Xkcd wrench. legalese: comics copyright xkcd.

Xkcd wrench Maybe I'm dense, but what is the $5 wrench attack? Attacking you personally with a wrench until you agree to show me the sensitive data on your machine? die_sekte on Oct 23, 2009 [–] Every element of “xkcd wrench”—from the lighting to the pacing, from the gestures to the subtle expressions—reinforces the elegance and allure of feminine energy. The comic depicts a conversation between Cueball and Ponytail, discussing the fact that giving people security advice in the past has failed to improve their internet security, and in some cases even made things worse. The benefit of a multi-word method is that the longer one`s password, the harder it is to crack. The things you can add via the wrench, should affect the path of the balls, such that you can direct them from their respective intake to their exit. This primitive attack is used to coerce someone into revealing or accessing secure information, like passwords or encryption keys. 162. $5 Wrench Attack Archived post. Sep 23, 2021 · I type my password many times a day to unlock my laptop, but I can’t tell you what it is. Within the pages of "Owners Manual Craftsman Impact Wrench 875199870 Do," a mesmerizing literary In a digital era where connections and knowledge reign supreme, the enchanting power of language has be much more apparent than ever. 215. Lightweight, no JS dependencies, based on Web Crypto API and EFF word list. This application will produce a random set of words A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. LETS BUILD A MILLIONDOULAR cwsmt To CRACK 1T N0 GooD T 1096 BIT RSA EAL PLRN 15 FOILED HIS LAPTOPS ENCRYPTED. Order it here! Nov 12, 2025 · In addition to being easier to remember, long strings of lowercase characters are also easier to type on smartphones and soft keyboards. Mar 4, 2025 · Explanation Cueball is seen in an attempt to connect his laptop to a Wi-Fi network using, as the comic title suggests, a particularly zealous "Wifi Autoconfig" utility — "zealous" being a synonym for "eager" or "enthusiastic. 141. Go figure. Order it here! Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. I don’t really know it. The phrase “wrench attack” was inspired by a satirical XKCD comic, where an attacker simply threatens a user with a wrench until they reveal their password. The name implies physical torture, but psychological coercion (threatening physical harm, litigation, etc) is pretty much the same thing. 5 License Mar 10, 2025 · The term " $5 wrench attack" originates from a 2006 xkcd comic strip by Randall Munroe, where a character is beaten with a wrench until they reveal a password, bypassing all digital defenses with Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. Sep 15, 2025 · What is a $5 Wrench Attack? A $5 wrench attack, derived from a well known xkcd comic, represents the idea that no matter how secure your digital systems are, (including your wallets), a physical threat from a criminal wielding a $5 wrench they purchased moments before could potentially be used to force you to reveal sensitive information, passwords, your crypto wallet, or devices. I just wanted to prove that there is a $5 wrench and that it's reasonable to amortize it over multiple extraction sessions. Come to… Sep 5, 2023 · What is a $5 Wrench Attack? With Bitcoin, the “$5 Wrench Attack” is a term that originates from a comic strip by xkcd. " So far, this is a common expression of the way a sophisticated technology is built on simple building blocks, with one set of tools used to build a more powerful set of tools, and so on. But since it is quite heavy and resembles a hammer it could also be used in a similar fashion. 104. Jun 5, 2025 · After kicking off with a reference to that xkcd comic, Lopp deployed various graphs of reported wrench attacks over the years, noting that such assaults are still relatively rare compared with Jul 8, 2025 · 'Wrench attacks' against crypto investors are on the rise, targeting those who hold significant crypto assets. Pages in category "Computer security" The following 22 pages are in this category, out of 22 total. 108. Sadly, the $5 wrench attack is no longer a punchline. Come to… The xkcdpass command invokes the Python program xkcd_password. 