However, if Chen Xu wants to take it to the next level, it's absolutely impossible without the guidance of a master.
With Chen Xu's current skills, his outstanding basic knowledge combined with Zhong Ziyu's experience, Chen Xu's abilities are now comparable to some well-known hackers... Of course, well-known are definitely not the best. If we're talking about the level of the red hacker battlefield, Chen Xu can barely be considered a veteran now.
Some people wondered why Chen Xu had progressed so quickly after only studying for such a short time.
This only suggests that Chen Xu may have a natural talent for computers, and as the saying goes, "a skilled craftsman must first have the right tools." With the Chinese programming language, Chen Xu learned very quickly and had a high level of comprehension... Of course, this wasn't the most important factor; the most important factor was Xiao Min's help from the sidelines.
Although Xiaomin cannot teach Chen Xu how to become a super hacker, she can help him become a top-notch programmer.
Any questions Chen Xu didn't understand or couldn't answer, he could simply ask Xiao Min for a solution... It was like having a universal dictionary with him, and this kind of targeted learning was much faster than anything else.
Therefore, in terms of basic computer knowledge, even if Chen Xu has only studied for half a year, it is equivalent to others having studied diligently for several years... This is also due to time. Rather than using years as the unit of measurement, it is better to use hours... Most people only study for three or four hours a day, and most people don't even reach three or four hours. They are distracted in class, go out to play, and only cram before the exam.
Chen Xu would spend several hours studying in the virtual world every night after going to sleep, and he would also read books in his spare time during the day. He spent much more time in this area than the average person, so his progress, while unexpected, was actually quite reasonable.
Chen Xu has now hit a bottleneck. In terms of programming, all Chen Xu needs to do next is to thoroughly understand what he has learned before. Learning more advanced things now wouldn't be of much use... mainly because he can't apply them. He also needs to consolidate his previous knowledge. Chen Xu understands the principle of not trying to do too much at once.
In terms of computer theory, Chen Xu's knowledge might not be much worse than Zhan Jing's, but in terms of attack methods, they are not even in the same league. He wants to learn from Zhan Jing because he knows that simply studying books blindly is useless. Not only hacking techniques, but also programming and other skills require both intelligence and ability.
More importantly, it's for the second layer of permissions.
Chen Xu could vaguely sense that the authority was not such a simple matter. Last time, that little bastard Chen Fei was vague about things like time nodes and protagonists... These things were very mysterious, but Chen Xu could feel that there were still many things he hadn't said.
Driven by curiosity, Chen Xu longed to uncover the mystery, but at this moment he could only rely on his own strength… because he couldn't possibly take out the computer and let anyone know. This was Chen Xu's taboo!
So, having no other choice, Chen Xu had to turn to Zhan Jing, this gentle and quiet girl... As someone who can serve as a referee on the Red Hacker battlefield, Zhan Jing's skills and background are definitely not simple.
Seeing Chen Xu's somewhat reluctant and embarrassed expression, Zhan Jing chuckled and asked, "What aspect do you mainly want to learn?" "Code cracking!"
Zhan Jing blinked her beautiful big eyes: "You want to learn this? These things aren't something you can just learn casually."
Password cracking is one of the core skills of hacking, as password defense is used in almost all computer security systems these days. This skill is not easy to learn. Xiaomin can only provide some tools, but it's important to understand that ordinary tools are only suitable for brute-force attacks, which are practically suicidal when faced with long, complex passwords. Therefore, true password experts are those who are well-versed in psychology, mathematics, and logic, searching for clues from other angles to crack passwords.
Therefore, Chen Xu had to rely on others to improve his skills in this regard, otherwise it would be impossible to break through Xiao Min's defenses... No one understood Xiao Min's formidable defensive power better than him.
At this moment, the waiter brought the dishes over, and the two temporarily stopped talking. Chen Xu tied the napkin around his neck and praised, "No wonder it's a Western restaurant. The speed is really fast, much faster than the stir-fry stalls on the second floor of the school cafeteria."
The waiter was probably speechless, so he respectfully said "Please enjoy your meal" and hurriedly ran away. From a distance, Chen Xu could still vaguely hear him mutter, "Country bumpkin."
"Am I that unsophisticated?" Chen Xu rolled his eyes. Just then, another waiter opened a bottle of red wine and poured it into a glass. Chen Xu quickly said, "Oh, right, bring me a bottle of Sprite too. I'll mix it up. Zhan Jing, do you want some?"
Zhan Jing smiled and said, "Okay."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xu immediately perked up as if he had found a kindred spirit. He went on and on, saying, "I knew it! Red wine tastes too bitter on its own. It's much better with Sprite. If I drank it like that, Guan Yi would say I'm uncultured. Ugh! Why should I care about their proper etiquette for drinking red wine? As long as I feel comfortable drinking it, that's all that matters. Otherwise, it's so frustrating to spend a lot of money on a bottle of wine only to feel sick after drinking it!"
Zhan Jing smiled, and the smile slowly bloomed on her face, leaving the waiters around her somewhat stunned.
What had always attracted Zhan Jing to Chen Xu was his untamed spirit and naiveté. Although Zhan Jing didn't know anything else about Chen Xu, she did know his father was incredibly wealthy. There's a saying that money corrupts men, but this didn't seem to apply to Chen Xu.
Being easygoing is arguably Chen Xu's greatest strength.
Actually, Chen Xu wasn't unaware that adding Sprite to red wine was a very unsophisticated practice; Guan Yi had already reprimanded him about it last time. However, he wasn't used to the taste of authentic red wine... Last time, he drank the bottle of Peter's red wine that Guan Yi brought, which cost over 30,000 yuan, just like juice, and even added Sprite because he thought it wasn't sweet enough. Not to mention this kind of shoddy wine, which costs a few hundred yuan a bottle and, while not exactly roadside stuff, is far from being high-end.
As for the Peter's Red Wine that Chen Xu drank last time, neither he nor Gao Xiaojie knows its value. While they don't know, Zhan Jing does. When she returned and saw the name of the wine, she was shocked, and after hearing how Chen Xu drank it, she was both amused and exasperated.
However, she strongly agreed with Chen Xu's statement. Eating and drinking are originally about being casual and catering to personal tastes. If you spend so much money and still can't satisfy yourself, then the money is wasted.
However, to others, these actions naturally made them seem like country bumpkins visiting the city. Especially after the snail came up, Chen Xu exclaimed, "Wow, this snail is so big! What kind of snail is it? Did you feed it for four months until it got so big? Hmm, the taste is just so-so, not much better than a snail."
Upon hearing this, Zhan Jing finally smiled. With that smile, Chen Xu felt that this woman truly possessed the potential to bring ruin to the country like Bao Si.
Of course, Zhan Jing wasn't like Bao Si, who always had a cold face and wouldn't smile until King You of Zhou played the beacon fire prank on the feudal lords. But her sudden, blossoming smile instantly filled the room like spring sunshine; she was so happy. Her carefree smile was enough to thaw the ice in an instant.
Some women really shouldn't be laughed at. If Zhan Jing were in ancient times, she would definitely be a vixen who brings disaster to the country!
But this fairy is not just a pretty face; she's a genuine hacker expert!
Later, while eating Western food, Zhan Jing told Chen Xu about several ways to crack the code.
The first method, the most brute-force and least sophisticated, involves creating software that automatically generates a series of numbers for the user to try and crack the password by guessing.
Of course, this method is also the most rudimentary. If the password is long enough and consists of numbers, English letters, or even special strings, then there's no need to even think about cracking it, as that would take years.
The second method. The most direct way... is to delete the account password file.
Any system must be based on computer principles, the most prominent manifestation of which is that...nothing can be created out of nothing within a computer.
