MSSQL(2014) Hash

What is MSSQL(2014)?

The **MSSQL(2014)** hash format, introduced by Microsoft in SQL Server 2014, is a proprietary cryptographic hash designed specifically for password storage within its relational database engine. Structurally, it is a **deterministic, non-reversible** hash derived from a modified version of the **SHA-256** algorithm, with an internal salt appended to the input before hashing. Unlike raw SHA-256, MSSQL(2014) incorporates a **fixed-length salt** (16 bytes) and a **customized iteration count** (default: 100,000 iterations) to mitigate brute-force attacks. The output is a **248-bit hash** (31 bytes) stored in binary format, where the first 16 bytes represent the salt, followed by the hashed password. This format was primarily intended to enhance security over legacy SQL Server hashes (e.g., MSSQL(2008)) by increasing computational overhead, though it retained compatibility with SQL Server’s authentication framework. The algorithm’s design prioritized performance for internal use over cryptographic rigor, making it vulnerable to targeted attacks despite its iterative nature.

The **MSSQL(2014)** hash is susceptible to cracking due to **three critical weaknesses**: **predictable iteration count, lack of per-password salting, and GPU/ASIC optimizability**. Unlike modern key-stretching functions (e.g., Argon2 or bcrypt), its fixed iteration count (100K SHA-256 rounds) can be bypassed via **optimized GPU-based attacks**, such as those leveraging CUDA or OpenCL to parallelize hash computations. Additionally, the **salt is not unique per password**—it is derived from a **static seed** (e.g., the server’s SID) combined with the username, enabling **rainbow table precomputation** for common passwords. Collision resistance is further compromised by SHA-256’s **compression function**, which allows for **length-extension attacks** if improperly implemented (though MSSQL(2014) mitigates this via fixed-length inputs). Finally, the **iterative design lacks adaptive difficulty**, as the iteration count is not dynamically adjusted based on hardware advancements, rendering it vulnerable to **brute-force optimizations** (e.g., FPGA/ASIC acceleration) that outpace its original security assumptions. These flaws collectively render MSSQL(2014) **suitable only for legacy systems** where stronger alternatives (e.g., PBKDF2 with high iterations or bcrypt) are impractical.

Identifying MSSQL(2014) Hashes

Identifying a hash blindly is often difficult because multiple algorithms can output strings of the exact same length. For example, a standard 32-character hexadecimal string could be MD5, NTLM, MD4, or LM. To definitively identify MSSQL(2014), security researchers analyze the hash against a strict regular expression (regex) signature (shown above) to find structural matches.

How to Crack MSSQL(2014)

If you need to recover the plaintext password for a MSSQL(2014) hash during a penetration test or forensics investigation, you must supply the correct module ID to your cracking software. Use the exact commands provided at the top of this page to target the hash successfully.