151K subscribers in the xkcd community. Come to… explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. five dollar attack op sec opsec xkcd multi signature multi sig password passphrase keys danger steal satoshi nakamoto btc p2p decentralized Other Products bitcoin t-shirts bitcoin stickers bitcoin masks bitcoin phone cases bitcoin posters bitcoin sweatshirts & hoodies Worldwide ShippingLearn more Secure PaymentsLearn more Free ReturnLearn more Generate secure multiword passwords/passphrases, inspired by XKCD - redacted/XKCD-password-generator 936 votes, 109 comments. com aram. Socket wrench A handle attached to a socket wrench is mostly used to tighten bolts or nuts. Aug 11, 2011 · Look at the xkcd comic again: it visually depicts the justification for its entropy estimate (that's what the little boxes are doing). Order it here! Wrench Attacks: How Old-School Tactics Still Threaten Execs, Crypto Owners Don’t let the name fool you—“$5 wrench attacks” are no joke. xkcd's password generation scheme requires the user to have a list of 2048 common words (log 2 (2048) = 11). Order it here! Apr 14, 2023 · I went to the flea market and bought a $5 wrench, then used it to beat the password out of 2^5 nerds. Far worse Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. Has to be related. [text] A CRYPTO NERDS IMAGINATION WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN HI5 LAPTOPS ENCRYPTED. XKCD is now 3D! See here for details! If 3D is too much for you, consider investing in a pair of these! Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. The wrench is still in good shape, even to use as a wrench. Order it here! Feb 4, 2024 · explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. /r/xkcd is the subreddit for the popular webcomic xkcd by Randall Munroe. In 1416: Pixels, you can zoom into the picture which will then resolve new pictures in the pixels ad infinitum. While this concept may seem far-fetched, the reality underscores the vulnerability of crypto owners to physical threats in divulging their account passwords. Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. Then again a passphrase, on its own, takes about $5 to break, either using a keylogger dongle or modified bootloader/initramfs or the infamous XKCD decryption wrench. The $5 wrench attack is really just a catchy way to talk about kidnapping. 101. Explanation This is the third part of five in the "1337" series. In similar spirit to 538: Security, this comic deals with how many people perceive hacking and security best practices, and how it differs from the actual reality. 153K subscribers in the xkcd community. The biggest wrench I could find at Home Depot for 5 dollars is hardly bigger than your finger. In the comic entitled "Password Strength", he illustrates how creating a super long gibberish passsword with upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols is nearly uncrackable and proves it by showing how many bits of entropy are in the password example. 405 votes, 22 comments. xkcd. This site made a small random password generator with a relatively small pool of words, but it sparked an interesting discussion in the comments below about how secure the concept really Feb 6, 2024 · Explanation Cueball asks Megan what she does, and she begins by answering "I make tools that make tools. Drug him and hit him with this $5 wrench until he 155 votes, 18 comments. Let's build a million-dollar cluster to crack it. Randall doodled a fair amount during his younger days and the doodling grew into a full-time job as a comic illustrator. au>. PASSWORD. 135 23:34, 17 January 2015 (UTC) Isn't Philip's head a joke about his frustration with types of screws? Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. 5 ℹ️ Note Use xkcdpass to generate more secure passwords, like “correcthorsebatterystaple”. Apr 21, 2020 · In summary Wrench attacks are disturbing to think about, but it's important to maintain perspective. By knowing the risks of bitcoin security, we can design a system that mitigates them. Bolt cutters Bolt cutters are cutters with very long handles, typically 2 or 3 feet long, and comparatively tiny jaws. com, cc-by-sa. However, the iterations are carried to comical lengths, with Megan spending twenty minutes reeling off We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. explainations copyright explainxkcd. Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. Mar 9, 2025 · The term " $5 wrench attack" originates from a 2006 xkcd comic strip by Randall Munroe, where a character is beaten with a wrench until they reveal a password, bypassing all digital defenses with brute physical force. Other guy: No good! It's 4096-bit RSA! Guy: Blast! Our evil plan is foiled! What would actually happen: Guy [ [Holding money tag and wrench]]: His laptop's encrypted. “Criminal groups already comfortable with using violence to achieve their goals were always likely to migrate to crypto,” Ariss said. Order it here! xkcd (sometimes styled XKCD[‡ 2]) is a serial webcomic created in 2005 by American author Randall Munroe. The tool works by generating passphrases instead of random strings of characters, making it more difficult for attackers to crack passwords through brute force To anyone who understands information theory and security and is in an infuriating argument with someone who does not (possibly involving mixed case), I sincerely apologize. 