The balance can be replenished by writing to the administration and transferring money, for example via WebMoney. But there is one interesting feature. In addition to the main brutter, all users of the service can participate in the search; for this, there is a special page where all hashes are displayed, sorted by price. If the brute force was unable to guess the password, but one of the users succeeded, then the amount for the found password goes to that user. Supports MD5, MySQL, MySQL5, SHA-1 PS As it is written on all services: “Cracking other people’s passwords is bad”
