

When that user wants to log in, the system uses that same algorithm on the password being entered to see if its hash matches the hashed password associated with that username in the database.

When a password is created, the system uses a hashing algorithm to change it into a fixed-length output stored in the database. Hashing is a way to store your passwords more securely by changing them into a string of characters and storing that “hash” rather than the passwords themselves. However, cracking dictionaries are also extremely useful tools for one-way hash functions that should otherwise be irreversible. Criminals share these hacking dictionaries via the dark web and use them to guess user credentials in brute force attacks against sites and systems. These lists are made up of standard dictionary words, common passwords, iterations of known passwords, and leaked passwords from data breaches. One-Way Encryption Leaves Passwords VulnerableĪs the number of data breaches continues to escalate, more of our passwords are being exposed and shared via large data lists called cracking dictionaries. In this article, we’re going to look at the ways cybercriminals can hack hashed passwords and how – even with the usual password rules applied – they can crack these stolen, “strong” passwords. We’ve talked about the current threat landscape and busted some of the myths surrounding password-based security. If you’ve been following our series focused on the role of passwords in modern cybersecurity, you won’t be surprised to hear that one-way hash functions are, all too often, not enough. Unfortunately, many organizations assume these methods are enough to keep their passwords out of the hands of criminals if they get hacked. To protect a database of passwords in the event of a breach, businesses often employ one-way encryption using hashing to make passwords harder to use. Storing your passwords in cleartext is a bad idea because if your server gets hacked, all your user passwords are immediately visible to the attacker. Back to Blog How Cybercriminals Hack “Encrypted” Passwords
