Question 1

How to use nsa-rules with hashcat?

Accepted Answer

Place the rule files in hashcat's rules directory and reference them in commands; the pwcrack.sh script provides example benchmarking commands, but you'll need to adapt it for your specific hash files and dictionaries. Ensure you have hashcat installed and understand basic rule syntax for best results.

Question 2

Is nsa64.rule better than best64.rule?

Accepted Answer

No, according to benchmarks, best64.rule outperforms nsa64.rule in real-world scenarios. The author states best64.rule is 'unquestionably better,' with nsa64.rule cracking 42% of test hashes but lacking the hand-tuned optimization of hashcat's stock set.

Question 3

How to generate custom rules like nsa-rules?

Accepted Answer

Use tools like PACK to analyze large dictionaries of breached passwords, similar to the project's methodology. Feed password data into PACK, generate rules based on statistical frequency, and then prune or optimize them for your specific use case, as described in the README.

Question 4

Can nsa.hcmask be used for quick password cracking?

Accepted Answer

Not for quick cracking; the author warns that running the entire nsa.hcmask set would take an impractically long time. It's better to hand-prune masks or use subsets based on common patterns from breach data to avoid excessive computational overhead.

Question 5

What are the best practices for benchmarking hashcat rules?

Accepted Answer

Use standardized scripts like pwcrack.sh to ensure consistency, include timestamps to prevent data loss, and compare against stock rule sets. The project emphasizes testing with relevant dictionaries and hash lists, as shown in the bench.png graph and table.

Question 6

How does nsa-rules compare to hashcat's default rules?

Accepted Answer

Benchmarks show nsa-rules' generated sets perform similarly or slightly better in some cases, but the author concludes stock rules are very good. The value is in the data-driven approach, but for significant improvements, domain-specific adjustments and hand-tuning are often necessary.

nsa-rules

What is nsa-rules?

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