MITRE ATT&CK Technique
Description
Adversaries may use password cracking to attempt to recover usable credentials, such as plaintext passwords, when credential material such as password hashes are obtained. [OS Credential Dumping](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003) can be used to obtain password hashes, this may only get an adversary so far when [Pass the Hash](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1550/002) is not an option. Further, adversaries may leverage [Data from Configuration Repository](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1602) in order to obtain hashed credentials for network devices.(Citation: US-CERT-TA18-106A) Techniques to systematically guess the passwords used to compute hashes are available, or the adversary may use a pre-computed rainbow table to crack hashes. Cracking hashes is usually done on adversary-controlled systems outside of the target network.(Citation: Wikipedia Password cracking) The resulting plaintext password resulting from a successfully cracked hash may be used to log into systems, resources, and services in which the account has access.
Supported Platforms
Created
April 29, 2026
Last Updated
April 29, 2026
STIX Data
{'created': '2020-02-11T18:38:56.197Z',
'created_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'description': 'Adversaries may use password cracking to attempt to recover '
'usable credentials, such as plaintext passwords, when '
'credential material such as password hashes are obtained. [OS '
'Credential '
'Dumping](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1003) can be '
'used to obtain password hashes, this may only get an '
'adversary so far when [Pass the '
'Hash](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1550/002) is not '
'an option. Further, adversaries may leverage [Data from '
'Configuration '
'Repository](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1602) in '
'order to obtain hashed credentials for network '
'devices.(Citation: US-CERT-TA18-106A) \n'
'\n'
'Techniques to systematically guess the passwords used to '
'compute hashes are available, or the adversary may use a '
'pre-computed rainbow table to crack hashes. Cracking hashes '
'is usually done on adversary-controlled systems outside of '
'the target network.(Citation: Wikipedia Password cracking) '
'The resulting plaintext password resulting from a '
'successfully cracked hash may be used to log into systems, '
'resources, and services in which the account has access.',
'external_references': [{'external_id': 'T1110.002',
'source_name': 'mitre-attack',
'url': 'https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1110/002'},
{'description': 'US-CERT. (2018, April 20). Alert '
'(TA18-106A) Russian State-Sponsored '
'Cyber Actors Targeting Network '
'Infrastructure Devices. Retrieved '
'October 19, 2020.',
'source_name': 'US-CERT-TA18-106A',
'url': 'https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA18-106A'},
{'description': 'Wikipedia. (n.d.). Password '
'cracking. Retrieved December 23, '
'2015.',
'source_name': 'Wikipedia Password cracking',
'url': 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_cracking'}],
'id': 'attack-pattern--1d24cdee-9ea2-4189-b08e-af110bf2435d',
'kill_chain_phases': [{'kill_chain_name': 'mitre-attack',
'phase_name': 'credential-access'}],
'modified': '2025-10-24T17:48:29.397Z',
'name': 'Password Cracking',
'object_marking_refs': ['marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168'],
'revoked': False,
'spec_version': '2.1',
'type': 'attack-pattern',
'x_mitre_attack_spec_version': '3.2.0',
'x_mitre_contributors': ['Mohamed Kmal'],
'x_mitre_deprecated': False,
'x_mitre_detection': '',
'x_mitre_domains': ['enterprise-attack'],
'x_mitre_is_subtechnique': True,
'x_mitre_modified_by_ref': 'identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5',
'x_mitre_platforms': ['Linux',
'macOS',
'Windows',
'Network Devices',
'Office Suite',
'Identity Provider'],
'x_mitre_version': '1.4'}