Scott Ehrlich wrote:
Granted this is not a UNIX system, but in case there is a UNIX tool to accomplish the goal...
I am looking for a bootable CD/DVD (or application to be placed on a CD/DVD to be made bootable) that can let me mount a Windows XP drive/partition (SP1 or SP2), and force-crack the admin password (even if admin account name has been changed, but I know what it has been changed to). The application cannot write to the hard drive - only mount it read-only, read the password file into ram, and show the cracked password.
I know I can use the pnordahl utility to try and force-change the password, but I actually want to crack it.
The utility should be free.
This is a legal request.
You will need to brute force attack the passwords, using a utility that can read the SAM registry on disk, encrypt dictionary words, common names, common passwords as well as generate passwords and compare.
I don't know of such a utility, but I have a feeling that you might have better luck finding that on Windows. If that is the case then you could create a WinXP USB drive to boot from.
I find it easier to steal passwords through key logging, phishing (web or wireless) or social engineering then by brute force (as a security admin I test out our corporate environment routinely).
-Ross
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