Noonmid27 Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Hi guysI wanted to know which file is check at login when i enter my username and password upon login. Actually a better way to put this is which file is used for the username and login. obviously it's a system file but if somebody can point me in the right direction that would be perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 It's the Windows\System32\config\SAM file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noonmid27 Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 It's the Windows\System32\config\SAM file.Is there anyway to read this file........or see the contents of this file. Thx for providing the path by the way always appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Since the SAM file is an encrypted hash table you can't easily read it. Symantec sells an app called @stake LC4 that can be used to brute force crack the SAM file after it's been dumped into a text file. From what I gather though LC4 may not be able to decrypt the Vista/Windows 7 SAM. If all you want to do is reset a Windows password then Peter Nordahl's Offline NT Password and Registry Editor is your safest bet. Or if you have time to kill then you could try the ophcrack live-cd. Cracking the SAM file can take awhile if the passwords are strong. Simple ones are usually broken with a basic dictionary or brute force attack. If none of these work you may have to buy yourself a set of rainbow tables to assist you. Or if you have even more time to kill and spare CPU power, generate your own rainbow tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noonmid27 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 Since the SAM file is an encrypted hash table you can't easily read it. Symantec sells an app called @stake LC4 that can be used to brute force crack the SAM file after it's been dumped into a text file. From what I gather though LC4 may not be able to decrypt the Vista/Windows 7 SAM. If all you want to do is reset a Windows password then Peter Nordahl's Offline NT Password and Registry Editor is your safest bet. Or if you have time to kill then you could try the ophcrack live-cd. Cracking the SAM file can take awhile if the passwords are strong. Simple ones are usually broken with a basic dictionary or brute force attack. If none of these work you may have to buy yourself a set of rainbow tables to assist you. Or if you have even more time to kill and spare CPU power, generate your own rainbow tables.Just to trying to get a picture of what i would be working with if i decided to crack a password. Would it be safe to say a Password hash is like a complex crossword puzzle......that have the password hidden inside a random set of bits........just want to make sure i get the right picture in my mind just in case one day i decided to tackle such a task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corrine Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Yipes, Noonmid27. You certainly have developed quite an interest in passwords of late (XP credential File, Lost Password, password question). You aren't getting into mischief are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noonmid27 Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Yipes, Noonmid27. You certainly have developed quite an interest in passwords of late (XP credential File, Lost Password, password question). You aren't getting into mischief are you? Well yeah........i just want a better understanding. I guess encryption is more the like the sending packets are encrypted........then the key is like say 128bit or higher and any one of those 128bit combination is the right key to unlock the packets. wow my mind feeling like it could go in over-drive trying to comprehend something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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