Cracking Passwords in Linux

Passwords are the most common factor for authenticating users. There are efforts to reduce our dependence on passwords but they will remain a fact of life for years to come. Passwords provide an authentication challenge to a user allowing them to prove they are who they say they are. This Lab illustrates some of the problems with password-based challenges by showing how to launch a password crack attack on Linux system users. You will learn how to crack passwords and at the same time learn how to defend against password crack attacks.

You will use Kali Linux to perform the password crack attack. Kali Linux includes the password cracking tool used in this Lab by default. The Kali Linux host is running as a virtual machine in a Hyper-V virtual environment.

This Lab is designed for the CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) certification examination but is of value to security practitioners in general.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this Lab you will be able to:

• Understand how passwords are stored in Linux
• Perform basic password crack attacks against Linux users
• Learn the technique and strategies used to crack passwords
• Defend against password cracking attacks

Intended Audience

This Lab is intended for:

• CREST CPSA certification examinees
• Security practitioners
• Linux users

Prerequisites

You should be familiar with:

• Working at the command-line in Linux

You can fulfill the prerequisites by completing the Linux Command Line Byte Session Learning Path.

Updates

July 10th, 2020 - Enabled direct browser RDP connection for a streamlined experience