It cracks LM and NTLM hashes has free tables for XP, Vista, and 7 includes a brute-force module for simple passwords offers an audit mode and a CSV export presents real-time graphs has a LiveCD for easier (and more efficient) recovery and dumps and loads hashes from encrypted SAM. Ophcrack runs on Windows, Linux/UNIX, and Mac. Ophcrack uses a solid implementation of rainbow tables that just happens to have been done by those who created the method.

It’s free (open source as well), cross platform, and very reliable. Ophcrack ( Figure B) is one of the most popular password recovery tools. As with many of these applications, you should avoid using your machine while LCP recovers passwords, as it will consume the majority of your machine resources for the crack. LC file, LCS file, PwDump file, and Sniff file. LCP allows you to import from a local computer, remote computer, SAM file. This tool can recover using a dictionary attack, brute force attack, or a hybrid dictionary/brute force attack. LCP ( Figure A) is a user-account password recovery tool for Windows NT/2000/XP/2003.

Note: This list is also available as a photo gallery. I say “free” because in some cases there are tables that must be purchased (such as rainbow tables) to break some types of passwords. Let’s take a look at five “free” password recovery tools. Would you want to have to reinstall? Not on your life! In such a tricky situation, a password recovery tool may be your only recourse. Imagine losing your Windows Server administrator password and not having the means to retrieve it.

But in certain situations, these tools wind up being the last ditch effort that can save you from having to go as far as reinstalling the operating system. You have a tool that can, in some cases, crack passwords on machines. Many people take a dim view of password recovery tools for ethical reasons - understandably so. Here are five reliable apps you can turn to. In a bad situation, you may have to use a specialized tool to recover a password.

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