Final answer:
GPU acceleration uses a graphics processing unit to significantly speed up the password cracking process by performing many operations in parallel.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of GPU acceleration in the context of password cracking refers to the use of a graphics processing unit (GPU) to speed up the process of password recovery. GPUs are highly effective at performing parallel computations, which is beneficial in password cracking where many combinations are tried simultaneously. Unlike CPUs, GPUs are designed to handle multiple operations at once, making them ideal for tasks that can be split into parallel workloads.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is C. Speeds up the password cracking process. GPU acceleration takes advantage of the multiple cores in a GPU to perform fast calculations required in brute-force attacks or hash cracking. This is significantly faster than a CPU-based approach because a typical GPU can execute thousands of operations in parallel.
This technology is not only used in password cracking but in various computing tasks that can benefit from parallel processing power, like video rendering, scientific simulations, and deep learning applications. However, in the context of this question, the focus is solely on password cracking.