Cracking

Cracking is the tenth Crime released for Crimes 2.0. It is a Cybercrime.

Cracking has no subcrimes but rather two actions that take varying amounts of nerve to attempt, in addition to 28 potential types of targets.

Cracking requires completion of the "CMT1520 Introduction To Computing" Education course and a computer to attempt.

New jobs will spawn once per day at midnight TCT. Between 7-23? jobs may spawn per day. The targets' password will be generated randomly for each player, while the jobs themselves are shared across all players so long as skill level requirements are met. Targets not cracked before the new day will roll over to the next day as long as they have some progress.

The Crime Enhancer used for Cracking is the item: Office Chair

There are no unique outcomes for the Cracking crime.

Overview

Password Cracking works by exploiting Torn's weak password encryption method known as ICE (Individual Character Encryption). This encryption method allows targeted brute-force attacks to crack any password, given enough time and computing power.

Each target will have a randomly generated password whose complexity varies according to the specific target. The password's length may range between 4-10 characters, with more advanced targets implementing random characters.

Advanced targets may have additional encryption layers that need to be broken through before an attempt to crack the password may be performed. These encryption layers range between one and nine layers.

Players may guess obscured password characters that are not protected by encryption by typing a character in any unoccupied slot. Up to three incorrect guesses are allowed per password before being locked out of further attempts.

Once all characters of a password are identified, players may attempt to crack the password to receive their reward. Reward ranges vary according to the specifics of the target.

Brute-Forcing

Brute-forcing is the first step towards cracking a password. It costs seven nerve to attempt, with results varying depending on the player's rig.

A successful brute-forcing attempt will reveal a character or break through one encryption layer if any are present. At skill level 25, 50 and 75, additional rig chassis may be fitted with PSUs, CPUs and cooling components to increase brute-forcing strength, performing additional cycles each attempt.

Rig

The rig is required to crack passwords.

Initially, a player may use a computer or laptop for cracking, having a default brute-force strength of 1. This can be seen in the rig information tab, where it will appear as offline.

Additional rig chassis are unlocked at Cracking skill level 25, 50 and 75.

Chassis may be equipped with computer parts to increase brute-forcing strength.

Rig Components
Image	Component	Type	Effect
	CPU	Processing Unit	Consumes 70W, delivers 30,000 MIPS. Generates high heat. Standard overclocking capabilities.
	eCPU	Processing Unit	Consumes 30W, delivers 25,000 MIPS. Generates low heat. Limited overclocking capabilities.
	HPCPU	Processing Unit	Consumes 150W, delivers 50,000 MIPS. Generates very high heat. Enhanced overclocking capabilities.
	Computer Fan	Cooling	Consumes 5W, provides cooling across a broad area.
	Water Block	Cooling	Offers moderate cooling in a confined area.
	Heat Sink	Cooling	Draws heat away from directly adjacent components.
	PSU	Power Supply	Supplies 750W of power. Generates moderate heat.

Once a player reaches skill level 25, players will unlock their first chassis composed of a 5x5 array. Clicking any of the slots will allow players to install components they have in their inventory onto the rig chassis.

All components use one slot within the chassis, except for PSUs, which use two slots and can be rotated vertically or horizontally.

All components installed in a chassis will work across the entire rig, allowing players to install power supplies in one chassis and CPUs in another. Heat from components is only applied within the chassis and does not affect other chassis.

Once a rig has a power supply and at least 100,000 MIPS, the rig will come online and will be used for any brute-forcing attempts. Additional MIPS will increase brute-forcing strength logarithmically, with further increases in MIPS bringing diminishing increases in brute-forcing strength.

Temperature increases for individual components after each brute-forcing attempt. Cooling components will remove heat inside the chassis, making component placement very important to avoid overheating.

If a component's heat is greater than 50%, it will not be possible to remove it until heat reaches 50%.

If a component reaches 100% heat, it will overheat and stop working until temperature diminishes below 100%. Overheated components are not lost. Heat Sinks and Water Blocks are immune to overheating, working regardless of heat.

Completion of the "CMT2570 Fundamentals Of Computer Architecture" Education course will grant a 25% reduction in heat generated by rig components.

All components can be removed at any time except when heat is over 50%. Attempting to remove a component with high heat will give the player a warning that the component is too hot to remove. Components removed are returned to the player's inventory.

Heat from a removed component will remain in the corresponding slot, and will carry over to any new component installed in that slot.

Heat naturally decays over time by 1% every 60 seconds. Overheated components' heat may go as high as 150%, although only 100% will be displayed. In such instances, it will take 2hrs 30min to fully decay.

