Cryptanalysis the SHA-256 Hash Function Using Rainbow Tables

Abstract

The research of the strength of a hashed message is of great importance in modern authentication systems. The hashing process is inextricably linked with the password system, since passwords are usually stored in the system not in clear text, but as hashes. The SHA-256 hash function was chosen to model the attack with rainbow tables. An algorithm for constructing a rainbow table for the SHA-256 hash function in the Java language is proposed. The conditions under which the use of rainbow tables will be effective are determined. This article aims to practically show the process of generating a password and rainbow tables to organize an attack on the SHA-256 hash function. As research shows, rainbow tables can reveal a three-character password in 3 seconds. As the password bit increases, the decryption time increases in direct proportion.