Forgetting the password for an important information element, do not get upset prematurely. In such a situation, you have a chance to decode the forgotten combination of characters. But be prepared to spend a certain amount of time decrypting if your password was complex enough.
Necessary
- - PasswordsPro program;
- - access to the Internet.
Instructions
Step 1
Use one of the special programs that can decode passwords. Take PasswordsPro as an example. This utility works by a guessing method, checking word by word. The more complex the original password, the longer it will take for the program to decrypt. Short, meaningful passwords are the easiest to use this method. And also those to which weak encryption was applied.
Step 2
There are two main ways to guess a password. The first is called a dictionary attack. After launching the program, you select the file containing the database of the most frequently used passwords. The program sequentially tries on each password option until it finds the desired one or until it goes through all the values in the database.
Step 3
The second option is a brute-force attack. This method is useful when you do not have any additional information about the password. First, the program iterates over all single-character values. Then it moves on to combinations of two characters. Then three and so on. Both password guessing options can take a considerable amount of time. This factor is influenced not only by the complexity of the initial password, but also by the performance of the computer.
Step 4
On the site, the password is rarely stored in its original form. Most often, it is recorded in the site database as a code. This code is called a hash. At the moment of registration of a visitor on the site, a special algorithm processes the password and writes the resulting hash to the database. The original password is not recorded anywhere.
Step 5
With such a database in hand, go for help to sites that allow you to choose the correct password. You can find a similar online service in a search engine for the query "hash decryption". In most cases, upon entering the site, you will find a text entry field. Copy the required hash to the clipboard and paste into this field. Then confirm your selection with the corresponding button. Be careful if you accidentally copy only part of the code - you will not get the correct password. If a variant of decrypting your hash is found in the database, the site will return the desired combination of characters.