Completion of the "CMT2128 Overclocking" Education course will unlock rig overclocking up to 30%. Completing the related course "CMT2129 Advanced Overclocking" will unlock overclocking up to 50%.

Overclocking may be applied by clicking the power gauge in the rig information display and dragging it to the orange/red region of the power gauge.

Overclocking a rig will increase power use and heat generation for all CPUs proportionally to the rate set by the player. A Computer Fan's power usage and PSU's heat generation will remain unaffected.

Overclocking will increase CPUs' performance depending on the CPU type, with eCPUs receiving a lower increase in MIPS compared to HPCPUs.

Cracking

Cracking is the final step towards cracking a password. It costs five nerve to attempt, with results varying depending on the target.

Cracking can only be attempted once all characters of a password are revealed.

A successful cracking attempt will reward the player with money.

Critical failures when cracking will lead to the immediate loss of the job and potential jail time ranging between 3 hours 16 minutes and 6 hours 23 minutes.

Targets

There are 28 types of targets in Cracking. Some targets are more protected than others requiring additional brute-forcing attempts, and some targets pay better than others.

Advanced targets remain hidden until the player reaches the required skill level. Some targets may have additional encryption layers ranging between one and nine. Encryption layers need to be brute-forced as if they were additional characters. Characters cannot be guessed until all encryption layers protecting them are removed.

Targets not cracked before the start of a new day will roll over to the next day, as long as they have any progress. Currently there is no limit to the amount of targets that can roll over, targets that roll over do not expire as time passes, and targets rolling over has no impact on targets generated every day.

Targets are a combination of a target type and targeted service. All targets will have a targeted service. Passwords generated and encryption layers depend on target type, while rewards from cracking depend on the targeted service.

Unencrypted

Targets with no encryption in their password:

• Colleague: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Ex-Boyfriend: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Ex-Girlfriend: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Ex-Husband: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Ex-Wife: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Friend: Rewards range between $10,000-25,000
• Informant: Rewards range between $30,000-50,000
• Juror: Rewards range between $30,000-50,000
• Neighbour: Rewards range between $10,000-25,000
• Online Adversary: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Romantic Interest: Rewards range between $10,000-30,000
• Doctor: Unlocked at skill level 30. Rewards range between $35,000-140,000
• Judge: Unlocked at skill level 30. Rewards range between $40,000-99,600

Encrypted

Targets with one or more layers of encryption in their password:

• Hacker: Unlocked at skill level 10. One encryption layer, rewards range between $50,000-199,800
• Police Officer: Unlocked at skill level 20. One encryption layer, rewards range between $40,000-90,000
• Government Official: Unlocked at skill level 30. One encryption layer, rewards range between $70,000-130,000
• Politician: Unlocked at skill level 40. One encryption layer, rewards range between $60,000-119,900
• Pornography Network: Unlocked at skill level 40. One encryption layer, rewards range between $80,500-149,800
• Campus Network: Unlocked at skill level 50. One encryption layer, rewards range between $60,000-180,000
• Health Service: Unlocked at skill level 50. One encryption layer, rewards range between $80,100-150,000
• Games Developer: Unlocked at skill level 60. Two encryption layers, rewards range between $60,100-149,000
• Rival Corporation: Unlocked at skill level 60. Two encryption layers, rewards range between $80,100-250,000
• Police Department: Unlocked at skill level 70. Three encryption layers, rewards range between $100,300-250,000
• Criminal Syndicate: Unlocked at skill level 70. Three encryption layers, rewards range between $100,300-348,500
• Government: Unlocked at skill level 80. Three encryption layers, rewards range between $150,200-499,400
• Internet Service Provider: Unlocked at skill level 80. Three encryption layers, rewards range between $175,000-294,900
• Armed Forces: Unlocked at skill level 90. Nine encryption layers, rewards range between $400,000-749,800
• Intelligence Agency: Unlocked at skill level 90. Nine encryption layers, rewards range between $402,600-997,600

Patch History

Released in Patch list #329

[edit history]

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Patch list #332 : 02/04/2024

• Added the ability to abandon Cracking passwords once they have some progress
• Optimized Cracking's performance by preventing unnecessary rig re-rendering
• Fixed page going blank after switching Cracking's rig chassis while component action tooltip is open on mobile+
• Fixed page refresh being required in some situations in order to increase Cracking's rig power slider

Patch list #322 : 16/01/24

• Added button to Cracking's rig chassis which removes all components at once

Crimes 2.0 : Cracking : 19/12/23

• Password Cracking, Torn's 10th crime is now available!
• The first Cybercrime of Crimes 2.0 sees players cracking passwords on behalf of inconspicuous clients.