2006-09-03 07:22:03 · 4 answers · asked by kool 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
There are several ways to find what the password is.
1) The easiest way is through social engineering. Some people would tell you their password if you just ask them. For others more subtle schemes are needed - e.g., the attacker could pose as a technician, a security administrator, etc.
2) Another way is to install a special program (or device) on the victim's computer that records all keystrokes.
3) Many people pick trivial passwords (e.g., their spouse or pet's name, birthdate, some common word like "love") and their password can be guessed, if the attacker knows enough about the victim.
4) To actually crack the password is the most difficult approach - and the one most likely to fail. When you enter a password, the computer must have some way of determining whether it's the correct one. Of course, no self-respecting security system would store the passwords in clear and do a direct comparison. Most systems store some kind of one-way hash of the password (something that can be easily computed from the password - but the password cannot be computed easily from it), then hash the entered password and compare the result with the stored list of hashes. If the attacker can obtain the list of hashes, he or she can usually conduct a dictionary attack. That is, take a large dictionary of possible passwords (words in some common languages and simple variations of them), compute the hash of each one of them, and check whether it matches any of the hashes on the list.
2006-09-03 20:36:38 · answer #1 · answered by Vesselin Bontchev 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends. Password files can be cracked, depending upon the level/strength of encryption on the file and the strength of the computer and software trying to do the cracking. If a password file has weak encryption and is easily accessible, and if the cracker has a powerful computer and fast connection then a brute force dictionary attack can be effective. If the target has strong encryption and the file is less easily accessible, then it will be much more difficult.
2006-09-03 14:50:11 · answer #2 · answered by Rose D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First you have to tell me what password you are trying to crack. Some can be reset, some can be cracked. But I can't provide a definitive answer without knowing what you are trying to do.
e.g. Are you just trying to start a computer with a startup P/w, that can be reset.
2006-09-03 14:25:15 · answer #3 · answered by john_mason4438 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"the passwords", that's a tad vague don't you think?
2006-09-03 14:24:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