Simply put, every element in a game is implemented by reading files. For example, music has music files, CG animations have animation files, and so on. If you can't find the file in the game's installation folder, it's definitely not a problem with the game. It's a problem with the user; they lack the technical skills to know which file corresponds to which element.
The same principle applies to the system. Every element that runs requires supporting files, and the password file is no exception. It will definitely be stored somewhere; the question is whether you can find that file.
For example, the commonly used Windows system uses CMOS to unlock its password. The simplest way to crack a Windows password is to disassemble the computer and discharge the CMOS RAM on the motherboard. After the discharge, the parameters stored in the CMOS will not receive power, resulting in the loss of the data. The unlock password can then be easily cracked.
Password cracking can also be done via software. Taking Windows as an example, the *.pwl files in the Windows installation directory and the PROFILES folder contain the user's personal information. Simply delete them. Alternatively, a computer expert can enter DOS system mode and use computer language to clear and reset the computer password.
True experts don't need this method at all; they can directly read information from the motherboard through various means... such as the classic software BIOSPWDS. This software is very user-friendly; with just a click, it can automatically read all the information in the BIOS, including version, date, password, and so on.
The third method relies on guessing.
One of the most classic examples is the case of Mata Hari, the world-famous German female spy during World War I. When she was working undercover in Paris, she used her beauty to gain access to the British Model 19 tank design blueprints stored in a top-secret vault in the home of General Morgan, a senior confidential officer in the French High Command.
However, Morgan remained tight-lipped about the vault's password, and Harley tried everything to get it out of him. She received information that the password was six digits long, so after getting Morgan drunk, she attempted to crack it herself.
At that time, a six-digit vault combination was already very strong, and Harley couldn't open it no matter what she tried. Suddenly, she saw an old, broken clock, its hands stopped at 9:35:15. Remembering Morgan's forgetfulness, she suspected that the clock represented the coded message.
A six-digit password, if you convert nine o'clock to 24 hours, is 21:00. So the password for this vault might be 213515... She tried it, and sure enough, she got it. This also left a glorious mark on the history of espionage.
This third method tests a person's attentiveness and their understanding of the password setter.
Just like how many people used their birthdays, ID numbers, or phone numbers as passwords when they first started using the internet, even now, most people still follow certain patterns when setting passwords.
This pattern manifests in two ways: first, the person who sets the password; and second, extending this further, it can also be linked to the system itself.
Systems are more predictable than people!
This brings us back to the second method of cracking the password: as long as you understand the system's encryption mechanism, you can crack the password using appropriate means!
Therefore, Chen Xu wanted to crack Xiao Min's password. Now, it seemed there were only two options: one was to guess what password she would use, and the other was to find a flaw in the system's encryption mechanism and then launch a counter-attack.
Of course, Chen Xu knew this. This was only the second level of access, and it shouldn't be too difficult. If this level of access was truly difficult, then he would probably need to study for ten or eight years to crack it.
“Cracking a password is essentially a puzzle,” Zhan Jing said. “Many encryption methods nowadays increase the number of bits. For example, digital certificates provided by banks basically use the most advanced algorithms available today. For instance, bank certificate encryption uses a special algorithm to encode personal user information, such as names and ID numbers, into long sequences of 160, 1024, or even longer bytes. At this point, cracking the password using ordinary methods is completely impossible. However, it's not invincible. Because every algorithm has its rules and formulas, we can use reverse engineering to deduce the formulas of such algorithms and thus crack them.”
Chen Xu immediately became interested: "So you can crack bank certificates? Are you really like those legendary hackers who can treat banks like ATMs?!"
Zhan Jing smiled faintly: "Legendary hackers wouldn't do something like this. And even if they did, it wouldn't be that simple. Well, to put it simply, this kind of algorithm is like a multivariate equation, such as a linear equation with two variables. The X and Y values represent the name and ID number, respectively. So, knowing just these two pieces of information is enough to deduce the equation. But with three, four, or even more variables, it's not so simple; the calculation is extremely difficult. I'm just giving you an idea and an example. Don't overthink it. You should know that attacking a national bank is a serious crime; there's no trial, just the death penalty."
Chen Xu rolled his eyes and said, "Of course I know. The national bank is the biggest, you know."
Of course it's not a big deal. Corrupt officials embezzle tens or hundreds of millions, and they only get a few decades in prison. Some unlucky kid, because of a malfunctioning ATM, took a few hundred thousand and got sentenced to life imprisonment... There's no way around it, this is robbing the country's money, they have to make an example of him!
However, Zhan Jing's words did indeed provide Chen Xu with a way out, because that little bastard Chen Fei had already said that this system uses a 128-bit key. This key is neither too long nor too short... You know, the Swiss bank's encryption algorithm has a full 100,000 bits! Even if you use a supercomputer to analyze it, humph, then you can go sing "Borrowing Five Hundred Years from Heaven" (a popular Chinese song).
Five hundred years? Five thousand years might not even be enough!
Here I need to explain that a key and a password are not the same thing. For example, an online banking password only needs to be a few characters long, at most a dozen or so. After all, who can remember a password that is too long? If it were set to pi 3.1415926... many people who have memorized it could remember it, but it would be too easy to guess.
Therefore, you only need these few ordinary digits to enter the password. However, after entering the password, it needs to be converted into a 128-bit key through an algorithm in the certificate to complete the transaction. In other words, online banking actually looks at the key, not the password. So, if you want to crack it, ordinary methods to crack the password are useless. You must find an algorithm to crack the key... that's the idea.
To find the pattern in the algorithm, it is necessary to simulate it with different data... Chen Xu had a vague idea. He vaguely thought of a way to crack the second layer of access password, but this would also require a very long process, probably requiring countless data substitutions to deduce it.
However, Chen Xu was very curious. How could Zhan Jing, who was so young and a girl, have such good skills? It wasn't that Chen Xu looked down on girls; he respected Blue Baby very much. He just felt something was a little strange.
When asked about this, Zhan Jing simply smiled and said it was a matter of interest, then steered the conversation away, clearly not intending to discuss it in detail.
However, since the other party indicated that they did not want to talk more, Chen Xu did not press the issue. It was not something Chen Xu liked to do to shamelessly pry into other people's privacy.
This computer problem seemed to have a clue, which made Chen Xu very happy. Although it wasn't solved yet, at least he had a method. The second challenge was about that game… *Real Fighting*.
I have no idea what my future self is thinking. Improving my computer skills is one thing, but why train so hard for real combat? And they even require me to reach a C-level fighting level! Good heavens, when will I ever finish training like this?
With a heart full of immense sorrow and frustration, Chen Xu finally entered the virtual BC platform game once again...
Chapter 172 Virtual Fighting
Chen Xu hasn't logged into "Real Fighting" for a while because he's been obsessed with the game "Martial Artist".
Although in terms of realism, the PC version of "Martial Artist" and the virtual reality game "Real Fighting" are completely incomparable, why does Chen Xu still prefer this PC game?
The answer is simple... Who wants to be tortured all day long!
After joining Real Fight, Chen Xu never mentioned which day he was the one to abuse others!
C-level, wow, a C-level performance is equivalent to a fighting expert!
Chen Xu's current strength is only hovering around E-level... Want to advance two levels? Easier said than done!
That evening, Chen Xu reluctantly logged back into the game "Real Fighting." Upon entering, he saw the one-eyed instructor, who said with a forced smile, "It's been a while." Chen Xu broke out in a cold sweat. He knew this greeting wasn't because the one-eyed instructor was particularly humane, but rather a system setting. If he hadn't logged in for a while, the instructor would say this line.
It's just that, haha, if a beautiful woman said this in a sweet, coquettish way, it would be pleasant and might even make you think about all sorts of things. But when a one-eyed instructor says it, well... that feeling isn't so good.
