Unlock RAR Archives on Mac with These Powerful Tools
Advanced RAR Password Recovery for Mac
RAR is a popular file format for compressing and archiving data. It can reduce the size of large files, save disk space, and make file transfer faster and easier. However, sometimes you may need to protect your RAR files with passwords, especially if they contain sensitive or confidential information. Password protection can prevent unauthorized access, modification, or deletion of your files.
advanced rar password recovery for mac
But what if you forget or lose your RAR password? Or what if you download a RAR file from the internet and it asks for a password that you don't know? In these cases, you may need to recover your RAR password in order to extract your files. However, this can be challenging, especially if you are using a Mac computer. Unlike Windows, Mac does not have many built-in or native tools for cracking RAR passwords. You may need to use third-party software or online services to do the job.
In this article, we will show you how to recover RAR passwords on Mac using three different methods: cRARk, Passware RAR Key, and online services. We will explain what each method is, how it works, how to use it, and what are its pros and cons. By the end of this article, you will be able to choose the best method for your situation and unlock your RAR files with ease.
How to Recover RAR Passwords on Mac Using cRARk
cRARk is a freeware command-line tool that can crack passwords for RAR archives. It uses brute-force or dictionary attacks to try different combinations of characters until it finds the correct password. It supports all versions of WinRAR, including 5.x, and can handle multi-volume archives. It also supports GPU acceleration, which can speed up the cracking process.
What is cRARk and How it Works
cRARk is based on the concept of entropy, which is the amount of chaos or randomness in a system. The lower the entropy, the more predictable the system is. For example, a password that consists of only lowercase letters has lower entropy than a password that mixes uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. The lower the entropy of a password, the easier it is for cRARk to crack it.
cRARk uses two main parameters to measure the entropy of a password: perplexity and burstiness. Perplexity measures the complexity of text, while burstiness measures the variation of sentence length. Humans tend to write with greater burstiness, for example, by alternating between longer and shorter sentences. This helps to keep the reader engaged and prevents monotony. On the other hand, AI sentences tend to be more uniform in length, resulting in a monotonous and boring read. How to Recover RAR Passwords on Mac Using Passware RAR Key
Passware RAR Key is a commercial software that can recover passwords for RAR archives. It uses a combination of brute-force, dictionary, and known-plaintext attacks to try different passwords until it finds the correct one. It supports all versions of WinRAR, including 5.x, and can handle multi-volume archives. It also supports multi-core CPUs and GPU acceleration, which can improve the cracking speed.
What is Passware RAR Key and How it Works
Passware RAR Key is a part of Passware Kit, a suite of password recovery tools for various file formats and applications. Passware RAR Key can be purchased separately or as a part of Passware Kit. It works by analyzing the RAR archive and applying different types of attacks to crack the password. The types of attacks are:
Brute-force attack: This attack tries all possible combinations of characters until it finds the password. It is the most comprehensive but also the slowest type of attack.
Dictionary attack: This attack tries words from a predefined list or a custom dictionary until it finds the password. It is faster than brute-force but less effective if the password is not a common word.
Known-plaintext attack: This attack uses a sample file from the RAR archive that is not encrypted or has a known password to find the password for the whole archive. It is the fastest type of attack but requires prior knowledge of the archive contents.
Passware RAR Key can automatically choose the best type of attack based on the characteristics of the RAR archive. It can also combine different types of attacks to increase the chances of finding the password.
How to Purchase and Install Passware RAR Key on Mac
To purchase and install Passware RAR Key on Mac, you will need to follow these steps:
Visit the official website of Passware and choose Passware RAR Key from the products list. You can also choose Passware Kit if you want to have access to other password recovery tools.
Select the edition that suits your needs and budget. There are three editions available: Standard, Professional, and Forensic. The main difference between them is the number of supported file formats and applications, as well as the availability of GPU acceleration and distributed processing.
Add the product to your cart and proceed to checkout. You will need to provide your personal and payment information, as well as agree to the terms and conditions.
After completing your purchase, you will receive an email with your license key and a download link for Passware RAR Key.
Download Passware RAR Key from the link provided and install it on your Mac. You will need to enter your license key during the installation process.
How to Use Passware RAR Key to Unlock RAR Archives
To use Passware RAR Key to unlock RAR archives, you will need to follow these steps:
Launch Passware RAR Key on your Mac and click on the "Recover File Password" button.
Select the RAR file that you want to crack and click on "Open".
Passware RAR Key will start analyzing the file and choose the best type of attack for it. You can also customize the settings for each type of attack by clicking on the "Options" button.
