Password cracking: a game of wits

ABSTRACT

The following report has been gleaned from "A Tour of the Worm," an in-depth account of the November Internet infection. The author found the worm's crypt algorithm a frustrating, yet engaging, puzzle.

REFERENCES

• 1: Bishop, M. A fast version of the DES and a password encryption algorithm. Universities Space Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA.
• 2: Grampp, F.T., and Morris, R. UNIX operating system security. AT&T Bell Laboratories Tech. I. 63, 8, Part 2, (Oct. 1984}, 1649.
• 3: Morris, R., and Thompson, K, Password Security: A Case History, dated April 3, 1978, in the UNIX Programmer's Manual; in the Supplementary Documents or the System Manager's Manual, (depending upon source and date of manuals).
• 4: Seeley, D. A tour of the worm. Proceedings of the Winter 1989 Usenix Conference, San Diego, CA, p. 287.
• 5: Ken Thompson, Reflections on trusting trust, Communications of the ACM, v.27 n.8, p.761-763, Aug 1984 [doi>10.1145/358198.358210]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.0 General
          Subjects: Security and protection (e.g., firewalls)

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.6 Security and Protection
          Subjects: Cryptographic controls

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.2 Social Issues
          Subjects: Abuse and crime involving computers**

General Terms:
Algorithms, Security