APG v1.2.12

doc/rfc0972.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+
+
+Network Working Group                                          F. Wancho
+Request for Comments: 972                                           WSMR
+                                                            January 1986
+
+                      Password Generator Protocol
+
+
+STATUS OF THIS MEMO
+
+   This RFC specifies a standard for the ARPA Internet community.  Hosts
+   on the ARPA Internet that choose to implement a Password Generator
+   Protocol (PWDGEN) are expected to adopt and implement this standard.
+   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
+
+BACKGROUND
+
+   Many security-conscious host administrators are becoming increasingly
+   aware that user-selected login passwords are too easy to guess for
+   even casual penetration attempts.  Some sites have implemented
+   dictionary lookup techniques in their password programs to prevent
+   ordinary words from being used.  Others have implemented some variant
+   of a randomly generated password with mixed success.  The problem
+   arises from the fact that such passwords are difficult to remember
+   because they cannot be pronounced or are based on a relatively short
+   cycle pseudo-random number generator.
+
+   A version of the PWDGEN algorithm briefly described below has been in
+   use for several years at a small number of sites in the Internet.
+   Interest has recently been expressed at porting this algorithm to
+   other sites.  However, the relatively short cycle and the resulting
+   randomness of the pseudo-random number generator available on these
+   sites tends to interfere with the intended result of minimizing the
+   potential duplication of passwords both within a site and across
+   sites when a user has access to more than one site.
+
+   The PWDGEN Service described herein provides a means for sites to
+   offer a list of possible passwords for the user to choose one from
+   the first set, or optionally select from another set.  With more than
+   one site offering this service, it is then possible to randomly
+   select which site to use and have multiple fallback sites should that
+   site be unavailable.
+
+   Description
+
+      The PWDGEN Service provides a set of six randomly generated
+      eight-character CRLF-delimited "words" with a reasonable level of
+      pronounceability, using a multi-level algorithm.  An
+      implementation of the algorithm is available in FORTRAN-77 for
+      examination and possible implementation by system administrators
+      only.
+
+
+
+Wancho                                                          [Page 1]
+
+
+
+RFC 972                                                     January 1986
+Password Generator Protocol
+
+
+      The uniqueness of the generated words is highly dependent on the
+      randomness of the initial seed value used.  The availability of a
+      single system-wide seed, updated after each access is highly
+      desireable.  Seeds based on a time-of-day clock are unacceptable.
+      Seed values should be stored as values in excess of 32 bits for
+      best performance.
+
+   TCP Based PWDGEN Service
+
+      One PWDGEN service is defined as a connection based application on
+      TCP.  A server listens for TCP connections on TCP port 129.  Once
+      a connection is established, the six CRLF-delimited words are
+      generated and sent to the caller, and the connection is closed by
+      the server. No dialog is used or required.
+
+   UDP Based PWDGEN Service
+
+      Another possible PWDGEN service is defined as a datagram based
+      application on UDP.  A server listens for UDP datagrams on UDP
+      port 129.  When a datagram is received, the six CRLF-delimited
+      words are sent back in an answering datagram.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Wancho                                                          [Page 2]
+