Cracking OS X Passwords is far easier than you might have thought. But how often does a system administrator really need to do something like this?
It’s interesting how most papers on the subject state that’s it is useful knowledge for Sysadmins to know how to crack passwords; come on, let’s be honest a Systems Administrator will most likely reset the password or if he can’t he will simply reinstall the Operating System. I’ve worked as a Sysadmin for several years and not once I had to “crack†a password.
Nonetheless, while not exactly the most necessary piece of information around, know that it is available in the event that you need it. Or, if you just desire to play around then you now know that capability exists.
If you have ever forgotten your Windows administrator password then you probably panicked, and ultimately ended up wiping your hard drive and performing a clean install of Windows. I bet you did not know that was completely unnecessary, as there is a pretty simple method for resetting an administrator password on just about every version of Windows.
ERD is an excellent multi purpose product, but you should know it is not a necessary one if you have a healthy system and your sole problem is the inability to logon to Windows due to a forgotten password. Not necessary because you can easily change or wipe out your Administrator password for free during a Windows XP Repair. Here’s how with a step-by-step description of the initial Repair process included for newbie’s.
The main reason I bring this up is because it is an attack vector on to a workstation and, ultimately, network. If the system administrators have not properly locked down a computer then the chances that this simple “attack” succeeds is fairly significant.
If you handle passwords like me then you know how much trouble it is to keep track of the numerous passwords necessary to conduct daily business. Since writing down passwords is about the worst form of password security possible, short of disclosing them to someone else, many turn to electronic means for storing them for easy recall when required. The Mandylion Password Manager is one such device that even went so far as to be certified for use by the U.S. Army.
Unfortunately, we all have to deal with modern life’s little cyber-burden, the password. Some of us do so by simply re-using an old password when the system asks you to change it. Other times we use the same password but just add the month at the end. Some people even resort to keeping their passwords written on yellow stickey notes or in their wallet. None of these options, however, is very effective for protecting your valuable data. Instead, we would like to present a superior solution brought to you compliments of the US Military.
This nifty little gadget will hold up to 50 passwords and will even go so far as to generate them as well. It is small enough to fit on a keychain, so it is easy to keep on your person at all times. It can create passwords based on a number of settings and will even prompt for password changes at set intervals. All data is stored in permanent memory, so in the unlikely event that the battery dies the passwords remain stored.
If you find the burden of managing passwords to be too intense then this might be exactly what the doctor ordered.