

This is a bootable Linux distribution designed to aid system users who have forgotten their passwords by allowing them to reset them. Nordahl's famed Offline NT Password Editor, available here. If you are not quite comfortable doing this, you can use P. If you are comfortable using Linux then this means you can simply boot to a Linux live CD that is capable of reading NTFS drives, mount the Windows partition, and copy the SAM file to external media.

If you have physical access, one of the most effective methods is to boot the computer into a different operating system. There are a few different options here depending on the level of access you have to the machine you are auditing. These values are also stored in the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM, but again this area of the registry is also not accessible while the operating system is booted.

This file is located on your system at C:\Windows\System32\config but is not accessible while the operating system is booted up. These hashes are stored in the Windows SAM file. In order to crack passwords you must first obtain the hashes stored within the operating system. It is always crucial to note that the techniques shown here are strictly for educational purposes and should not be used against systems for which you do not have authorization for. In the second and final article in this series I will actually walk you through the process of cracking passwords with different free tools and provide some tips for defending against having your password cracked. We also touched upon the weaknesses of each method and possible avenues that can be used to crack those passwords. In the first part of this series we examined password hashes and the mechanisms Windows utilizes to create and store those values.
#The crew 2 crack files only cracked#
If you would like to read the first part in this article series please go to How I Cracked your Windows Password (Part 1).