Click on "Start" to begin the cracking process. You can monitor the progress and speed on the screen. You can also pause, resume, or stop the process at any time.
If Passware RAR Key finds the password, it will display it on the screen and save it in a text file. You can then use it to extract your files from the RAR archive.
Pros and Cons of Passware RAR Key
Passware RAR Key has some advantages and disadvantages as a method of RAR password recovery on Mac. Here are some of them:
ProsCons
- It is easy to use and has a user-friendly interface.- It is not free and requires a license key to use.
- It supports multi-core CPUs and GPU acceleration, which can make it faster than other methods.- It may not work with some older versions of WinRAR or some non-standard RAR archives.
- It supports all versions of WinRAR, including 5.x.- It may not be able to crack - It may not be able to crack very complex passwords with high entropy or unknown encryption algorithms.
- It can handle multi-volume archives.- It requires internet connection and activation to use.
- It has some recovery options and features, such as pause, resume, save progress, and auto-shutdown.- It may have some compatibility issues with some Mac models or operating systems.
How to Recover RAR Passwords on Mac Using Online Services
Online services are websites that can recover passwords for RAR archives. They work by uploading your RAR file to their server and using their own software or hardware to crack the password. They then send you the password or the unlocked file via email or download link. Online services can be convenient and fast, but they also have some risks and limitations.
What are Online Services for RAR Password Recovery and How They Work
Online services for RAR password recovery are websites that offer password cracking as a service. They usually charge a fee for their service, either per file or per subscription. Some examples of online services for RAR password recovery are:
Password-online.com: This website claims to be able to recover passwords for various file formats, including RAR, ZIP, PDF, Word, Excel, and more. It charges $29 per file and guarantees a 100% success rate.
LostMyPass.com: This website offers two types of services for RAR password recovery: basic and premium. The basic service is free and can crack passwords up to 6 characters long. The premium service costs $39 per file and can crack passwords up to 20 characters long.
Password-find.com: This website specializes in recovering passwords for Microsoft Office files, but it also supports RAR files. It charges $19 per file and claims to have a 61% success rate.
Online services for RAR password recovery work by uploading your RAR file to their server and using their own software or hardware to crack the password. They may use different types of attacks, such as brute-force, dictionary, or known-plaintext, depending on the complexity of the password. They may also use cloud computing or distributed processing to speed up the cracking process. Once they find the password, they will send it to you via email or download link. Alternatively, they may send you the unlocked file instead of the password.
How to Choose a Reliable and Secure Online Service
Online services for RAR password recovery can be convenient and fast, but they also have some risks and limitations. Here are some factors that you should consider before choosing an online service:
Security: Uploading your RAR file to an online service means that you are entrusting your data to a third party. This can expose your data to potential hacking, theft, or misuse. Therefore, you should choose an online service that has a good reputation, a secure connection, and a clear privacy policy. You should also avoid uploading any files that contain sensitive or confidential information.
Success rate: Online services may not be able to crack all types of passwords, especially if they are very complex or use unknown encryption algorithms. Therefore, you should choose an online service that has a high success rate and a money-back guarantee. You should also check the reviews and testimonials from other users to verify the quality of the service.
Speed: Online services may take different amounts of time to crack passwords, depending on the size of the file, the complexity of the password, and the availability of the server. Therefore, you should choose an online service that has a fast turnaround time and a reliable customer support. You should also check the status and progress of your file on the website.
Cost: Online services may charge different fees for their service, either per file or per subscription. Therefore, you should choose an online service that has a reasonable and transparent pricing policy. You should also compare the cost and benefits of different online services before making a decision.
How to Upload and Download RAR Files Using Online Services
To upload and download RAR files using online services, you will need to follow these steps:
Select an online service that suits your needs and budget from the list above or from your own research.
Visit the website of the online service and follow the instructions on how to upload your RAR file. You may need to provide your email address or create an account on the website.
Wait for the online service to crack your password or unlock your file. You can check the status and progress of your file on the website.
Once the online service finds your password or - Once the online service finds your password or unlocks your file, it will send it to you via email or download link. You may need to verify your email address or enter a captcha code to access the password or file.
Download the password or file from the email or link and use it to extract your files from the RAR archive.
Pros and Cons of Online Services
Online services have some advantages and disadvantages as a method of RAR password recovery on Mac. Here are some of them:
ProsCons
- They are easy to use and do not require any installation or technical skills.- They are not free and may have hidden fees or charges.
- They can be faster than other methods, as they use their own software or hardware to crack passwords.- They may not be secure or reliable, as they involve uploading your data to a third party.
- They can support all versions of WinRAR, including 5.x.- They may have some limitations on the size, number, or type of files that they can handle.
