Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!ncar!ames!haven!ncifcrf!nlm-mcs!adm!xadmx!rbj@nav.icst.nbs.gov From: rbj@nav.icst.nbs.gov (Root Boy Jim) Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards Subject: Worm/Passwords Message-ID: <17668@adm.BRL.MIL> Date: 30 Nov 88 17:16:58 GMT Sender: news@adm.BRL.MIL Lines: 39 ? In article <10@herron.uucp>, jbrown@herron.uucp (Jordan Brown) writes: ? > jbayer@ispi.UUCP writes: ? > > It is possible to adopt a single system, if that system is random. For ? > > example, I have included below a random password generating program, ... ? > ? > Somebody go by this fellow's office and look at all the desk blotters and ? > scraps of paper to find written-down passwords. Then log in and mail him ? > a note to go watch War Games. ? (mild flame) ? Mr. Brown, ? Instead of being critical without offering suggestions, why don't you ? shut up? The program I posted was an example. We don't use it here because ? WE ARE TOO SMALL. I have seen other critisisms of my program, but they ? were constructive in that they were pointing out problems with it. I challenge ? you to develop a program which will create random passwords which will be ? easy to remember. The challenge includes posting it to the net in less than ? 200 lines. If you do this then you will have contributed something worthy to ? the net instead of useless abuse. ? (flame off) ? Jonathan Bayer ? Intelligent Software Products, Inc. Sorry, bozo, why don't *YOU* shut up! I hope you and your company of dwarves** never sell that program, and anyone who buys it would be a fool. Besides Jordan Brown's objections, you are artificially limiting the password name space. And if such a program became widespread, crackers could encrypt its output as well as the dictionary. THINK before you post suggestions about improving security; oftentimes the obvious solutions actually decrease security instead of improving it. (Root Boy) Jim Cottrell (301) 975-5688or Crackers and Worms -- Breakfast of Champions! ** see the phrase I capitalized from his quote