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Why are dictionary attacks successful?

1) They use pregenerated rules to speed up the processing.
2) Password crackers using a dictionary attack require less RAM than other types of password crackers.
3) They link known words together in a "string" for faster processing.
4) Users often create passwords from dictionary words.

User Joydeep
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Final answer:

Dictionary attacks are successful for several reasons. They use pregenerated rules to speed up the processing, require less RAM than other types of password crackers, and take advantage of the fact that users often create passwords from dictionary words.

Step-by-step explanation:

Dictionary attacks are successful for several reasons:

  1. They use pregenerated rules to speed up the processing. These rules are based on common patterns and tendencies observed in password creation, such as using common words, adding numbers or symbols to the end of a word, or using familiar keyboard patterns. By using these rules, hackers can quickly generate a large number of potential passwords.
  2. Password crackers using dictionary attacks require less RAM than other types of password crackers. Dictionary attacks rely on a precompiled list of known words, so they do not need to store all possible password combinations in memory. This makes dictionary attacks more efficient in terms of memory usage.
  3. Users often create passwords from dictionary words. Many people use common words or phrases as the basis for their passwords, making them easier to guess. Dictionary attacks take advantage of this fact by systematically trying each word in a dictionary list against the target account until a match is found.

User OneNerd
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