Added readme file

Added readme file for hacking case study presentations

readme.md

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+**John The Ripper**
+
+![](media/image1.png){width="3.2083333333333335in"
+height="2.621978346456693in"}
+
+[Source](https://www.legallybreaking.com/discussion/192/john-the-ripper-cracking-offline-passwords)
+
+**Introduction**
+
+-   John the Ripper is a tool to crack passwords(to test for
+    vulnerability) developed by Openwall.
+
+-   It was initially released for UNIX-based systems but now available
+    across multiple platforms (Windows, Linux, MacOS) and it is open
+    source.
+
+-   One of the best tools to test the strength of passwords, and crack
+    them through dictionary attacks.
+
+-   Claimed to be highly reliable in comparison to its counterparts like
+    hashcat.
+
+**John The Ripper (Useful Links):**
+
+-   It can be downloaded from [here](https://www.openwall.com/john/)
+
+-   [John The Ripper
+    Tutorial](https://www.hackingarticles.in/beginner-guide-john-the-ripper-part-1/)
+
+-   [John The Ripper on Kali
+    Linux](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVYl1Ts6XI)
+
+-   It comes pre-installed with Kali Linux and and can be run from the
+    terminal as shown below:
+
+![](media/image2.png){width="6.33905949256343in"
+height="3.8817782152230973in"}
+
+Version 1.9.0-jumbo -1 bleeding
+
+![](media/image3.png){width="6.378788276465442in"
+height="3.7387379702537182in"}
+
+[Source](https://info.varonis.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Reasons-To-Use-John-The-Ripper.png?hsLang=en)
+
+**What is Password Hashing?**
+
+Hashing is a data scrambling function that accepts readable text and
+converts it into an entirely new string of a specific length.
+
+It is practically impossible to reverse, unlike other encryption methods
+that transform data. All the passwords are saved in hashes and not as
+plaintext. So, if hackers gain their hands on a database full of hashed
+passwords, decoding them is pointless. However, hackers have other
+options for obtaining the password.
+
+![](media/image4.png){width="5.526042213473316in"
+height="2.6567508748906388in"}
+
+[Source](https://www.thesslstore.com/blog/difference-encryption-hashing-salting/)
+
+**Types of users for John The Ripper**
+
+-   **Whitehat Hackers** - To check how vulnerable a password which is
+    used by a system is
+
+-   **Blackhat Hackers** - To gain access to systems by cracking the
+    passwords for malicious activities.
+
+**Data Breach News :**
+
+-   [Latest data breach news](https://globalnews.ca/tag/data-breach/)
+
+-   [Hacking Password
+    Hashes](https://medium.com/@cmcorrales3/password-hashes-how-they-work-how-theyre-hacked-and-how-to-maximize-security-e04b15ed98d)
+
+**Attack Types in John The Ripper**
+
+1)  **Dictionary Attack:** The tool chooses passwords out of a huge list
+    of terms, phrases, and probable passwords taken from leaked data or
+    breaches. To find the right password, the tool has to input each
+    password from that list. It is called Dictionary attack as it makes
+    use of predefined words in an English dictionary.
+
+> For example: In an online attack, the hackers will try to log in or
+> get entry in the same way that every user would. If the attacker has a
+> set of possible passwords, this form of attack works even better. If
+> the hack takes a while, a sysadmin or the actual user may notice it.
+
+2)  **Brute-force Attack:** The tool prompts the user to set a few
+    parameters, such as the minimum and maximum lengths of the correct
+    password, as well as the types of characters it can hold and where
+    they should appear. Finding the optimum brute-forcing arrangement
+    requires some judgment and knowledge. JtR then attempts to find all
+    possible combinations as per the parameters set by the user. When it
+    comes across a match, it informs the user. This attack is very
+    efficient but it takes too much time to conclude.
+
+> For example: Uppercase alphabets, special characters, and numerals,
+> such as ABC32@\$, should all be included in the string you use to
+> crack passwords.
