Rainbow table attacks are a type of cyber attack that utilize precomputed tables for reversing cryptographic hash functions, primarily targeting password hashes. These tables contain a vast number of possible plaintext passwords and their corresponding hash values, allowing an attacker to quickly look up the original password instead of computing the hash on the fly. This method takes advantage of the fact that many users choose weak passwords and reuse them across multiple services, making it easier for attackers to compromise accounts.
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