how should you store passwords course hero

by River Buckridge 3 min read

Here are a number of approaches that I do recommend for storing passwords securely, including ways you can turn an insecure method into a secure one: Lock your paper password chart in a desk or file cabinet or office when not in use, away from family, cleaning staff, visitors, and others.

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How should I store my users’ passwords?

Nov 16, 2016 · At this point you might as well store passwords as plain text because it represents the same security risks. 2. It is much more user friendly and efficient as compared to the GPO, as the GPO is way more detailed and lengthy compared to the RSOP which shows exactly which group policies have been enacted or changed.

How to store passwords more securely than a hash?

Selected Answer: False Answers: True Question 17 Selected Answer: Answers: Salted and hashed In plaintext so you can get it back to people if they forget it Using the system storepassword() function Salted and hashed How should you store passwords? 4.00000 out of 4.00000 points 4.00000 out of 4.00000 points 4.00000 out of 4.00000 points 4.00000 ...

How do you keep track of your passwords?

Passwords written on paper (that are not under lock and key): On your desk under your keyboard. Taped to the underside of your keyboard. Under your stapler. On post-it notes stuck to your monitor or desk. On a piece of paper on your desk or in a drawer. In a loose-leaf or spiral-bound notebook. In a paper address book.

Is it safe to store passwords in plain text?

Nov 20, 2013 · If you are running a small network, with just a few users whom you known well, and whom you support in person, you might even consider it …

Where should passwords be stored?

The 7 Best Password Managers of 2022Best Overall: LastPass.Best for Extra Security Features: Dashlane.Best Multi-Device Platform: LogMeOnce.Best Free Option: Bitwarden.Best for New Users: RememBear.Best for Families: 1Password.Best Enterprise-Level Manager: Keeper.

How are passwords usually stored?

The main storage methods for passwords are plain text, hashed, hashed and salted, and reversibly encrypted. If an attacker gains access to the password file, then if it is stored as plain text, no cracking is necessary.

Which is the best method to save password?

The Best Ways to Store Passwords SafelyUse your browser's password manager. There is excellent password-storage functionality built into Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and others. ... Try password-saving software. It's hardly rare to forget a password, especially for sites you don't use all the time. ... Keep records on paper.Apr 5, 2021

Is using the option to store passwords using reversible encryption a good security practice Why or why not?

Based on my research, storing password using reversible encryption is essentially equal to storing plaintext versions of the passwords. So the disadvantage is that all the passwords are exposed. It's not recommended to store password using reversible encryption for all users in the Domain policy.Aug 18, 2013

Can you show me all my saved passwords?

View Your Google Chrome Saved Passwords on Android and iOS Tap on the “Settings” option. Then, select “Passwords.” You'll see a list of all websites you've ever saved passwords for on Chrome. To view a specific password, select the website from the list.Jan 20, 2022

How are passwords saved on servers?

How do servers store passwords? Servers avoid storing the passwords in plaintext on their servers to avoid possible intruders to gain all their users' passwords. A hash of each password is stored.

Why you shouldn't use a password manager?

The most obvious risk from using a password manager is that it keeps all of your sensitive login information in one place, so one breach could be catastrophic. That said, many password managers use numerous layers of security that greatly reduce the chance of your passwords being hacked and shared.Aug 12, 2021

Is it safe to save passwords on your computer?

The Browser Security Risk This database of passwords stored in your browser is not as secure as you might think. Depending on the browser, if hackers gained access to your computer, they could actually extract the contents of the database – and get access to ALL your private logins.

Are password managers worth it?

Yes, you should use a password manager. It will allow you to keep track of your passwords without having to memorize them. Some password vaults can also generate and change passwords for you in one click, as well as securely store other types of data like credit card information.3 days ago

Should I store passwords using reversible encryption?

A knowledgeable attacker who is able to break this encryption can then log on to network resources by using the compromised account. For this reason, never enable Store password using reversible encryption for all users in the domain unless application requirements outweigh the need to protect password information.Oct 28, 2021

Where is stored an encrypted password of a user?

Each user's password is stored in an encrypted form within the /etc/passwd file. These credentials are hashed using a one-way hash function so they cannot be decrypted.

What is irreversible encryption?

irreversible encryption A cryptographic process that transforms data deterministically to a form from which the original data cannot be recovered, even by those who have full knowledge of the method of encryption.

How many unique passwords are in Rockyou?

A benchmark was performed on the database with the rockyou list which contains 14,341,564 unique passwords. The benchmark was performed on a virtual machine, which is not optimal for breaking passwords.

What is a pepper in a password?

pepper is the common pepper for all users and is randomly generated. Then, to check the passwords when logging in, just call the same function with the password entered by the user and compare it with the hash in the database. If both are identical, then the login is successful.

Why is salt unique?

The salt is unique for each user and is composed of a random sequence. It increases the chance that a password is unique and therefore the chance that a hash has never been used. For example, with salt, toto and tata will not have the same hash in the database. The advantages of salt are multiple:

What is brute force?

Brute force is the action of trying out all the possibilities iteratively following a generation rule. It’s like when we try to open a padlock by listing all the possibilities from 0000 to 9999 until the lock opens.

What is a rainbow table?

Rainbow table. Rainbow tables are a subject that deserves an article on its own. Quickly, it’s a data structure that allows retrieving passwords with a good storage/time compromise. This structure has a list of pre-calculated hashes and makes it possible to retrieve a hash in an acceptable time.

Is SHA512 password storage?

Even if it has been said earlier that the SHA512 function was not optimised for password storage, it may be interesting to show how to optimise it to understand the interest of appropriate hash functions for passwords.

