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Password Guessing

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A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO "GUESS" A USER'S PASSWORD CAN TRY THOUSANDS OF POSSIBILITIES.

THE OBVIOUS ONES:

  • USER'S NAME
  • USER'S INITIALS
  • EMPTY PASSWORD
  • . . .

THE LIKELY ONES

  • ALL THE WORDS IN SOME ON-LINE DICTIONARY

IF THE ATTACKER CAN OBTAIN A COPY OF THE (ENCRYPTED!) PASSWORD, NO EVIDENCE OF THE EFFORT NEED BE VISIBLE.



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Williams College
Department of Computer Science
This page is part of a section of lecture slides related to " The Internet Worm " within the topic "Computer Security: A Case Study?". Other slides within this section and other sections of slides for the topic "Computer Security: A Case Study?" can be accessed using the links below.
  • Paranoia Raising
  • Some Sample Security Problems
  • The Internet Worm
  • The Internet Worm
  • What was "The Worm"?
  • Finding Machine Names
  • How the Worm Broke in
  • Password Guessing
  • The SENDMAIL "Trap Door"
  • The Finger Server Bug
  • Computer Memory Organization
  • Computer Memory and Program Variables
  • Memory Overflow
  • The Finger Bug
  • It Couldn't Happen Again! Could it?