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Password cracking is a critical skill in cybersecurity, whether for ethical hacking, penetration testing, or security assessments. Below are some of the most powerful tools used by professionals to test password strength and recover lost credentials.
Popular Password Cracking Tools
- John the Ripper – A fast, open-source password cracker supporting multiple hash types.
- Hashcat – The world’s fastest CPU/GPU-based password recovery tool.
- Hydra – A network login cracker supporting various protocols (SSH, FTP, RDP).
- Medusa – A parallel login brute-forcing tool similar to Hydra.
- Aircrack-ng – A suite for Wi-Fi network security testing, including WPA/WPA2 cracking.
- Cain & Abel – A Windows-based tool for password recovery via multiple methods.
- Ophcrack – Uses rainbow tables to crack Windows passwords.
- Brutus – A remote password cracker for web forms and authentication.
You Should Know: Practical Password Cracking Techniques
1. Using John the Ripper
To crack a password hash stored in a file (hashes.txt):
john --format=raw-md5 hashes.txt
For incremental brute-force mode:
john --incremental hashes.txt
2. Hashcat GPU-Accelerated Cracking
Crack an MD5 hash using a wordlist (`rockyou.txt`):
hashcat -m 0 -a 0 target_hash.txt rockyou.txt
For brute-forcing a 6-digit PIN:
hashcat -m 0 -a 3 target_hash.txt ?d?d?d?d?d?d
3. Hydra for SSH Brute-Forcing
Attempt login attacks on an SSH server using a username list (users.txt) and password list (passwords.txt):
hydra -L users.txt -P passwords.txt ssh://192.168.1.1
4. Aircrack-ng for Wi-Fi Cracking
Capture a WPA handshake:
airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid 00:11:22:33:44:55 -w capture wlan0
Crack the handshake using a wordlist:
aircrack-ng -w rockyou.txt capture.cap
5. Rainbow Table Attacks with Ophcrack
Load a rainbow table and crack Windows hashes:
ophcrack -g -t xp_free -d /path/to/tables /path/to/SAM
What Undercode Say
Password cracking is a double-edged sword—essential for security testing but dangerous in malicious hands. Always ensure you have legal permission before testing systems. Strengthen passwords using:
– Linux: `openssl rand -base64 16` (generate strong passwords)
– Windows: `net user username ` (force password change)
– Bash Scripting: Automate hash checks with sha256sum.
– Defense: Enable `fail2ban` (sudo apt install fail2ban) to block brute-force attacks.
Expected Output:
[/bash]
[+] Cracked: admin:Password123
[+] Success: WPA Key Found: MySecureWiFi123
[!] Warning: Always use ethical hacking principles.
[bash]
(End of )
References:
Reported By: Dharamveer Prasad – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
