Password Cracking

Passwords are the most common authentication mechanism on the internet and also one of the most reliable attack paths into a system. Whether we are dealing with a leaked database, a captured network handshake, or a hash extracted from a compromised machine, the ability to recover the plaintext from a hash is a fundamental red-team skill.

This room walks through password cracking from the ground up: how passwords are stored, how to identify which algorithm produced a given hash, which tools and techniques to apply, and when to use each. By the end, we will crack a set of real hashes using the exact workflow a penetration tester would follow on an engagement.

Learning objectives

• Explain how passwords are stored as hashes and what salting does
• Identify common hash types by their visual characteristics and with dedicated tools
• Use hashid to narrow down unknown hash formats
• Run dictionary attacks with Hashcat and John the Ripper
• Apply rule-based and mask attacks to extend coverage beyond a standard wordlist
• Choose the right tool and technique for a given hash and scenario

Prerequisites

• Linux Fundamentals Part 1: Navigating the command line, reading and writing files
• Hashing Basics: What hash functions are and their core properties
• Introduction to Wordlists: CeWL, crunch, and Hydra for building and using targeted wordlists