Password cracking is the process of obtaining a password from existing data, often through repeated guessing or exploiting security holes. Guessing methods include using personal information, dictionary attacks, and brute force attacks. Strong passwords with a mix of characters are harder to crack.
Password cracking is an umbrella term that describes a group of techniques used to obtain the password of a data system. Password cracking specifically refers to the processes by which a password is obtained from existing data; simply tricking an individual into giving up a password, such as through phishing, is not considered password breaching. However, guessing a password based on the computer system owner’s pre-existing knowledge is considered cracking, since the password is not known in advance. Most methods of obtaining passwords, however, involve repeated guessing or exploiting security holes in your computer system.
There are several methods for guessing an individual’s password. For example, you can use knowledge of the person whose system you are trying to hack to predict possible passwords. Names of loved ones or pets, significant dates, phone numbers, significant places, and common usernames are all popular and easily guessed passwords.
Another guess-based password cracking method is known as a dictionary attack. Many people use passwords that can be found in a dictionary or words followed by a single number. Many cracking programs adamantly try to enter dictionary words and combinations of numbers to crack a password. Dictionary attacks are generally useless against strong passwords, but tend to be very effective against any one-word password.
A brute force attack is another password cracking method that is significantly more powerful than a dictionary attack. A brute-force attack program will try every possible combination of characters until the correct password is set. This is time consuming as there are countless possible combinations of letters, numbers and symbols that an individual could use for a password. As computer processors get more and more powerful, however, it’s an increasingly plausible method for cracking passwords.
Other password cracking methods involve cracking the cryptographic hash function of the computer system. A cryptographic hash function is a procedure that converts a password into a uniformly sized string of bits. If the hash can be cracked, it may be possible to decrypt the password. Most hash functions, however, are highly complex and cannot be cracked without significant time and effort.
While an experienced computer security expert can crack many varieties of passwords, there are steps you can take to avoid password cracking attempts. Strong passwords are always better than simple ones. Passwords that use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols are much harder to crack than passwords that use only one or two of these options. A brute force attack would have to work through many more possibilities before the correct password could be found.
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