We will be using an unpatched version Windows 7 as the target, so if you have a copy lying around, feel free to use it. Metasploit actually contains a little-known module version of JTR that can be used to quickly crack weak passwords, so let's explore it in an attempt to save precious time and effort.

It's a powerful piece of software that can be configured and used in many different ways. There are many password-cracking tools out there, but one of the mainstays has always been John the Ripper.