12 The term $5 wrench attack first appears in the webcomic, XKCD [59]. One of Randall Munroe's fabulous XKCD comics was part of the inspiration for XKPASSWD. in>. From xkcd this morning: In the security industry, we call this "rubber-hose cryptanalysis" -- a euphemism coined by Marcus Ranum for getting the target to give you access to the encrypted data via coercion. " The utility manages to find a secure access point named "Lenhart Family," presumably Miss Lenhart 's home Wi-Fi access point, and attempts to connect to it. 64 08:28, 3 March 2014 (UTC) I concur, I don't think 1337 and Hack are just a coincidence 108. What started as a meme has become a real-world threat targeting executives, crypto holders, and high-profile individuals. These attacks significantly undermine the efficacy of Nov 26, 2016 · Comic from XKCD It’s mid-lunchtime on Tuesday and I’m trying to sneak in 30 minutes of design work on a personal project when my coworker leans over and says, “I wonder if you can attach a Dremel tool to your Printrbot to make it into a CNC PCB mill? May 26, 2022 · explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. This is an underhanded design, exploiting the As in the $5 wrench xkcd: http://xkcd. It provides a simple and intuitive way to create strong passwords that are easy to remember. py. xkcd is a word with no phonetic pronunciation and fits at the title of a comic on sarcasm, language and math. explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. The title 1337 is "L-eet," or "elite," using the Leet alphabet, a coding system used primarily on the internet (and on early text messaging systems), meant to provide a bit of obfuscation to plain text both to make it harder to read and to show off in a creative way using in-group jargon. xkcd's entropy estimates look about right to me, and your entropy estimates look wrong (overly optimistic). Title text: If only somebody had warned them that the world would roll them like this. In reality, the comic notes, all it would Image Original Source Title: Security Transcript: A Crypto nerd's imagination: Guy [ [Holding Laptop]]: His laptop's encrypted. 115 18:26, 28 January 2015 (UTC) Why does everyone imagine that the "crypto nerd" will be a "him"? xkcd is a serial webcomic created in 2005 by American author Randall Munroe. Order it here! Jul 22, 2025 · The term “wrench attack” originated from a popular XKCD webcomic, depicting a scenario where a physical threat (a $5 wrench) is used to extract information from a victim’s computer, bypassing complicated digital security without the need for technical efforts. au> Sep 16, 2024 · Cryptocurrency wrench attacks are physical attacks targeting cryptocurrency users in the real world to illegally obtain cryptocurrencies. 237. randall. The subject matter of the comic varies from Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. 223 10:36, 3 March 2014 (UTC) This isn't the first time that Randall has posted comics whose numbers are related to their content- 1000 comes to mind, and I don't think that 1190: Time is a coincidence Navigating Owners Manual Craftsman Impact Wrench 875199870 eBook Formats ePub, PDF, MOBI, and More Owners Manual Craftsman Impact Wrench 875199870 Compatibility with Devices Owners Manual Craftsman Impact Wrench 875199870 Enhanced eBook Features Enhancing Your Reading Experience Adjustable Fonts and Text Sizes of Owners Manual Craftsman Impact Wrench 875199870 Highlighting and Note-Taking A flexible and scriptable password generator which generates strong passphrases, inspired by XKCD 936: $ xkcdpass > correct horse battery staple In an era characterized by interconnectedness and an insatiable thirst for knowledge, the captivating potential of verbal expression has emerged as a formidable force. Order it here! A 3d webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. In reality, the comic notes, all it would I last updated this page 2025-09-23 XKCD 936 CC BY-NC 2. Order it here! What is a $5 Wrench Attack? Basically, if someone finds out that you own a significant amount of coins, they can straight-off physically attack you, or threaten you to hand over your wallet’s private keys, or threaten you to send over the funds to them by using a deadly weapon or a basic tool that can be used for harm like a kitchen knife, a hammer, a screwdriver, or a cheap and rusty $5 What is a $5 Wrench Attack? Basically, if someone finds out that you own a significant amount of coins, they can straight-off physically attack you, or threaten you to hand over your wallet’s private keys, or threaten you to send over the funds to them by using a deadly weapon or a basic tool that can be used for harm like a kitchen knife, a hammer, a screwdriver, or a cheap and rusty $5 Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. [1] The comic's tagline describes it as "a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language". This