How many password cracking programs are there?

[winshel () camden rutgers edu]

This may seem like a silly question but, in many discussions of how windows password cracking programs work, it seems 
that the same small number of password cracking programs are mentioned (e.g., John the Ripper,L0phtCrack,).

In order to understand how to protect a windows computer from password cracking software, it would seem necessary to 
understand how the current password cracking programs work.  But, aren't there lots and lots and lots of password 
cracking programs?  There's tens of thousands of virus programs - is there not a large number of password cracking 
programs?

Thanks.


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