Is pepper a pollutant?

Pepper is also a pollutant, but common to all users. It is not stored in a database, but in the sources of an application, in a configuration file or in an environment variable. An attacker having “just” understood a database must guess the pepper or retrieve it in another way to be able to effectively break hashes.

What is password storage?

Password storage methods that use modern security and encryption but present other issues. Cloud-based password-storage services or "password managers" have become very popular, including Lastpass, Dashlane, Roboform, 1Password, and others. These services typically store your passwords in a secure, encrypted database that may be located on your ...

What is a password document?

A document called "Passwords" that you've created anywhere on your computer, perhaps using Microsoft Word or Excel. A document with any other name on your computer. Email drafts that you've created (but not sent) containing password information.

How to secure a folder?

Create an encrypted container (folder) on your computer using modern encryption software and a strong password, move your "Passwords" document (and other sensitive files) into it, lock the container when not in use, and then securely delete ("shred") the original, unprotected document. See "Where to go from here" for specific suggestions.

Can someone steal your password?

Anyone with access to your computer could easily find and steal passwords stored like this, including both a person with physical access to it as well as a virus or hacker gaining access via the internet, or scamming you into granting them access, even once.

Is email private or secure?

Email is neither private nor secure. Sending an email is like mailing a postcard, and hackers and thieves can easily read the contents. You should never send passwords (or any other confidential or sensitive data) via regular email. Password storage methods that may mislead you into thinking they're secure.

Is password storage secure?

Password storage methods that may mislead you into thinking they're secure. Just because a technology uses a password does not automatically make it secure by modern standards , especially one that uses low-grade or out-of-date encryption. For example: An old-style .zip file to which you've added a password.

Is it bad to use the same password for every online account?

Using the same password (or minor variations of the same password) for every online account is a bad and outdated idea . If any one of your passwords gets compromised, that puts all the accounts where you've also used it at risk.

How to keep passwords on computer?

You can manually put down all your passwords in a paper notebook and keep it close to your computer. This approach has two drawbacks: 1 The passwords you put down by hand will most likely be short and simple. 2 When you accumulate too many of them, it will be tricky to navigate through the pages.

Is LastPass trustworthy?

LastPass, Dashlane, 1Password can serve as examples of popular and trustworthy brands . They slightly differ in their design and functionality, so you can choose the one that fits best your tastes, habits, and budget. No matter which device and operating system you use, there will be plenty of options compatible with it — be it a stationary computer, a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone.

What is salt in a password?

A salt is also known as a nonce, which is short for “number used once.”. Simply put, we generate a random string of bytes that we include in our hash calculation along with the actual password. The easiest way is to put the salt in front of the password and hash the combined text string.

How to have a hash?

A cryptographic hash is carefully designed to resist even deliberate attempts to subvert it, by mixing, mincing, shredding and liquidising its input so thoroughly that, at least in theory: 1 You can’t create a file that comes out with a predefined hash by any method better than chance. 2 You can’t find two files that “collide”, i.e. have the same hash (whatever it might be), by any method better than chance. 3 You can’t work out anything about the structure of the input, including its length, from the hash alone.

What is cryptographic hash?

A cryptographic hash is carefully designed to resist even deliberate attempts to subvert it, by mixing, mincing, shredding and liquidising its input so thoroughly that, at least in theory: You can’t create a file that comes out with a predefined hash by any method better than chance.

How many bits are in SHA-256?

The hashes are all the same length, so we aren’t leaking any data about the size of the password. Also, because we can predict in advance how much password data we will need to store for each password, there is now no excuse for needlessly limiting the length of a user’s password. (All SHA-256 values have 256 bits, or 32 bytes.)

Can a hash go backwards?

The nature of a cryptographic hash means that attackers can’t go backwards , but with a bit of luck – and some poor password choices – they can often achieve the same result simply by trying to go forwards over and over again.

Does MD5 have a hash?

Of these, MD5 has been found not to have enough “mix-mince-shred-and-liquidise” in its algorithm, with the result that you can comparatively easily find two different files with the same hash. This means it does not meet its original cryptographic promise – so do not use it in any new project.

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Plain Text Passwords

Encrypted Passwords

  • In some cases, passwords are stored in a database after being encrypted by a reversible algorithm (rot13, mask encryption…). As the algorithm is reversible, it does not comply with the rules of the CNIL (French National Commission on Informatics and Liberty). Indeed, it recommends that any password be transformed by a non-reversible cryptographic function. (so…
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Obsolete Hash Function

  • In many cases, passwords are stored with outdated irreversible cryptographic functions (md5, sha1…). For example, the LinkedIn site used to store part of its passwords with sha1, and after the hash leaks in 2012, it took only three days to recover 90% of the passwords. (source in French) Let’s take the following database (the passwords are the same as earlier) To notice: 1. In our ca…
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Inappropriate Hash Function

  • After seeing the previous bad examples, it is tempting to use secure irreversible functions like sha256, sha512, or sha3. However, the purpose of these functions is to be used to compute a cryptographic summary to check the integrity of a file, to make an electronic signature, or to optimise search and indexing. They are not suitable for storing passwords, because they are fas…
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Improving Sha512

  • Even if it has been said earlier that the SHA512 function was not optimised for password storage, it may be interesting to show how to optimise it to understand the interest of appropriate hash functions for passwords.
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Using Specific Functions

  • Previously, we managed to create an algorithm generating hashes that are more resistant to password cracking software. However, functions already exist and have proven their effectiveness over time. It is therefore useless to reinvent the wheel and risk causing errors. Among these different functions, we can find: Argon2, scrypt, PBKDF2, bcrypt… These functions …
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