Extracting the SAM file

[CarpeNoctem]

Is there anyway I can extract the SAM file from my pc using knoppix? Other than using a USB thumbdrive? Or if you know another bootable cd linux distro that allows you to remove the disk and burn a cd?

 

[inimino]

What's a SAM file?

Just upload it somewhere on the Web, or to another computer on your LAN. Or send it to yourself in an email.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

the SAM file is the file that the administrative passwords are stored in. You can copy it to a USB thumbdrive using a bootable linux distro with a program that can view the NTFS partition

 

[inimino]

I see. I'm not too familiar with Windows

In that case I would guess it's just a few kilobytes, so my suggestion should work fine, if you have webmail, the easiest thing is just bring up a browser on KNOPPIX and email it to yourself, otherwise use FTP or similar to upload it on the Web somewhere.

 

[Mitchell1]

So this file has passwords in it that are in plain text?

 

[inimino]

Apparently they are MD4-hashed and then encrypted using DES.

 

[Mitchell1]

Then why would you want to get this file because you would not be able to read it any way?

 

[inimino]

Because you can crack it, naturally.

 

[rakedog]

So this file has passwords in it that are in plain text?

Hahahaha, no even microsoft isn't That stupid.

Then why would you want to get this file because you would not be able to read it any way?

You can use cain and abel, or john the ripper to crack the hashes. Naturally, the SAM file is one of the most important cracking aspects of windows.

Is there anyway I can extract the SAM file from my pc using knoppix?

Yeah, i believe knoppix has a tool to copy the contents of the SAM, but I can't remember the tool of the top of my head.

 

[Mitchell1]

OK I never new that a file like that existed. Now I do.