Cracking passwords
Passwords are the most common method users verify authentication to systems. It is common to identify passwords that can access other systems while exploiting a target system. Chapter 4, Client-side Attacks, provides a section dedicated to cracking passwords with many tools available in Kali. The next section will touch upon cracking passwords showcasing a very popular tool available in Kali.
John the Ripper
John the Ripper is the most popular password cracker that is used today. It has several engines that allow it crack different types of passwords, including encrypted and hashed passwords. John the Ripper has the ability to autodetect most hashes and encrypted passwords making the process easier for Penetration Testers. Attackers like the tool because it is very customizable and can be configured in a variety of different ways to speed-up password cracking.
John the Ripper operates in the following manner:
Attempts cracking passwords with dictionary words
Uses dictionary...