- They can handle multi-volume archives.- They may not be able to crack very complex passwords with high entropy or unknown encryption algorithms.
- They do not require any internet connection or activation to use.- They do not have any recovery options or features, such as pause, resume, or save progress.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to recover RAR passwords on Mac using three different methods: cRARk, Passware RAR Key, and online services. We have explained what each method is, how it works, how to use it, and what are its pros and cons. Here is a summary of the main points:
cRARk is a freeware command-line tool that uses brute-force or dictionary attacks to crack passwords. It supports GPU acceleration and multi-volume archives, but it is not user-friendly and does not support multi-core CPUs or encrypted file names or headers.
Passware RAR Key is a commercial software that uses a combination of brute-force, dictionary, and known-plaintext attacks to crack passwords. It supports multi-core CPUs and GPU acceleration and has some recovery options and features, but it is not free and may not work with some older versions of WinRAR or some non-standard RAR archives.
Online services are websites that offer password cracking as a service. They are easy to use and can be fast, but they are not free and may not be secure or reliable. They may also have some limitations on the size, number, or type of files that they can handle.
The best method for recovering RAR passwords on Mac depends on your situation and preferences. You should consider the following factors before choosing a method:
The complexity and entropy of the password: The more complex and random the password is, the harder it is to crack. You should choose a method that can handle high-entropy passwords, such as Passware RAR Key or online services.
The size and number of files: The larger and more numerous the files are, the longer it takes to upload, download, or process them. You should choose a method that can handle large or multiple files, such as cRARk or Passware RAR Key.
The security and privacy of your data: The more sensitive or confidential your data is, the more cautious you should be about uploading it to a third party. You should choose a method that does not require internet connection or upload any files online, such as cRARk.
The cost and budget of your project: The more money you are willing to spend on your project, the more options you have. You should choose a method that fits your budget and offers a good value for money, such as Passware RAR Key or online services.
We hope that this article has helped you learn how to recover RAR passwords on Mac using different methods. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about RAR password recovery on Mac:
What is the difference between RAR and ZIP files?
RAR and ZIP are both file formats for compressing and archiving data. They have some similarities and differences in terms of features and performance. Here are some of them:
RARZIPZIP
- It uses a proprietary compression algorithm that offers higher compression ratio and better security.- It uses a standard compression algorithm that is widely supported and compatible with most platforms and applications.
- It can create multi-volume archives that can be split into smaller files.- It can create single-volume archives that can be compressed into one file.
- It can encrypt file names and headers, as well as file contents, with AES-256 encryption.- It can encrypt file contents only, with AES-256 or ZipCrypto encryption.
- It can recover damaged or corrupted archives using recovery records or volumes.- It cannot recover damaged or corrupted archives, unless they have a backup or a copy.
- It can create solid archives that treat multiple files as one, which can improve compression but reduce extraction speed.- It cannot create solid archives, but it can compress each file individually, which can reduce compression but improve extraction speed.
How long does it take to crack a RAR password?
The time it takes to crack a RAR password depends on several factors, such as:
The length and complexity of the password: The longer and more complex the password is, the more combinations of characters it has, and the harder it is to crack. For example, a 4-character password with only lowercase letters has 26^4 possible combinations, while a 8-character password with mixed letters, numbers, and symbols has 95^8 possible combinations.
The type and speed of the cracking method: The type and speed of the cracking method determines how many passwords it can try per second. For example, a brute-force attack tries all possible combinations in a sequential order, while a dictionary attack tries words from a predefined list or a custom dictionary. A brute-force attack is more comprehensive but slower than a dictionary attack. A cracking method that uses GPU acceleration or distributed processing can also be faster than one that uses CPU only.
The version and encryption of the RAR archive: The version and encryption of the RAR archive affects how difficult it is to crack the password. For example, WinRAR 5.x uses AES-256 encryption, which is more secure and harder to crack than WinRAR 4.x or earlier versions. A RAR archive that encrypts file names and headers, as well as file contents, is also more difficult to crack than one that encrypts file contents only.
Therefore, the time it takes to crack a RAR password can vary from seconds to hours to days to years, depending on the factors above. There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on each specific case. However, you can use some online calculators or estimators to get an approximate idea of how long it may take to crack your password. For example, you can use this website: https://www.passwordrecoverytools.com/tool_rar.asp
How secure are online services for RAR password recovery?
Online services for RAR password recovery are not very secure, as they involve uploading your data to a third party. This can expose your data to potential hacking, theft, or misuse. Even if the online service claims to have a secure connection and a clear privacy policy, there is no guarantee that your data will be safe and protected. Therefore, you shoul