Decrypting Faster: Synergizing Serial and Parallel Processing for Dictionary Attacks

In a traditional serial approach to dictionary attacks, passwords are tested one after another. That is, the next password in the list is attempted only after the current one has been fully processed and verified. In contrast, parallel processing allows for simultaneous attempts on multiple passwords, thereby significantly reducing the time it takes to crack a password. A dictionary attack is the password-cracking method that employs a list of probable passwords. Therefore, it is very important to study it to evaluate system security and performance. The study explores gains in dictionary attacks through applying parallel processing principles. In this algorithm, OpenMP is utilized to parallelize the process of password cracking with similar accuracy to its serial counterpart. For all steps, the performance of the system is measured, and it analyzes the computational trade-off between serial and parallel designs. Finally, a final comparative analysis of execution times will be presented, showing that it can indeed offer improvements of parallel processing for dictionary attacks.