Here are more details on the power consumption of my desktop computer when I crack passwords (cfr diary entry "Quickie: Password Cracking & Energy").

The vertical scale of this chart is expressed in Watts:

1. 0 Watt: my desktop computer is turned off
2. 76 Watt average: my desktop computer is turned on & idling
3. 151 Watt average: hashcat is running in dictionary attack mode cracking SHA256 hashes
4. 445 Watt average: hashcat is running in brute-force attack mode cracking SHA256 hashes

The most power is required (445 Watt) when hashcat is using the GPU ( NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080) in brute-force attack mode. For comparison, 445 Watt average continuous is enough to heat my office in winter to a nice & comfy temperature, I don't need central heating in that room when hashcat is running for many hours.

You might wonder if 445 Watt is enough for that, given that electrical heaters typically come in 1000+ Watt models. But electrical heaters don't consume electrical power constantly to heat a room, they have a thermostat that shuts of current flow regularly when the desired room temperature is reached. They are more powerfull so that they can heat up a room faster. While my desktop computer requires 445 Watt continuously when cracking with the GPU.

Didier Stevens
Senior handler
blog.DidierStevens.com