Question

I need help with my homework assignment

Linux systems keep user account information in the passwd file and the encrypted password in the shadow file.

The passwd file containing account information might look like this:

smithj:x:1001:1001:John Smith:/home/smithj:/bin/bash

The shadow file containing password and account expiration information for users might look like this:

smithj:KJDKKkkLLjjwlnttqoiybnm.:10063:0:99999:7:::

The fields in the shadow file are separated by a colon, with the first field being the username and the second being the password.

Under normal circumstances, the password is encrypted. But for the purpose of this assignment, you can assume the password is already unencrypted.

Review the bruteLogin function program on pp. 58–59 of Ch. 2, "Penetration Testing with Python," of Violent Python: A Cookbook for Hackers, Forensic Analysts, Penetration Testers and Security Engineers.

Make the following changes/additions to the function:

• Modify the bruteLogin function to use both the passwd and shadow files. Assume your passwd and shadow files include two accounts.  
• Change the bruteLogin to extract the username and full name from the passwd file and the password from the shadow file
• Change the output to display the full name when confirming successful FTP Login; e.g., "Myhostname FTP Logon Succeeded: John Smith/ KJDKKkkLLjjwlnttqoiybnm"

Copy the source code of your Python .py file into a Word document. Include screen shots showing your code in execution in the same Word document, and submit the single Word document.

Do I need to create an FTP site in order for this code to work?

Answer 1

Answer 2

Based on the description of your homework assignment, it appears that you are working on a Python script to perform brute-force login attempts using information from the passwd and shadow files on a Linux system. The goal is to modify the existing bruteLogin function to extract the username and full name from the passwd file and the password from the shadow file. Additionally, you need to change the output to display the full name when confirming successful FTP login.

Regarding your question about creating an FTP site, it is not explicitly mentioned in the assignment requirements that you need to create an FTP site. The code seems to focus on extracting information from the passwd and shadow files and simulating FTP login attempts. Therefore, you should not need to create an actual FTP site for the code to work as intended.

Instead, you should focus on modifying the existing Python script to read information from the passwd and shadow files, extract the relevant data (username, full name, and password), and then use that data to perform the brute-force login attempts.

Remember to test your modified code with the provided passwd and shadow files containing the two accounts. Use appropriate error handling and make sure to display the full name in the output when a successful FTP login is confirmed.

Once you have made the necessary modifications to the Python script and tested it successfully, you can copy the source code along with the required screenshots into a Word document and submit it as per the assignment instructions.

Keep in mind that if you encounter any specific issues or errors while working on the assignment, it's a good idea to seek help from your instructor or teaching assistant. They will be able to provide guidance and clarification on the assignment requirements and help you with any technical challenges you may encounter.

Answer 3

Based on the description of your homework assignment, it appears that you are working on a Python script to perform brute-force login attempts using information from the passwd and shadow files on a Linux system. The goal is to modify the existing bruteLogin function to extract the username and full name from the passwd file and the password from the shadow file. Additionally, you need to change the output to display the full name when confirming successful FTP login.

Regarding your question about creating an FTP site, it is not explicitly mentioned in the assignment requirements that you need to create an FTP site. The code seems to focus on extracting information from the passwd and shadow files and simulating FTP login attempts. Therefore, you should not need to create an actual FTP site for the code to work as intended.

Instead, you should focus on modifying the existing Python script to read information from the passwd and shadow files, extract the relevant data (username, full name, and password), and then use that data to perform the brute-force login attempts.

Remember to test your modified code with the provided passwd and shadow files containing the two accounts. Use appropriate error handling and make sure to display the full name in the output when a successful FTP login is confirmed.

Once you have made the necessary modifications to the Python script and tested it successfully, you can copy the source code along with the required screenshots into a Word document and submit it as per the assignment instructions.

Keep in mind that if you encounter any specific issues or errors while working on the assignment, it's a good idea to seek help from your instructor or teaching assistant. They will be able to provide guidance and clarification on the assignment requirements and help you with any technical challenges you may encounter.