I have encountered a zip file with encrypted word documents in it. So far I have been unsuccessful in decrypting the file. I have tried using Passware with 2 different dictionaries, using the zip utility within Passware, the Password recovery toolkit. I have also been trying to figure out how to use a plain-text attack against it, but I am a little confused about the actual process of it. I know you need a unecrypted file to zip and use that file to attack the encrypted file. Is that right? I haven't been able to find a decrypted file with any data in it to use.
thoughts? Advice?
Which options did you run with passware? I've always had great luck using this program on zip files.
The options you use can make a huge difference. I recently cracked a zip file password in 29 minutes using Dictionary, Brute-force with Optimization and Brute-force. Passware recovered the password, finally, with brute force. To test Passware option efficiency, I turned off all options but brute-force, set priority to high and ran it again. It recovered the password in under 30 seconds.
How long have you let it run? Its just a matter of time…