Sony PS3 used to crack passwords

Security researcher Nick Breese has taken his PS3 and believes that the console’s powerful chip is very suitable to write password craking applications. Using, the PS3 Cell processor, Nick can crack a PDF, zip or Word password in a few hours (versus days for a “normal” PC). That’s because Cell contains eight computing units among which the decoding work can be split. A typical PC might not be as proficient, for that specific type of work, but it doesn’t mean that Cell is a better processor – simply that Cell has an architecture that is more friendly to this task.

Another parallel architecture like a graphics processor (GPU) has be proven to be dozens of times faster than a traditional processor for cracking passwords (read Russians crack passwords with a 8800 graphics card).

While this is an interesting exercise, the fact is that PDF, zip and Word documents passwords are not very strong, and that Cell processor is no match for stronger encryption systems used in safeguarding financial transactions.

Permalink | Comment | Uberbargain | Uberphones

Written by Ubergizmo. Read more great feeds at is source WEBSITE

More Gadgets articles

Bookmark this article

• [+] Digg: Feature this article
• [+] Del.icio.us: Bookmark this article
• [+] Furl: Bookmark this article

Related articles

• Is this Sony Ericsson’s new business BeiBei?
  (May 4th, 2008)
• BenQ intro’s the not-so-spectacular C36 music phone
  (May 1st, 2008)
• Basic mobile phone for senior citizens, Emporia Life gets a Plus
  (April 29th, 2008)
• Nokia announces 3 new mid-range phones; 6600 Fold, 6600 Slide, 3600 Slide
  (April 28th, 2008)
• Motorola slides in the HSDPA capable Z8m
  (April 27th, 2008)