Passwords are normally the keys to any system or network. Ever since the dawn of computers, passwords have been used to lock system data from unwanted eyes. So password cracking is a much-needed skill in the hacking trade. Capture or crack the right password and you have the keys to the kingdom, access to anywhere, any time. We'll also talk a bit about creating strong passwords as we go along. If you are a systems administrator reading this book, you're the person we are talking about. It is your password an attacker is going after. Sure, typing a 12- or 14-character password every time you log in to something is a pain, but how important is your network?
Personally, we wish the word password hadn't been used for this function from the beginning. It should be called keys. Normal users of systems cry and whine about password-protected data...