What Is Password Hacking?

Password hacking, sometimes referred to as password cracking, is a method of recovering passwords from data transmitted by or stored on a computer.

Password hacking can help a legitimate user retrieve a forgotten password. System administrators may use password hacking as a preventive tactic, to check for easily hacked passwords in order to modify them for increased security. Unauthorized users hack passwords to gain access to a secure system.

Guessing and brute force are two methods used to hack passwords. Individuals with knowledge of the password owner’s personal information may guess at the password and choose possibilities based on that owner’s date of birth, pet, relative or other information. The brute force method involves attempting to input every possible password combination to retrieve a password. This is most effective if the hacker knows the password hash function, or algorithm, or mathematical computation, used to encrypt, or code, password data.