crunch

wordlist generator for password testing

TLDR

Generate all combinations of specified length using default charset

$ crunch [4] [6]

Generate wordlist with custom character set

$ crunch [4] [4] [abc123]

Output wordlist to file

$ crunch [6] [8] -o [wordlist.txt]

Generate with pattern (@ = lowercase, , = uppercase, % = number, ^ = symbol)

$ crunch [8] [8] -t [@@@@%%%%]

Limit output file size (e.g., 10MB per file)

$ crunch [6] [6] -b [10mb] -o [START]

Generate using words from a file

$ crunch [4] [4] -p [word1] [word2] [word3]

SYNOPSIS

crunch min-len max-len [charset] [options]

crunch is a wordlist generator that creates lists of all possible combinations based on specified criteria. It's commonly used in authorized penetration testing for creating password lists, brute-force dictionaries, and testing security measures.The tool generates combinations efficiently, supporting custom character sets, patterns, and size limits. Patterns allow mixing character types (letters, numbers, symbols) in specific positions. The permutation mode creates all arrangements of given words.Output can be piped to other tools or split into manageable file sizes for large wordlists. Compression options help manage disk space for extensive generations.

PARAMETERS

MIN-LEN

Minimum length of generated strings.

MAX-LEN

Maximum length of generated strings.

CHARSET

Characters to use for generation (default: lowercase alphabet).

-o FILE

Output to file instead of stdout.

-t PATTERN

Specify pattern using placeholders (@ , % ^).

-b SIZE

Split output into files of specified size.

-c COUNT

Number of lines per output file.

-p WORDS

Generate permutations of specified words.

-d NUM

Limit consecutive duplicate characters.

-e STRING

Stop generating words at the specified string.

-f FILE CHARSET

Read character set from a file (e.g., charset.lst).

-i

Invert output so the first character changes most often.

-l CHARS

Treat characters as literals in the -t pattern (overrides @,%^).

-s STRING

Start at specified string (for resuming).

-u

Disable the print-percentage thread.

-z COMP

Compress output (gzip, bzip2, lzma, 7z).

CAVEATS

Large wordlists can consume significant disk space and generation time. Use responsibly and only for authorized security testing. Ensure adequate storage before generating large lists. Consider the exponential growth of combinations with length.

HISTORY

crunch was developed for the security community as a flexible wordlist generator. It became a standard tool in penetration testing distributions like Kali Linux. The tool enables security professionals to test password policies and authentication systems.