Checksum question 2

[BigDoug]

I have a question about how to determine a checksum. If I have a checksum of say 854, how would I determine what is the actual txt file input necessary to equal a checksum of 854? Is there an easy way to do this. Basically, I want to take a known checksum value and determine what ascii text it would take to equal that checksum. Is it possible?

Be patient and you will finally win, for a soft tongue can break hard bones.

(Proverbs 28:13)

 

[Coderifous]

First take the letter 'a', and apply it to the checksum algorithm. If that does not work, scratch the letter 'a' off of your notepad. Then, after going through all the single letter possiblities, start again with 'aa', and go down that list, scratching off the wrong answers as you go. Eventually you will tire and realize that cracking checksums is a very hard thing to do, if not impossible. The only way I know of is the "Brute Force" method, sord-of described above (don't really use paper/pen, let the cracker keep track), and those can run for nearly infinite amounts of time.

The normal, legitimate use of a checksum does not require having to reverse engineer it. Are you sure you are using it the right way? What is your application?

Anyways, uhhh, hope that "soft tongue" is working out for ya.

--jim

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