The sys admin’s daily grind: PWGen

CRYPTIC CODER

Article from Issue 89/2008
Author(s):

Easy to remember but still safe – this is the classic conflict when it comes to choosing a password. The PWGen tool offers a sensible compromise.

If you recall, I complained about weak passwords in issue 84. The Fail2ban tool I talked about prevents disasters, but it really only treats the symptoms. If I choose the timing parameters carefully, Fail2ban will repel brute force attacks, but it stands no chance against password post-its on the keyboard or easily guessed passwords. As is always the case in security technology, the desired degree of protection determined by the admin and convenience, which is what users prefer, are in conflict.

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