Essay about Passwords

Submitted By D4hv83V4n788

Words: 306

Pages: 2

Open Document

Alpha-numeric passwords were first introduced in the 1960s as a solution to security issues that became evident as the first multi-user operating systems were being developed. As the name indicates, an alpha-numeric password is simply a string of letters and digits. Although almost any string can serve as a password, these passwords only offer good security as long as they are complicated enough so that they cannot be deduced or guessed.

Commonly used guidelines for alpha-numeric passwords are:
The password should be at least 8 characters long.
The password should not be easy to relate to the user (e.g., last name, birth date).
The password should not be a word that can be found in a dictionary or public directory.
Ideally, the user should combine upper and lower case letters and digits.

Since the best password would be a completely random one, people have devised ways to create pseudo-random passwords. One such method is to take a common word and perform certain actions on it. Using the word Dinosaur as an example, users often create passwords such as DiNoSaUr (by alternating upper and lower case), rUaSoNiD (by reversing the string), oSNaiUDr (by shuffling the string), D9n6s7u3 (combining numbers and letters). However, the better the password is, the harder it is to remember.

Another drawback of alpha-numeric password is the dictionary attack. Because of the difficulty in remembering random strings of characters, most users tend to choose a common word,

Essay On Password Sniffers

Running Head: Password Sniffers 1 PASSWORD SNIFFERS Elbert Hood SEC 405 Professor Bouaffo J. Kouame, Ph.D. 10/15/2012 Password Sniffers 2 In today society everyone has passwords to get access to their cellphones, programs, home computers, online bill pay, bank accounts and so forth. It is very important that people understand the importance of ensuring that your password is safe. You can consider your password like your combination to your safe. This is where…

Words 797 - Pages 4

Marketing: Cryptography and Password Breeches Essay

LinkedIn Passwords Melinda Youngs Indiana Wesleyan University The world in which we now live is full of computers and password in which we use to get onto those computers. We hear of password breeches everyday on the news. If could be a company computer was hacked or that an email scam sent a virus to a computer and security was breeched. There are several ways to protect yourself from having your password compromised. The other side of the fence is what happens…

Words 357 - Pages 2

Essay on Password and Lipscomb it 222 Microsoft

Questions from Chapter 5 1. Name the four security guidelines you should consider regarding the administrator account. -cryptic password - provide username for account -setting firewall - manage desktop 2. Passwords that combine letters (of mixed cases), digits, and special characters are referred to ___cryptic________ passwords. (page 103 in chapter 5 and 127-128 in chapter 6) 3. A(n) _______ADDS____________ is issued to the user upon logon and it is referenced…

Words 444 - Pages 2

Password Fail: Are Your Workers Using 123456?

Password Fail: Are Your Workers Using 123456? The article showed concerns about how passwords were and will be repeated in years to come. The writer points out how Internet users and Corporations are unaware that not remembering your password could put them at risk of being hacked. Also showing that people are just not as concern for they computer safety. SplashaData, a company located in California, provides software that is used to audit and provide security training in password management…

Words 339 - Pages 2

Would You Mind, Can I Have Your Facebook Password? Essay

Facebook Password? Nikki Gardner Roberts Wesleyan College Social media has connected the entire world to one another. It has become a cornerstone of communication in the 21st century with websites such as Google, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to name a few. Since this large boom in social media usage in the past 10 years, many issues have arose with it as well. One of these issues was addressed and discussed in the essay, “Why Asking for a Job Applicant’s Facebook Password is Fair…

Words 815 - Pages 4

When a Password Just Isn't Enough: the Use of Fingerprint Readers to Secure Information Essay examples

Submitted by: ddee428 3/8/2013 When a Password Just Isn’t Enough: the Use of Fingerprint Readers to Secure Information WHEN A PASSWORD JUST ISN’T ENOUGH: THE USE OF FINGERPRINT READERS TO SECURE INFORMATION Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………..2 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….3 What is it and why should I use it? .............……………………………………………..4 Disadvantages ……………………………………………………………………………..5 Advantages ….……………………………………………………………………………..6 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………

Words 2031 - Pages 9

Nt1330 Unit 3 Assignment 1 Term Paper

someone uses a dictionary attack- trying all passwords from a dictionary, exhaustive search- trying all possible combinations, or intelligent search - trying passwords that are associated with user's attributes. To bypass your system password according to (Gollmann, D. 2011 p.51-53). 3.1 Answer The defences are to change default passwords, passwords that are given to you when an system are delivered and come with a default password. Make sure that the password has a good length to prevent lower the chances…

Words 1468 - Pages 6

Questions On Strong Security

File Formats Easy Database Transfer Support of Password Groups Time Fields and Entry Attachments Auto-Type, Global Auto-Type Hot Key and Drag&Drop Intuitive and Secure Clipboard Handling Searching and Sorting Multi-Language Support Strong Random Password Generator Plugin Architecture Open Source! Strong Security KeePass supports the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES, Rijndael) and the Twofish algorithm to encrypt its password databases. Both of these ciphers are regarded as…

Words 3186 - Pages 13

question 9 Essay

Question 9 Why is the user likely to forget username and password? Explain clearly with reference to human memory what the difficulties are. Suggest ways in which designers can help users to use their memories effectively. Introduction The aim of this essay is to understand and find why some user identification methods cause forgetfulness. In the context of a user who has just registered with an online supermarket, his password as “doggone9" is sent and confirmed through email and not the…

Words 1080 - Pages 5

Unit 2.3 Assignment 1 Comparative Analysis

Tests A pbp-generator is used to generate a pattern-based dictionary file from the original rockyou password list which contains 14,344,399 unique passwords. pbp-generator generated a pattern-based dictionary file that contains 2,247,786,433 (circa 2.3 billion) unique passwords. The new dictionary file contains 156 times more passwords compared with the rockyou list. Having two different password files (i.e. the original rockyou list and the generated pattern-based dictionary file), dictionary attacks…

Words 762 - Pages 4