Unix User Password File Encryption

[Mark M.]

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On Sat, 2 Nov 1996, Erp wrote:

> Basically it would take a beginning word and encrypt it with the same salt
> as used on the password in the passwd file.  So let us say that for an
> example our salt is aa, our outcome encrypted password is X8mfjs53D ...
> Ok now let us say that we take this salt of aa and run through the
> following into it and getting these patterns from it (these aren't the
> true patterns etc, I'm just making htese things up, but would it be
> possible?)  
> 
> salt aa  --  inputed password  0001  --  outcome encryption  Zkdrj234S
> salt aa  --  inputed password  0002  --  outcome encryption  Rksjr342s
> salt aa  --  inputed password  0003  --  outcome encryption  25Svj43zY
[rest deleted]

There aren't any known patterns that can be exploited.  The output of DES
encryption 25 times generates pseudo-random output.  If a pattern did exist,
cryptanalysis of DES would be very easy.

Mark
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