Crack Wi-Fi Passwords- hacking tips
An internet connection has become a basic necessity in our
modern lives. Wireless hot-spots (commonly known as Wi-Fi) can be found
everywhere!
If you have a PC with a wireless network card, then you must
have seen many networks around you. Sadly most of these networks are secured
with a network security key.
Have you ever wanted to use one of these networks? You must
have desperately wanted to check your mail when you shifted to your new house. The
hardest time in your life is when your internet connection is down.
Cracking those Wi-Fi passwords is your answer to temporary
internet access. This is a comprehensive guide which will teach even complete
beginners how to crack WEP encrypted networks, easily.
Table of Contents
How are Wireless networks secured?
What you'll need
Setting up CommView for Wi-Fi
Selecting the target network and capturing packets
Waiting...
Now the interesting part... CRACKING!
Are you a visual learner?
How Are Wireless Networks Secured?
In a secured wireless connection, internet data is sent in
the form of encrypted packets. These packets are encrypted with network
security keys. If you somehow manage to get hold of the key for a particular
wireless network you virtually have access to the wireless internet connection
Broadly speaking there are two main types of encryptions
used:
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy):
This is the most basic form of encryption. This has become
an unsafe option as it is vulnerable and can be cracked with relative ease. Although
this is the case many people still use this encryption.
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access):
This is the more secure alternative. Efficient cracking of
the passphrase of such a network requires the use of a wordlist with the common
passwords. In other words you use the old fashioned method of trial and error
to gain access. Variations include WPA-2 which is the most secure encryption
alternative till date. Although this can also be cracked using a wordlist if
the password is common, this is virtually uncrackable with a strong password. That
is, unless the WPA PIN is still enabled (as is the default on many routers).
What You'll Need...
A compatible wireless
adapter:
This is by far the biggest requirement.The wireless card of
your computer has to be compatible with the software CommVIew. This ensures
that the wireless card can go into monitor mode which is essential for
capturing packets.
Click here to check if your wireless card is compatible
CommView for Wi-Fi :
This software will be used to capture the packets from the
desired network adapter.
Click here and download the software from the website.
Aircrack-ng GUI:
After capturing the packets this software does the actual
cracking.
Click here and download the software from the website.
A little patience is vital!!
Step 1: Setting Up CommView for Wi-Fi
Download the zip file of CommView for Wi-Fi from the website.
Extract the file and run setup.exe to install CommView for Wi-Fi. When CommView
opens for the first time it has a driver installation guide. Follow the prompts
to install the driver for your wireless card.
Run CommView for Wi-Fi.
Click the play icon on the top left of the application
window.
Start scanning for wireless networks.
CommView now starts scanning for wireless networks channel
by channel. After a few minutes you will have a long list of wireless networks
with their security type and signal. Now it is time to choose your target
network
Step 2: Selecting the Target Network and Capturing Packets
A few things to keep in mind before choosing the target
wireless network
This tutorial is only for WEP encrypted networks.
So make sure you select a network with WEP next to its name
Choose a network with the highest signal.
Each network will have its details in the right column.
Make sure the WEP network you are choosing has the least the
least dB (decibel) value.
Once you have chosen your target network,select it and click
Capture to start capturing packets from the desired channel.
Now you might notice that packets are being captured from
all the networks in the particular channel. To capture packets only from the
desired network follow the given steps.
Right click the desired network and click on copy MAC
Address.
Switch to the Rules tab on the top.
On the left hand side choose MAC Addresses
Enable MAC Address rules
For 'Action' select 'capture' and for 'Add record' select 'both'.
Now paste the mac address copied earlier in the box below.
We need to capture only data packets for cracking. Hence
select D on the bar at the top of the window and deselect M (Management packets)
and C (Control packets).
Now you have to save the packets so that they can be cracked
later. To do this-
Go to the logging tab on top and enable auto saving.
Set Maximum Directory Size to 2000
Set Average Log File Size to 20.
Step 3: Waiting...
Now the boring part- WAITING!
NOTE: The amount of time taken to capture enough data
packets depends on the signal and the networks usage. The minimum number of
packets you should capture should be 100,000 for a decent signal.
After you think you have enough packets (at least 100,000 packets)
Go to the log tab and click on concatenate logs.
Select all the logs that have been saved.
Do not close CommView for Wi-Fi
Now navigate to the folder where the concatenated logs have
been saved
Open the log file
Select File- Export -Wire shark tcpdump format and choose
any suitable destination.
This will save the logs with a .cap extension to that
location
Now the Interesting Part... CRACKING!
Download Aircrack-ng and extract the zip file.
Open the folder and navigate to 'bin'.
Run Aircrack-ng GUI
Choose WEP
Open your .cap file that you had saved earlier.
Click Launch.
In the command prompt type in the index number of your
target wireless network.
Wait for a while .If everything goes fine the wireless key
will be shown.
You may also receive a request to try with more packets. In
this case wait until more packets have been captured and repeat the steps to be
performed after capturing packets
BEST OF LUCK
