John The Ripper is a free open-source utility (GNU license) for recovering (cracking) passwords using their hashes. It was originally created for Linux systems, but it can be compiled for almost any actual operating system. It is included by default in
Kali Linux. It works via the terminal, so it is possible to run it on Android as well (via
Andrax or
Kali NetHunter). There is a cross-platform GUI for the program, including a Russian-language one, but the GUI is installed as a separate application.
Program features
John The Ripper for Windows is used for recovering passwords by their hash sum. Currently, the software supports over 260 key matching algorithms, working both in the brute-force mode and with user dictionaries. One of the key advantages of John The Ripper is that it is able to calculate a hash and outline it. That's why it is widely used for "quick" looting of the protected local network.
That means you can not copy all information from the LAN, but just get a log file listing all hash sums of the detected files on the server (which takes less time). And after that the program will pick up their passwords.
Additional features:
- Listening passwords to archives, WiFi access points;
- The current version features a hybrid attack mode (bruteforce and dictionary-based key matching);
- compatible with Nvidia CUDA and OpenCL (not for all algorithms);
- The software is optimized for the available CPU instruction sets (SSE and AVX acceleration available).
Detailed instructions on how to use the application can be found on the project's official website. There you can also download additional modules (to enable MD4, MySQL support) for free.
Application options
The program will help you recover your forgotten password to an archive or WiFi. IT specialists also use it to verify keys for tamper resistance. The closest counterparts to John The Ripper are Hashcat, Cain/Abel, but the latter are not able to detect hashes on their own.
Download John The Ripper current version for free on our website.