+>
+> On a perfect match, the user receives a password, although this
+> efficient process is very slow. In fact, a machine will take almost
+> ten years to guess a 10-character password that contains upper and
+> lower case letters, digits, and special characters.
+
+3)  **Rainbow Tables:** If there is a large list of hashed passwords,
+    Rainbow Tables can be efficient. Here, a list of password hashes
+    generated from commonly used passwords is matched to a pre-existing
+    data dump to determine the right plaintext password. Since the
+    hashed data is pre-arranged, rainbow tables are faster than
+    brute-force attacks.
+
+> For example: A hacker exploits a flaw in an organization\'s Active
+> Directory to acquire accessibility to password hashes. They use a
+> rainbow table attack to decode the hashes into plaintext passwords
+> once they get the sequence of hashes.
+
+**Useful Link**
+
+-   [John The Ripper Attack
+    Types](https://www.csoonline.com/article/3564153/john-the-ripper-explained-an-essential-password-cracker-for-your-hacker-toolkit.html)
+
+-   [Hash Formats of John The
+    Ripper](https://pentestmonkey.net/cheat-sheet/john-the-ripper-hash-formats)
+
+**Modes in John the Ripper**
+
+![](media/image5.png){width="6.3125in" height="2.634323053368329in"}
+
+[Source](https://www.varonis.com/blog/john-the-ripper)
+
+1)  **Single crack mode:** This mode is considered to be the fastest. As
+    a result, it is the one cracking should start with. This mode is
+    useful when a user creates a password for an account using
+    information from the username (e.g. username: username1234).
+
+> **Syntax:** john \[mode/option\] \[password file\]
+>
+> john \--single \--format=raw-sha1 crack.txt
+>
+> where the mode is single, hash format is RAW-SHA1 and the hash is
+> stored in crack.txt
+
+2)  **Wordlist Mode:** This is the most basic cracking mode that John
+    endorses. You only need to provide a wordlist (a text file with one
+    word per line) and some password files. Word mutilation rules can
+    also be enabled. Once all of the rules are activated, they will be
+    implemented to each and every line in the wordlist file, resulting
+    in numerous potential passwords for every source word.
+
+> **Syntax:** john \[wordlist\] \[options\] \[password file\]
+>
+> john --wordlist=/usr/share/john/password.lst --format=raw-sha1
+> crack.txt
+>
+> **OR**
+>
+> john \--wordlist=/usr/share/john/password.lst \--format=raw-sha1
+> crack.txt
+>
+> where the wordlist is the mode, password.lst is the text file inside
+> john the ripper containing a directory of passwords, the format is
+> RAW-SHA1 and the hashed file is stored in crack.txt
+>
+> rockyou.txt is Kali Linux's own password list, a huge password
+> dictionary
+
+3)  **Incremental Mode:** This is the most powerful password cracking
+    option; it can examine all potential character combinations. Though,
+    it is anticipated that cracking here would never end due to the vast
+    number of permutations and users will have to terminate it sooner.
+    It is one of the reasons why, in order to break as many passwords as
+    feasible in a short amount of time, this method handles trigraph
+    frequencies separately for each letter position and password length.
+
+> **Syntax:** john \[Incremental:MODE\] \[password file\]
+>
+> john \--incremental crack.txt
+>
+> where the mode is incremental and crack.txt is the file in which the
+> hash is stored
+
+**Useful Link**
+
+-   [John The Ripper cracking
+    modes](https://www.openwall.com/john/doc/MODES.shtml)
+
+-   [rockyou.txt
+    file](https://github.com/brannondorsey/naive-hashcat/releases/download/data/rockyou.txt)
+
+**Cracking Compressed Files**
+
+-   **Cracking RAR Password Hash**
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   Create a compressed encrypted rar file
+
+-   Creating a hash of the password
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   **Syntax**: rar2john \[location of key\]
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   Finally cracking it using Ripper
+
+![](media/image6.png){width="6.5in" height="3.0833333333333335in"}
+
+-   a = Add files to archive
+
+-   hp\[password\] = Encrypt both file data and headers
+
+-   This command will encrypt text.txt into text.rar
+
+-   rar2john text.rar command is used to convert the password into hash
+    which john can crack
+
+![](media/image7.png){width="6.5in" height="2.0555555555555554in"}
+
+Finally the password is cracked
+
+-   **Cracking ZIP Password Hash**
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   Encrypt a zip file
+
+-   Convert the password to hash
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   **Syntax:** zip2john \[location of key\]
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   Finally crack it using Ripper
+    ![](media/image8.png){width="5.458333333333333in"
+    height="2.9467027559055117in"}
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   e = Encrypt
+
+-   r = Recursive into directories
+
+-   **Cracking SSH Password Hash**
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   To test the cracking of the private key, have to create a set of new
+    private keys using the command **ssh-keygen**
+
+-   After running the command, it asks for the location (we can use any
+    location or leave it as default)
+
+-   Then it asks for the passphrase and after we enter the password once
+    again, we successfully generate the key.
+
+-   In order for john to crack, it's format is changed using the syntax
+    **ssh2john \[location of key\]**
+
+-   After it is converted into a crackable hash, JtR is used on this
+    hash.
+
+![](media/image9.png){width="6.5in" height="4.041666666666667in"}
+
+![](media/image10.png){width="6.5in" height="2.1527777777777777in"}
+
+Finally the hash is cracked
+
+**Cracking User Credentials**
+
+-   The user's password is stored in a shadow file at the location
+    /etc/shadow, which is a system file where the encrypted user
+    password is stored
+
+-   Cracking the credentials of all users
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   unshadow /etc/passwd /etc/shadow \> crack.txt
+
+```{=html}
+<!-- -->
+```
+-   (unshadow command is combining the /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files
+    for helping john to gather information required to crack the
+    credentials of all users and the hash is stored inside crack.txt)
+
+-   john \--wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt crack.txt
+
+-   After using this command, the credentials will be cracked
+
+**Useful Link:**
+
+-   [Hacking
+    Article](https://www.hackingarticles.in/beginners-guide-for-john-the-ripper-part-2/)
+
+-   [Guide to John The Ripper](https://miloserdov.org/?p=5191)
+
+**Competitors**
+
+Hashcat is one of John the Ripper\'s main rivals. It, similar to John
+the Ripper, is a command-line programme that can crack a wide range of
+password types. Hashcat, on the other hand, has greater support for
+cracking passwords utilizing your graphics card. Hashcat is way quicker
+than John the Ripper if you have a strong GPU.
+
+There is also a Hash [Suite](https://hashsuite.openwall.net/) which has
+a modern GUI and can crack 13 different hash types.
+
+**Conclusion**
+
+JtR has risen up to be one of the best password cracking tools. It is
+not very beginner-friendly considering it involves numerous steps to run
+it. But it targets sysadmins and regular users and has everything needed
+to crack several hash types.
+
+**References:**
+
+-   <https://www.csoonline.com/article/3564153/john-the-ripper-explained-an-essential-password-cracker-for-your-hacker-toolkit.html#:~:text=First%20released%20in%201996%2C%20John,crack%20passwords%20via%20dictionary%20attacks>
+
+-   <https://nordpass.com/blog/password-hash/>
+
+-   <https://nordpass.com/blog/what-is-a-dictionary-attack/>
+
+-   <https://techofide.com/blogs/how-to-use-john-the-ripper-john-the-ripper-password-cracker-techofide/>
+
+-   <https://www.beyondidentity.com/glossary/rainbow-table-attack>
+
+-   [https://www.openwall.com/john/doc/MODES.html](https://www.openwall.com/john/doc/MODES.shtml)