[dba-Tech] Rainbow tables

While waiting for a server to install and trying to get into some old XP
computers the client had, I ran into the problem of login passwords to these
old boxes. 

The client just wanted me to go into these old computers, clear out any
personal information, remove the passwords or make it something super simple
and then the client would send the old computers off to a school.

The only problem is that no one knows the passwords anymore so I finally
found a free brute force password recovery app called Ophcrack. The
interesting thing about the app was the technology that it used... the
algorithm is using Rainbow Tables.

This is new to me but very interesting. I can see all sorts of possibilities
such as super fast search routines etc... If anyone is interested in this
check out the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_table

Jim