# Hashcat

> Master the world's fastest password cracker. Learn to identify hashes, configure GPU-accelerated attacks, and crack credentials to pivot through the network.

Canonical: https://codelivly.com/rooms/hashcat
Last updated: 2026-07-15

| | |
|---|---|
| Level | Intermediate |
| Category | Cybersecurity |
| Lessons | 6 |
| Estimated time | 30 min |
| XP | 200 |

Extracting a password hash from a database dump, a SAM file, or a Kerberos ticket is only half the battle. If you can't crack the hash, you can't use the credential to pivot, authenticate, or prove business impact.

Amateurs treat password cracking as an afterthought. They run a basic rockyou.txt dictionary attack, wait five minutes, get zero hits, and give up. Or they rely on slow, online cracking tools that get them rate-limited or blocked.

Professionals treat Hashcat as the ultimate post-exploitation engine. We understand the mathematics of hash modes, the architecture of GPU acceleration, and the sheer power of rule-based and mask attacks. We don't just guess passwords; we mathematically reconstruct them based on the target's password policy, turning an unreadable string of ciphertext into the plaintext keys that unlock the rest of the network.

In this module, we transition from basic dictionary attacks to advanced, targeted cracking methodologies. You will learn to identify obscure hash formats, build custom mutation rules, execute highly optimized mask attacks, and integrate Hashcat seamlessly into Active Directory post-exploitation workflows.

## Lessons

1. What is Password Cracking & What is Hashcat (30 min)
2. Understanding Hash Types (30 min)
3. Hashcat Attack Modes (30 min)
4. Rule-Based Attacks — Extending Wordlists Intelligently (30 min)
5. GPU Acceleration & Performance Tuning (30 min)
6. Guided Lab: Cracking Real Extracted Hashes (30 min)

## Related

- [Learning path: Credential Attacks](https://codelivly.com/learning-paths/credential-attacks)
- [All rooms](https://codelivly.com/rooms)