However, this was in a game, and the one-eyed instructor didn't scold him. Instead, he said with a slightly strange tone, "Hmm, your physical condition is much better than last time. It seems you haven't neglected your training lately. Alright, come in with me. Let me see your current strength."
Chen Xu knew his physical fitness had improved recently. Although he had neglected his training, he had still consistently practiced the set of movements and learned a lot from Nangong Lan. In terms of individual strength, he was indeed several levels stronger than before. Upon entering the game, his physical stats were naturally displayed. Chen Xu checked and saw that his strength and agility were both better than before, filling him with secret joy.
But before he could even feel happy, a sudden gust of wind blew in front of him. Before he could think, Chen Xu fell down in a bridge pose, and then launched a sweeping kick forward. Feeling his opponent block the attack, Chen Xu used the momentum to jump back out of the circle, and then pushed himself up with his hands on the ground.
Chen Xu, standing up, realized that it was the one-eyed instructor who had ambushed him. The one-eyed instructor looked at Chen Xu and nodded, saying, "Not bad, you've improved a bit. Let's try again!"
In the heat of the fight, Chen Xu hadn't had time to think. Only now did he realize he had actually dodged the one-eyed instructor's sneak attack… this was unprecedented! His confidence soared. Seeing the one-eyed instructor charge, Chen Xu rallied his spirits and unleashed the Bagua Palm technique taught by Nangong Lan to launch a counterattack!
Chen Xu's Baguazhang was entirely learned from Nangong Lan, and he had even grasped some of the essence of the most crucial Baguazhang footwork. The one-eyed instructor's offensive was focused on close-quarters combat, and despite Chen Xu's footwork, it was precisely what prevented him from achieving his desired effect.
The footwork of Baguazhang follows the numbers of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. Of course, it cannot compare to the miraculous Lingbo Weibu in Jin Yong's novels. However, Chen Xu's use of the footwork made the one-eyed instructor's attacks miss many times.
"Hmph, stop dodging and start attacking!"
The one-eyed instructor shouted and pressed himself against Chen Xu again, like a leech. His moves were fierce and powerful, and Chen Xu could only dodge and resist, finding it difficult to find an opportunity to counterattack.
Chen Xu had been wanting to try out the heavy-hitting move he had learned, but the problem was that the preparation time was too long—gathering his energy, taking a step, and attacking—it took at least three seconds. In such a fight, three seconds was enough time for him to be beaten to the ground by the one-eyed instructor.
Chen Xu's evasion likely triggered some kind of program setting... You see, these virtual reality games are incredibly realistic, with countless judgment mechanisms incorporated into them... For example, when Chen Xu first entered, the instructor said he hadn't been here for a long time. This triggered a system condition, and the system responded accordingly.
However, this game has far too many judgment mechanisms, which makes the game feel just like reality when the characters enter the game... For example, when facing Xiaomin, sometimes it is really hard to tell whether she is a real girl or not.
However, there is indeed no artificial intelligence, at least not in this supercomputer, but the anthropomorphism of the NPCs is already extremely high.
After the one-eyed instructor shouted, Chen Xu could sense a fierce glint in his single eye. If a child saw that look, they would definitely wet the bed in fear! But Chen Xu was no longer a child. Although the one-eyed instructor was formidable, Chen Xu's dodging and weaving had prevented him from getting hit hard. Instead, he was showing signs of becoming a match for the one-eyed instructor. This progress filled Chen Xu with immense excitement!
But Chen Xu's joy was short-lived. A fierce glint flashed in the one-eyed instructor's eyes, and his attacks became increasingly vicious and rapid. Finally, he unleashed a whip-like strike. Chen Xu, who had just taken a step and hadn't yet regained his balance, had no choice but to extend his arm to take the blow head-on! A crisp "crack" rang out! With his pain system fully activated, Chen Xu felt as if his arm had been forcefully whipped with a steel pipe; every bone in his arm ached!
This blow made Chen Xu wince in pain. He involuntarily staggered back a few steps.
That's amazing!