HackerzOnline 3
Password Cracking & Backtracing
Once you connect to a target and start cracking the password, a race against the clock begins. Two timers run at the same time:
- Password Crack — how long it takes you to break the target's password.
- Backtrace — how long it takes the target to trace the connection back to your IP.
If your crack finishes first (by at least 5 seconds), you gain access to the target's gateway. If the backtrace finishes first, your IP is blacklisted on the target for 24 hours and the connection is dropped immediately.
What Affects the Race
Both timers are modified by your gear and the target's gear. The table below shows which stats shorten or lengthen each timer, and where each stat comes from.
| Stat | Source | Side | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Password Cracker level | Password Cracker software | Attacker | Speeds up your crack. +30% per level. |
| Password Crack | CPU | Attacker | Speeds up your crack. +4% per CPU level. |
| Uplink Rotation Speed | Network | Attacker | Slows the target's backtrace (buys you time). +5% per Network level. |
| Bounce chain length | Network Bounce (RAM) | Attacker | Each hop in your chain slows the backtrace by 25%. Longer chains = more time. |
| Vault level | Vault software | Defender | Slows the attacker's crack. +30% per Vault level. |
| Password Rotation | CPU | Defender | Slows the attacker's crack. +3% per CPU level. |
| Harden Passwords | Cyber Security Research skill | Defender | Slows the attacker's crack. +5% per skill level. |
| Backtracing | Firewall | Defender | Speeds up the backtrace. +5% per Firewall level. |
| Backtracing Bonus | Cyber Security Research skill | Defender | Speeds up the backtrace. +5% per skill level. |
Tip: Win the Race
To crack faster and escape sooner: upgrade your Password Cracker and CPU, use a longer bounce chain (more RAM), and invest in Network hardware for Uplink Rotation Speed. To avoid being cracked: upgrade your Vault, CPU, Firewall, and learn the Cyber Security Research skill (it grants both Harden Passwords and Backtracing Bonus). A 5-second gap is the minimum margin — aim for a comfortable lead.
Risk: Blacklist
If the backtrace wins, your source IP is blacklisted on the target gateway for 24 hours. You cannot connect from that IP again until the blacklist expires. The target also gets a notification that they blacklisted an attacker.