Unfortunately way too many. Jon
On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 8:22 PM, Andrew S. Baker <[email protected]> wrote: > > And, many apps *still*have limits on password length that hamper passwords > above 10 or 12 characters. > > -ASB: http://about.me/Andrew.S.Baker > > Sent from my Motorola Droid > On Aug 10, 2011 6:10 PM, "Webster" <[email protected]> wrote: > > Because the security team and or auditor are simply following a check > list. Complex passwords required - check. My job is done. > > > > Carl Webster > > Consultant and Citrix Technology Professional > > http://www.CarlWebster.com<http://www.carlwebster.com/> > > > > > > > From: Steve Kradel [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 5:06 PM > > To: NT System Admin Issues > > Subject: Re: Almost, but not quite OT: Passwords > > > > It looks like Randall @ xkcd supposes each word in "correct horse battery > staple" has 11 bits of entropy, which is to say, the person choosing the > password has a comfortable vocabulary of 2^11 (2,048) words from which he > will pick four at random. (2048^4 is the same as 2^44.) I think 2,048 words > is a pretty low estimate, at least in English, but that's not really the > point... > > > > On the other hand, he suggests forcing people to choose "strong" > passwords presses humans into a doofy pattern that is actually much *less* > random than four dictionary words. 16 bits of uncertainty for the "uncommon > base word" means the user has possibly picked a "difficult" dictionary word > (from a vocabulary of 2^16 = 65,536 words -- generously more than a normal > person knows), and then mangles it up a little bit in semi-predictable ways > to satisfy the password strength checker. > > > > It definitely raises an interesting question... why do so many > organizations elect for minimum 8-character complex passwords, instead of > "non-complex" passphrases of at least 16 or 20 characters, when the latter > would be easier to remember and probably stronger? > > > > --Steve > > On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 5:33 PM, Crawford, Scott <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > Interesting. I'd like to understand how the bits of entropy are > calculated though. > > > > From: Andrew S. Baker [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected] > >] > > > Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 4:06 PM > > To: NT System Admin Issues > > Subject: Almost, but not quite OT: Passwords > > > > http://xkcd.com/936/#<http://xkcd.com/936/> > > > > > Yet, very pertinent. > > > > > > > > > > ASB > > > > http://about.me/Andrew.S.Baker > > > > Harnessing the Advantages of Technology for the SMB market... > > > > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > > > --- > > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > > or send an email to [email protected]<mailto: > [email protected]> > > > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > > > --- > > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > > or send an email to [email protected] > > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
