Credential Access with John the Ripper from Pluralsight

John the Ripper (JtR) is widely used within red team assessments. Learn how to leverage the powerful capabilities of JtR to crack passwords of various hash types and use JtR within Metasploit.

Performing password cracking is a common task performed in a red team engagement. Understanding how to use the tools can be a daunting task. In this course, Credential Access with John the Ripper, you will gain the ability to crack commonly used password hashes leveraging the highly customizable tool, John the Ripper. First, you will learn how to navigate the syntax of John and amp up your cracking capabilities by obtaining rich wordlists and permutating them. Next, you will discover how to perform password cracking of common operating systems such as Windows and Linux. Finally, you will explore how to use John within a Metasploit session, giving you the ability to perform password cracking during the exploitation phase. When you are finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of John the Ripper needed to amplify your red team engagements when performing password cracking.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Credential Dumping and Brute Force Capabilities of John the Ripper

Resources

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides hands-on experience with John the Ripper, an industry-standard password cracking tool

Covers both theoretical and practical aspects of password cracking, providing a well-rounded understanding

Taught by Rishalin Pillay, an experienced red team professional

Designed for red team engagements, making it highly relevant for cybersecurity professionals

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Credential Access with John the Ripper with these activities:

JtR Discussion Forum

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Join an online forum dedicated to JtR to connect with fellow learners, share experiences, and seek support with password cracking challenges.

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Find an active JtR discussion forum
Create an account and introduce yourself
Participate in discussions and ask questions

Metasploit Unleashed: Password Cracking

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Enhance understanding of password cracking techniques by following guided tutorials on integrating JtR with Metasploit for automated password recovery during exploitation.

Browse courses on Metasploit

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Find online tutorials on Metasploit password cracking
Follow the tutorials step-by-step
Practice the techniques in a controlled environment

Password Cracking Challenge

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Build a password cracking script to automate the recovery of passwords from captured hash values.

Browse courses on Password Cracking

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Learn the basics of password cracking
Choose a hash algorithm to target
Identify a suitable wordlist
Create a script to automate the cracking process
Test and refine your script

Five other activities

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Password Cracking Exercises

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Gain practical experience by solving a series of password cracking challenges involving hashes generated from real-world scenarios.

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Obtain a list of password hashes
Use JtR to crack the hashes
Analyze the results and improve your techniques

Password Analysis Report

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Conduct an analysis of password strength and common patterns in a sample dataset to understand weaknesses and recommend improvements.

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Collect a sample dataset of passwords
Analyze password lengths and complexity
Identify common patterns
Draw conclusions and recommend improvements

Mentor New Password Crackers

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Share your knowledge by volunteering as a mentor to guide aspiring password crackers, helping them navigate the challenges and enhance their skills.

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Identify opportunities to volunteer as a mentor
Connect with mentees and provide guidance
Share resources and best practices
Monitor progress and offer support

Password Cracking Contest

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Challenge yourself through an online password cracking contest to showcase your skills and improve your ranking among other participants.

Browse courses on Password Cracking

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Find a reputable password cracking contest
Register and prepare for the competition
Solve password cracking challenges within the contest time limit
Analyze your results and identify areas for improvement

Contribute to JtR

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Make a meaningful contribution to the JtR open-source project by reporting bugs, suggesting enhancements, or implementing new features.

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Learn the process for contributing to JtR
Identify an area where you can contribute
Make your contribution and submit a pull request
Follow up with the JtR development team

Career center

Learners who complete Credential Access with John the Ripper will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Information Security Analyst

Credential cracking is a fundamental skill for Information Security Analysts. John the Ripper is a widely used tool, and this course will give you the skills and knowledge you need to use it effectively. The course covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation, which are all essential skills for Information Security Analysts. Moreover, the course teaches how to perform password cracking on common operating systems, such as Windows and Linux. This is particularly useful for Information Security Analysts who need to perform penetration testing or incident response.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Penetration Tester

Penetration Testers use a variety of tools and techniques to assess the security of computer systems. John the Ripper is one of the most popular tools for password cracking, and this course will teach you how to use it effectively. The course covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation, which are all essential skills for Penetration Testers. Additionally, the course teaches how to use John within a Metasploit session, which is a valuable skill for Penetration Testers who need to perform password cracking during the exploitation phase.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Security Engineer

Security Engineers are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining security systems. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Security Engineers who need to perform password cracking during security assessments or incident response. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation. Additionally, the course teaches how to use John within a Metasploit session, which is a valuable skill for Security Engineers who need to perform password cracking during the exploitation phase.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Forensic Analyst

Forensic Analysts investigate computer crimes and cyberattacks. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Forensic Analysts who need to crack passwords during investigations. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Forensic Analyst

Incident Responder

Incident Responders are responsible for responding to security incidents. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Incident Responders who need to crack passwords during incident response. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder

Security Consultant

Security Consultants provide advice and guidance on security matters to organizations. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Security Consultants who need to perform password cracking during security assessments or incident response. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Consultant

Vulnerability Analyst

Vulnerability Analysts identify and assess vulnerabilities in computer systems. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Vulnerability Analysts who need to crack passwords during vulnerability assessments. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Vulnerability Analyst

Malware Analyst

Malware Analysts investigate and analyze malware. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Malware Analysts who need to crack passwords during malware analysis. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Malware Analyst

Cybersecurity Analyst

Cybersecurity Analysts protect computer systems from cyberattacks. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Cybersecurity Analysts who need to crack passwords during cyberattack investigations or incident response. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Analyst

IT Auditor

IT Auditors evaluate the security of computer systems. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for IT Auditors who need to crack passwords during security audits. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Auditor

Cryptographer

Cryptographers design and implement cryptographic systems. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Cryptographers who need to crack passwords during cryptanalysis. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Software Engineers who need to crack passwords during software development or security testing. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Database Administrator

Database Administrators manage and maintain databases. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Database Administrators who need to crack passwords during database administration or security audits. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators manage and maintain computer systems. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Systems Administrators who need to crack passwords during system administration or security audits. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Network Administrator

Network Administrators manage and maintain computer networks. John the Ripper is a valuable tool for Network Administrators who need to crack passwords during network administration or security audits. This course will teach you how to use John effectively, and it covers topics such as password cracking, wordlist generation, and permutation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator