Page 82 - Cyber Safety C-8
P. 82
Observe the time displayed by the tool showing how long a hacker might take to crack each password.
After analysing the results, create a new example of a strong password and present it to the class.
PASSWORD GUESSING TECHNIQUES
Cyber attackers use different techniques to guess or crack passwords. Understanding these helps
us protect our accounts more effectively.
Brute Force Attack: It is a method where an attacker tries every possible combination of
characters until the correct password is found. It does not depend on intelligence. It depends
on trial and error. If the password length is small, it can be cracked quickly.
Example: If the password is “CAT”, the attacker will try:
1. AAA
2. AAB
3. AAC
4. AAD
…
Eventually reaches CAT.
Dictionary Attack: A dictionary attack uses a pre-made list (dictionary) of Common words,
frequently used passwords, popular names, number patterns, etc. Attackers try each item in
the list until one matches.
80 Computer Science - VIII
