Hacker Uses Sony PlayStation 3 to Crack Passwords
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Nick Breese, a senior security consultant at Auckland-based Security-assessment.com, has come up with a way to drastically increase the processing capability of cracking passwords, using a PS3. By implementing common ciphers and hash functions using vector computing, Breese has pushed the current upper limit of 10--15 million cycles per second -- in Intel-based architecture -- up to 1.4 billion cycles per second.
Breese, who has been working on the project, called "Crackstation", for the past six months, used the Sony PlayStation 3 gaming console for his break-through research. PS3's Cell Broadband Engine technology was created by IBM, Toshiba and Sony. The companies collaborated to create the CBE, commonly known as Cell, processor, which consists of one scalar processor and eight vector processors.
By design, PS3 is very suitable for cryptography, says Breese. Intel processors are designed to do all kinds of complex calculations, whereas the PS3 is good at doing simple things very quickly. "And believe it or not, cryptography really is simple," he says. "Lots of simple operations being done one at the time."
Probably PCWORLD doesnt know
Probably PCWORLD doesnt know the difference between `hacker` and `security consultant`.
Arrgghhh...
about using the word "hacker"
In the real sense, a hacker is defined as someone who used an existing product/technology and made it something better to suit their needs. In this case it was hacking into a PS3 and making it much better to handle his cipher processing.
Unfortunately in the present world, the word hacker has come to be associated with a "malicious" intent. So PC World is both right and wrong.
p.s probably using the word "hacker" will get a non techie crowd to click on that article
Ajit Gaddam
http://www.root777.com
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