Linking multiple PC's to run one process

Hello Everybody,

Does anyone out there know how to do this, or if this is even possible to do (I'm fairly certain that it is possible):
I have a test password that I am trying to crack.
The password is complicated: s0M3Th1ng@3l%e?
Doing this with brute force will take (according to my computer 491 years).
Humans tend to expire long before than.
Dictionary attack is useless whit this many random characters and numbers.
I would like to know how to get multiple computer (all on the same network) to aid in this cracking process.

Does anyone know how to do this?

You need to either divide the task manually between multiple systems (give them each a specific subsection of the problem to work on), or find an appropriate cracking program that supports a distributed configuration - which allows multiple computers to contribute to the same task. You could start looking by searching for something like "distributed password cracking" refining the search parameters with anything specific you need for your task.

You should be able to find a live Beowolf CD or something similar that will allow you to create a small cluster and distribute the work.

One more way to do it (i know that you've specifically asked for info on clusters but this might be of interest) is to use multiple GPU's in one box.
Lookup pureh@te's posts on CUDA, and ReL1K's blog on Building one badarse CUDA Cracking Server | SecManiac.com Blog

There is no general purpose way to link multiple PCs together and have them distribute the workload of an arbitrary process. To do something like that, the application has to have been specifically engineered by it's author (often in specialist languages or with specialist APIs) to be able to be distributed.

Judging by your post, though, you're not asking about a general answer, you're looking for a specific answer: distributed password cracking.

check out djohn (distributed John the Ripper).

Here's the URL:

hxxp://sourceforge.net/projects/djohn/

Thank you for your replies.

So far the most awesome thing to do (and the most expensive) is the GPU box.
I wouldn't mind having one of those as a Desktop PC =)
I have downloaded dJohn today and am still in the process of figuring it out.
The only concern i have with dJohn is that in the README file it states that it needs to comunicate with computers that have JTR installed on them. If this is the case the whole program is not of much use to me.
Mainly since all of the other machines i have here are windows.
I am welcoming any tips/suggestions on using dJohn.
Until then, I'm going to tinker with it and see what i can do.

Thanks guys!

i too can recommend lookingup pureh@te's latest CUDA guide.

It has a section on how to use networked PCs in conujunction with the one you're currently using.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LaserEyes

The only concern i have with dJohn is that in the README file it states that it needs to comunicate with computers that have JTR installed on them. If this is the case the whole program is not of much use to me.
Mainly since all of the other machines i have here are windows.
I am welcoming any tips/suggestions on using dJohn.
Until then, I'm going to tinker with it and see what i can do.

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The simplest thing would be to install JTR on the windows machines. Is there anything preventing you from doing that ?.

If you don't want to make any changes on the other systems you may want to consider PXE booting:

http://www.backtrack-linux.org/forum...track-4-a.html

The Anti-Virus doesn't like JTR very much.
The PXE booting method seems like a good idea.