Re: Password Strength

Posted by Guy Cox-2 on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Password-Strength-tp6673797p6673962.html

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Martin,

            It's probably right, but 1000 guesses per second would require a connection speed way beyond even what I get on campus to another on-campus computer.  Even 100 per second (one month) seems implausible.  At 10 guesses per second you're looking at 2½ years ... And any system that will allow you 268,435,456 attempts at logging in before it freezes you out is terminally insecure!  (MS exchange allows 5 tries).

                The four random words thing is fine provided that (a) only very few do it and (b) the words truly are random.  But if it catches on then all a cracking algorithm has to do is try every combination of dictionary words that add up to the password length, a vastly simpler task.

                                        Guy


Optical Imaging Techniques in Cell Biology
by Guy Cox    CRC Press / Taylor & Francis
     http://www.guycox.com/optical.htm
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Associate Professor Guy Cox, MA, DPhil(Oxon)
Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis,
Madsen Building F09, University of Sydney, NSW 2006

Phone +61 2 9351 3176     Fax +61 2 9351 7682
             Mobile 0413 281 861
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-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Martin Wessendorf
Sent: Thursday, 11 August 2011 5:31 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Password Strength

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Dear List--

I can't say I've ever sent a link for a webcomic to the confocal list,
but here goes.

http://xkcd.com/936/

(As far as I know, clicking on this link will not infect your computer
with a virus or take you to a porn site.)

Anybody able to verify or disprove this?  Intuitively, it makes sense,
but so do a lot of things that are wrong.

Martin
--
Martin Wessendorf, Ph.D.                   office: (612) 626-0145
Assoc Prof, Dept Neuroscience                 lab: (612) 624-2991
University of Minnesota             Preferred FAX: (612) 624-8118
6-145 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE    Dept Fax: (612) 626-5009
Minneapolis, MN  55455                    e-mail: [hidden email]

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