Dictionary · Ethical Hacking Tools
Hashcat
Password auditing · Advanced
A GPU-accelerated tool for auditing password hashes you are authorized to test offline. The graphics processor tries many guesses quickly.
It is the fast offline auditor. Speed does not change the rule: you need the hash file legally, and the result is a list of weak passwords to fix.
Example: A lab uses a graphics card to show that short passwords fall quickly even when hashed. The lesson is longer passwords and a slow hash, not a command to copy.
Git in the Zone explains security tools and attack terminology so you can recognize them and defend against them. Practice only on systems you own or have written permission to test. Nothing on this site runs a command or an exploit.
What it is for
Test authorized password hashes quickly with a graphics processor.
Authorized use: Audit only hashes you are allowed to possess. Git in the Zone does not include attack commands, masks, or wordlists.
Operating systems: Windows, Linux, and macOS, with a supported GPU.
Language you will see
- GPU
- hash mode
- offline audit
How to read the options
- GPU: The graphics processor performs many guesses in parallel. It is still an offline test of a hash you are allowed to hold.
- Hash mode: A setting that tells the auditor which stored format it is looking at.
Common misconception
- Using a GPU does not make the activity authorized. Authorization comes from ownership or a written agreement.