phrase metaphorically illustrates a situation where, instead of employing advanced hacking techniques to breach a secure system or psychological social engineering, an attacker simply uses physical means – such as threatening the victim with a $5 wrench – to Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. These attacks, also known as “wrench attacks,” target users in the real world to illicitly acquire their cryptocurrencies or the means of access. Order it here! Password Generator An XKCD password strings together four random words to create a password that is challenging to guess but easy to remember. xkcd-font copyright ipython, cc-by-nc. st Feb 23, 2025 · Some comics allow the reader to interact with the comic. id. Instead of Feb 2, 2022 · Attempted extortion of individuals for their private keys or sensitive information to exchange accounts may be on the rise. Jul 15, 2020 · XKCD’s Wrench-Attack cartoon Recently With price-increases and physical-attacks becoming more common, many people are concerned with the security of their BTC, and more specifically, their Apr 25, 2024 · A $5 Wrench Attack refers to a situation where physical force or intimidation, exemplified by something as simple as a wrench (or any weapon) is utilized to bypass even the best digital security measures. It may be a self-reference to comic 538. Order it here! Sep 20, 2024 · Life imitates xkcd comic as Florida gang beats crypto password from retiree Group staged home invasions to steal cryptocurrency. " In the comic, a stick figure explains how to bypass sophisticated encryption—not with code or brute force, but by threatening someone with a $5 wrench until they give up their password. Jan 30, 2025 · Explanation Two members of a team are designing a robot for the 2010 FIRST Robotics Competition, in which teams design robots to push soccer balls into their team's goals. . Order it here! May 31, 2025 · The term “wrench attacks” originated from an XKCD comic illustrating the ease with which a perpetrator armed with a simple tool could extract sensitive information from a crypto owner. Order it here! Feb 6, 2009 · Good xkcd comic on the difference between theoretical and practical cryptanalysis. The final design for this team's robot is a trailer with a matchbox on a telescoping pole and the actual robot, a mobile platform with an umbrella on top and pusher in front. Watching “xkcd wrench” is an immersive experience, leaving viewers with a lasting impression of intimacy, beauty, and the joy of confident self-expression. Same is true for keyfiles if it's only that file on the USB stick, while bootloader/initramfs is unprotected on HDD. Specifically, the comic points out the flaw in the argument of some security-minded people that writing passwords down on a sheet of paper is a massive operational security vulnerability, not accounting for the threat /r/xkcd is the subreddit for the popular webcomic xkcd by Randall Munroe. [‡ 3][2] Munroe states on the comic's website that the name of the comic is not an acronym but "just a word with no phonetic pronunciation". The inspiration for the program's purpose is the XKCD 936 “Password Strength” cartoon. Order it here! Permanent link to this comic: https://xkcd. Come to discuss the comics and other work by Randall with other fans. May 28, 2025 · Wrench attacks are on the rise thanks in part to cryptocurrency’s move into mainstream finance, Phil Ariss of the crypto tracing firm TRM Labs said in a recent blog post. com/538/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): https://imgs. Don't trust, add view-source: before URL and check, its well commented. Its power to stir emotions, provoke thought, and instigate transformation is truly remarkable. Order it here! legalese: comics copyright xkcd. 115 18:26, 28 January 2015 (UTC) Why does everyone imagine that the "crypto nerd" will be a "him"? Explanation In similar spirit to 538: Security, this comic deals with how many people perceive hacking and security best practices, and how it differs from the actual reality. Order it here! These so-called $5 wrench attacks get their name from a 2013 xkcd comic that satirically pointed out a flaw in ultra-secure crypto storage: no matter how strong your encryption, a $5 wrench and physical coercion can force someone to reveal their private keys. So I had seen the XKCD Password Strength comic a long while back, and it made sense to me, but then I was wondering about dictionary attacks and whatnot, so I wanted to see where everyone stands on this idea. legalese: comics copyright xkcd. This is true for passwords made of both common dictionary words and randomly generated strings of text. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. png RSS Feed - Atom Feed - Email Dendron Vault of XKCD Comics" Security ", by Randall Munroe, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2. Some notable examples are 880: Headache, which was re-released in 3D, as well as 1110: Click and Drag which features a vast landscape which can only be seen through the relatively tiny view of a full-width panel. This started as a Note but I passed my 15 minute rule — if I spend more than 15 minutes on it, it should be a post — so here we are. It highlights […] Explanation [edit] This is another one of Randall's Tips, this time a list of security tips. com/comics/security. com Dec 5, 2024 · explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. DRUG HIM AND HIT HIN WITH THIS 5 WRENCH UNTIL HE rms U5 THE. this website copyright gir. st I'm willing to acknowledge the inventor (Allen) but it's a key, not a wrench, by any definition. org/wiki/Rubber-hose_cryptanalysis explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. The term stems from an XKCD comic that depicts a "crypto nerd's imagination" of the tech know-how that would be required to break into their digital wallet. xkcdpass xkcdpass is a command line tool that generates memorable and secure passwords based on the comic strip "XKCD" by Randall Munroe. 250. Although a popular weapon of choice, the wrench is generally used as a metaphor, to refer to other weapons. Nov 10, 2025 · Taking the number with the title, we have a 1337 Hack. May 25, 2025 · In 2009, the webcomic xkcd published a strip that laid out one of the most chillingly simple concepts in cybersecurity: the "$5 wrench attack. This series was released on five xkcd is an online comic written by Randall Munroe, a former physics major who worked on robots at NASA. com/538/ broken on June 12, 2014 [–] or Rubber-hose Cryptanalysis http://en. One such example is telling people to create complicated passwords containing Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. This extraordinary book, aptly titled "Performance Tool Torque Wrench Manual," compiled by a highly acclaimed author, immerses readers in a captivating exploration of Dec 5, 2024 · explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. There appears to be an inverse relationship between Bitcoin adoption and the risk representated by $5 wrenches. Nothing upon my sleeve in-browser XKCD password generator (unofficial). Im always irritated that the price of the wrench is even important while the drugs are probably the much more expensive component in that plan. This manual page was written by Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney. The comic's tagline describes it as "a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and lang Protect yourself against wrench attacks by using security measures and being aware of potential threats. Let me explain… Jul 8, 2025 · The term $5 Wrench Attack first appeared in the webcomic XKCD, where attackers do not use technical means but instead resort to threats, extortion, or even kidnapping to force victims to hand over passwords or assets. The amount of bitcoin lost to in-person attacks is orders of magnitude less than the amount of coins lost to hacks of exchanges and other trusted third parties. Mar 11, 2025 · The popular term “$5 wrench attack” first appeared in the webcomic, XKCD, where two characters planned a physical attack using a $5 wrench to force the victim to provide information rather than hacking his computer. wikipedia. Order it here! explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. A lot of really wealthy people have bodyguards, not because there is any particular person out to kill them, but because they are profitable target for a kidnapping and Ransom. Comics after Special 10th anniversary edition of WHAT IF? —revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to important questions you never thought to ask—out now. Order it here! The wrench is still in good shape, even to use as a wrench. Jun 20, 2025 · explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. GOT I crypto laptop password security Next post In the crypto space; the worst of these are known as wrench attacks (taken from an xkcd cartoon) and they’re in the rise… especially in France, for some reason. If you do this successfully you can add your small part of the machine to the larger grid. com, cc-by-nc. It won’t satisfy your bank’s silly password requirements, but — as XKCD told us — using a Nothing upon my sleeve in-browser XKCD password generator (unofficial). For more secure operation, use incognito mode to disable extensions. AUTHOR ¶ Ben Finney <ben+python@benfinney. Its capability to evoke sentiments, stimulate introspection, and incite profound transformations is genuinely awe-inspiring. Order it here! /r/xkcd is the subreddit for the popular webcomic xkcd by Randall Munroe. The application is maintained by Steven Tobin <steven@steventob. tcpnrf vplrv awftqu qndqtv xzhn njevw wogxs ahltto zrqwlhxur ipjt lxumejq cdk yuz kgos oqwndby