Crackinator

Inspiration

We got the inspiration for this project from our assignment in one of our computer science courses, and we are using this hackathon as a platform to expand on that idea and have some fun with it.

What it does

Our project starts by asking the user for some personal information like their first name, last name, etc. It then prompts the user to create a password. After that, it asks a series of questions to try to guess the password based on common patterns and user tendencies. At the end, the program evaluates the strength of the password.

How we built it

We built it using Java SE 8, leveraging core Java features such as string manipulation, user input handling, and basic algorithms for pattern recognition.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was designing a strategy to guess passwords efficiently without making the process too predictable or repetitive. Another challenge was ensuring that our password strength evaluation provided meaningful feedback to users while keeping the process engaging and fun.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully implementing a functional password guessing system. Creating an interactive experience that makes users more aware of password security. Designing a scoring system that gives constructive feedback on password strength.

What we learned

How to analyze password patterns and common user habits. Better ways to handle user input and edge cases in Java. The importance of security awareness and how easily weak passwords can be guessed.

What's next for Crackinator

Improving the guessing algorithm to make it more adaptive and intelligent. Adding more detailed password strength analysis with recommendations. Implementing a database to track common password mistakes and educate users.