Windows password cracking using John The Ripper. In this post I will show you how to crack Windows passwords using John The Ripper. John the Ripper is a fast password cracker, primarily for cracking Unix (shadow) passwords.Other than Unix-type encrypted passwords it also supports cracking Windows LM hashes and many more with open source contributed patches. The Security Account Manager (SAM) is a database file in Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 that stores users' passwords.It can be used to authenticate local and remote users. Beginning with Windows 2000 SP4, Active Directory is used to authenticate remote users. SAM uses cryptographic measures to prevent forbidden users to gain access to the system.
Encrypting files and folders is a way to protect files and folders from unwanted access. The encrypted files and folders are protected even if the hard drive is removed from the original computer and attached to another one. Encryption is the strongest safety to your information provided by Windows. Encrypt A File Or Folder It’s very easy to encrypt a file in Windows 7.
To encrypt a file, right click the file and select Properties. In the General Tab, select Advanced Check the checkbox “Encrypt contents to secure data” This will make the file encrypted.
Encrypted files can only be opened on the computer on which it was encrypted or by using the encryption key. I will tell you later how to generate and export the encryption key.
Decrypt A File Or Folder Decrypting a file is the exact reverse of encrypting it. In the File properties, uncheck the checkbox “Encrypt contents to secure data” Backup The Encryption Key Since encrypted content can’t be recovered in any way without the encryption key, it is important to backup the encryption key in a safe place. In order to backup the encryption key go to Run - certmgr.msc In the Certificate manager, go to Personal - Certificates Find the certificates that are Encrypting File System in Intended Purposes.
Backup all the certificates of Encrypting File System. You can also check out.
I'm running Windows 7 Professional at home and decided to encrypt some of my files using the built-in EFS. My understanding is that only the account that encrypted the files can also read them again - any other user (even administrators) cannot read them. (And of course access is completely lost after a reinstall.) Is that correct? What users exactly can decrypt the files I secured?
And out of curiosity, was that different in previous versions of Windows? I wonder since I recently read 'administrators can decrypt any files' at some site stated by a Microsoft employee.
In short: The user and the local administrator (if he is a Data Recovery Agent) In detail: At Basic ideas However, the cryptography keys for EFS are in practice protected by the user account password. Source: This password is also stored in the SAM, which is encrypted with a system key. Which means that not only the user can access it! Here are the details: At Decrypting files using the local Administrator account In Windows 2000, the local administrator is the default Data Recovery Agent, capable of decrypting all files encrypted with EFS by any local user. EFS in Windows 2000 cannot function without a recovery agent, so there is always someone who can decrypt encrypted files of the users. Any non-domain-joined Windows 2000 computer will be susceptible to unauthorized EFS decryption by anyone who can take over the local Administrator account, which is trivial given many tools available freely on the Internet.
In Windows XP and later, there is no default local Data Recovery Agent and no requirement to have one. Setting SYSKEY to mode 2 or 3 (syskey typed in during bootup or stored on a floppy disk) will mitigate the risk of unauthorized decryption through the local Administrator account. This is because the local user's password hashes, stored in the SAM file, are encrypted with the Syskey, and the Syskey value is not available to an offline attacker who does not possess the Syskey passphrase/floppy. Source: This hasn't changed towards Windows 7, if you want to know feature changes see.