Building a Basic Brute Force Password Cracker in Ruby

Ruby is great language for scripting and I’m planning to code a simple brute force password cracker with Ruby to show how easily hackers can script whole cracker and modify it.

This article is intended for educational purposes only. The authors and publishers are not responsible for any damage or consequences that may arise from the use of the information provided.

Step 1 – Numbers , Symbols and Characters

Let’s create lists that contains numbers , symbols and characters to generate random passwords to try. For now we can use simple array.

numbers_array = (0..9).to_a
lowercase_letters = ('a'..'z').to_a
uppercase_letters = ('A'..'Z').to_a

special_characters = ['!', '@', '#', '$', '%', '^', '&', '*', '(', ')', '-', '=', '+', '{', '}', '[', ']', ':', ';', '"', "'", '<', '>', ',', '.', '?', '/']

charset = numbers_array + lowercase_letters + uppercase_letters + special_characters

Step 2 – Coding Function

This function will systematically attempt to guess a password by trying every possible combination of characters, including uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

def brute_force_password(target_password, charset)
  length = 1
  loop do
    charset.repeated_permutation(length) do |attempt|
      guess = attempt.join
      return guess if guess == target_password
    end
    length += 1
  end
end

Step 3 – Testing

In summary, the features discussed encompass all the essential components required to create a simple brute force password cracker.

Now, let’s put our brute force password cracker to the test. This step is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the function we have developed.

found_password = brute_force_password(target_password, charset)

puts "Password found: #{found_password}"

Key Features of the Brute Force Function

The brute force password cracker we have developed incorporates several key features that enhance its effectiveness and efficiency.

First, the function utilizes a comprehensive character set that includes lowercase letters (a-z), uppercase letters (A-Z), numbers (0-9), and special symbols such as !, @, and #. This diverse array of characters equips the function to tackle complex passwords effectively.

Another significant aspect is its dynamic length handling capability. The function iterates through all possible password lengths, starting from 1 and continuing indefinitely. This flexibility allows it to adapt to various password complexities.

Efficiency is also a critical consideration. By employing the repeated_permutation method, the function generates combinations in a streamlined manner, reducing unnecessary computations and speeding up the guessing process.

Conclusion

It’s fascinating how just 20 lines of code can effectively crack many passwords. While awareness of password security has increased, leading many people to adopt stronger and more complex passwords, the reality remains that some users still opt for easily guessable passwords.

This highlights the importance of making informed choices when it comes to password creation. To protect your personal information and accounts, it’s essential to avoid common or simple passwords. Instead, invest the time to choose a strong password that combines letters, numbers, and special characters.

Short conclusion: Don’t be fool and choose better password.