What is password cracking?

Password cracking is the method of seeking to gain unlawful access to limited systems using common passwords or algorithms that guess passwords. Alternatively, cracking password is a skill of acquiring the right password that provides access to a system secured by a verification technique. The process uses several methods to achieve its objectives. The cracking method may involve either comparing stored passwords against word roster or use algorithms to produce passwords that match.

Different techniques to crack passwords

Here are some of the most prevalent password-cracking techniques used by hackers.

Phishing

Phishing, the widely-used hacking method today, comprises using emails to lure a person into clicking on an attachment or embedded link. This then prompts a download of malicious software or code, which can then let the attacker exfiltrate passwords through numerous tools, or ruses the user into getting into their login credentials into a fake site. Most recently a surge in the number of coronavirus-related phishing scams has been observed, as attackers seek to exploit the pandemic and public apprehension.

Social engineering

This usually refers to the process of deceiving users into believing the attacker is a genuine agent. A common method is for attackers to call a victim and pretend as technical support. This can be just as effective if done individually, although that’s far less common nowadays.

Malware

A number of malevolent tools such as keyloggers, screen scrapers, and others fall in the category of malware. Some malware even practically hunt through a user’s system for password dictionaries or data related to web browsers.

Brute force attack

This refers to a host of different approaches of hacking that all include guessing passwords in order to access a system. A simple instance of a brute force attack would be an attacker simply predicting a person’s password based on pertinent hints; however, they can be more sophisticated than that. The majority of brute force attacks engage some kind of automated processing, letting massive quantities of passwords be fed into a system.

Dictionary attack

A slightly more urbane example of a brute force attack, a dictionary attack employs an automated process of feeding a list of commonly-used passwords and phrases into a computer system until something fits. The majority of dictionaries are made up of IDs acquired from preceding hacks, although they also comprise the most common passwords and word combinations.

Rainbow table attack

Whenever a password is saved on a system, it’s usually encoded using a ‘hash’, or a cryptographic codename, making it impossible to ascertain the original password without the matching hash. To avoid this, attackers maintain and share directories that record passwords and their matching hashes, often made from preceding attacks, minimizing the time it takes to get into a system.

Much of the calculation is done before the attack occurs, making the process much quicker. The disadvantage for hackers is that the complete volume of possible combinations means rainbow tables can be massive, often hundreds of gigabytes in size.

Spidering

This engages very similar methods to those used in other attacks like phishing. Spidering defines the process of an attacker getting to learn their target, to the degree that they can easily get important information based on their activity. For instance, many organizations use passwords that have to do with their business in some way, such as those on its Wi-Fi networks or intranet. Attackers can study a business and the products it produces in order to create a roster of possible word combinations, which can be subsequently used in a brute force attack.

Offline cracking

It’s worth remembering that not all hacking occurs over an internet connection. In fact, the majority of the hacking work occurs offline, especially as most systems place restrictions on the number of conjectures allowed before an account is locked. Offline cracking typically comprises the method of decrypting passwords by using a list of hashes possibly taken from a fresh data breach.

Shoulder surfing

Shoulder surfing constitutes a genuine threat in 2020. Prominent examples of this comprise attackers masquerading themselves in order to gain access to company web sites and, quite accurately, seize sensitive documents with possible passwords. Smaller companies are perhaps most vulnerable, due to their inability to monitor their sites as successfully as a larger organization.

Guess

If nothing works, an attacker can always try and guess your password. Several password managers are on hand to create strings that are impossible to speculate, but many users still depend on memorable phrases, often based on pastimes, pets, or family.

10 Most Popular Password Cracking Tools

Over the last few years, a number of password cracking tools have been developed. Every tool has its own merits and demerits. Here are just a few of the most popular password cracking tools.

1. Brutus

2. RainbowCrack

3. Wfuzz

4 Cain and Abel

5. John the Ripper

6. THC Hydra

7. Medusa

8. OphCrack

9. L0phtCrack

10. Aircrack-NG

Conclusion

A password ensures that your network, web accounts and email accounts remain secure and safe from unlawful access. The aforementioned password cracking tools validate that passwords can be broken easily if good passwords are nor selected. Security investigators use these tools to review the security of their apps and check how to make their application secure against these tools. These tools are also used by cybercriminals, albeit for nefarious reasons, to break passwords of users and then access their data.

You can also use these tools for good purposes and bad, although it’s best not to use any educational information for any cybercrime or other unlawful activity on the internet. Taking advantage of the many tools available on the web, you should be able to know how you can fall victim to a hacker’s attack and how you can protect yourself against it. All you have to do is avoid using passwords that can be easily cracked by the hacker, such as a dictionary word, your pet’s name, phone number, or your parent’s name, etc.