16
Tue, Apr
7 New Articles

Being Cute with Passwords Eventually Might Be Very Costly

Compliance / Privacy
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Using a random-number generator, however, can give you an unbreakable password.

 

I've been writing for the past few weeks about security and encryption and ways to take care of yourself and your computer in the face of some pretty--shall we say--"obsessive behavior" by numerous people using the Internet who aren't very nice.

 

I have to confess that when I thought up my most common password, variations of which I use for just about everything, I imagined a classroom of sixth-graders sitting around trying to guess what it is. "No, Johnnie, that's not it! Try again!" I'm usually pretty good at guessing things myself, probably because I've read so many newspapers in my time that I've been exposed to a lot of information. One gal-pal challenged me to guess where her user ID came from, and I finally figured out it was the call sign, or tail number, from an airplane. Turned out the number had been on a plane owned by her father, who had since passed away.

 

One name I never guessed was the middle name of a gal I longed for when I was 22. She made guessing it a right of passage, for some reason, and I kept trying to guess it but never could. I finally read it in the newspaper in the notice of engagement--to someone else. Maybe he guessed it?

 

But here's the thing: Today, if someone is trying to get into your computer, they are not sitting around saying, "Could his password be his birthday? What about his social security number? Maybe he uses his street address?" And for some of us, they probably would guess it that way outright, but no, they are using very sophisticated software programs that already have tables of passwords that people have previously shown they already use. They are using botnets (robot networks) that employ the resources of not hundreds, but thousands of computers around the world that will try every conceivable possible password until they get it right in order to hack into your or your company's computer files. Now if your password is your son's birthday, just how long do you think such a password is going to hold up against such an onslaught?

 

"Oh, but we have nothing to steal. Why would anyone be interested in breaking into our computer? Besides, there are so many computers out there. By the time they get around to ours, we'll probably be dead." Such is the mindset of a lot of people who use "sexylady" or "joanie123" as passwords. Well, if you are so sure no one is going to break into your computer, then why bother with any password at all? Sadly, that is exactly the conclusion that many people today come to. They simply choose, quite consciously, not to secure their computers at any level. It's too much work.

 

If you're one of those people, then stop reading this article right now. I can't help you. No one can help you. You're beyond help. However, if you're someone who cares about your property and the property of others possibly in your charge, someone who wants to use a password that really can stop a tank, then I'll tell you how you can get some really brawny, really sinewy, well, essentially un-guessable passwords. This, of course, is especially important when configuring a wireless WEP or WPA network.

 

Come on down to Perfect Passwords. This is a site operated by a guy named Steve Gibson of Gibson Research Corp. (thus http://www.grc.com/), and it's quite amazing. Perfect Passwords is just one of the free services Steve offers while he's inviting people to his site from where he sells software, which you will probably be intrigued by too once you visit. I won't go into the other products or areas of the site, but Perfect Passwords is where you can go to get really bulletproof passwords. As Steve says on his site, "generating long, high-quality random passwords is not simple."

 

Each time the Perfect Passwords page is displayed, the GRC server generates a unique set of custom, high-quality, cryptographic-strength password strings that are as close to being unbreakable as you can get. The way it works is pretty simple but elegantly clever. Every time you click your browser's refresh button, the password strings change. The cool thing about them? They are as close to completely random as you can get. He calls it "pseudo random," but he's a purist. The passwords are 256 binary bits, which result from a string of 64 hex characters, since each character encodes 4 bits of binary data. Of course, you have to have network devices that allow the 256-bit key material to be specified as raw hex. Since many don't, you might consider running two WiFi networks in parallel or using weaker WEP encryption. But as even Steve concedes finally, "any encryption is better than no encryption."

 

When you look at these passwords produced by a random-number generator, ask yourself again if your imaginary sixth-grade class could even come close to guessing them. I think you will agree that the answer is no, no, a billion times no.

Chris Smith

Chris Smith was the Senior News Editor at MC Press Online from 2007 to 2012 and was responsible for the news content on the company's Web site. Chris has been writing about the IBM midrange industry since 1992 when he signed on with Duke Communications as West Coast Editor of News 3X/400. With a bachelor's from the University of California at Berkeley, where he majored in English and minored in Journalism, and a master's in Journalism from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Chris later studied computer programming and AS/400 operations at Long Beach City College. An award-winning writer with two Maggie Awards, four business books, and a collection of poetry to his credit, Chris began his newspaper career as a reporter in northern California, later worked as night city editor for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, and went on to edit a national cable television trade magazine. He was Communications Manager for McDonnell Douglas Corp. in Long Beach, Calif., before it merged with Boeing, and oversaw implementation of the company's first IBM desktop publishing system there. An editor for MC Press Online since 2007, Chris has authored some 300 articles on a broad range of topics surrounding the IBM midrange platform that have appeared in the company's eight industry-leading newsletters. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$0.00 Raised:
$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: