Aspects of protection Essay
There are several aspects of protection which are strengthened by the salt. First of all, the length of the password is increased without requiring the user to memorize the additional symbols, and thus the number of passwords required for brute-force attack increases by 4096 times (Stallings, 20-20). The password file also receives additional protection with regard to duplicate passwords. For example, if users choose the same passwords, the salts for these passwords will differ, and it will not be possible to detect the similar passwords in the password file. Finally, such form of password construction and storage makes it impossible to create hardware realization of DES algorithm and reduces the changes of performing a successful brute-force attack.
2. One of the most impressive protections in future can be biometric data. The scheme is the following: the computer has a certain embedded device for reading and recognition of biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, eye retina etc. Access is granted if the pattern matches the sample. It is a promising technology, but currently the recognition of biometric data is still fuzzy. Also, it is comparatively easy to spoof such a system, so it should possible be combined with a parallel means of identity checking (Anderson 52).
A worthy idea is to use graphical passwords and passwords based on mouse movements. Users should either select a series of faces for password, or use one time-password basing on a randomly generated images. Use of on-screen keyboards also falls in the scope of this idea. It is not yet clear whether such passwords will create a stronger protection; however, they are likely to create more complex problems for brute-force attacks and attempts to guess passwords.
A good idea is two-factor identification, where a user needs to carry a fob (USB device serving as authentication token) and on inserting it into the computer, the user has to enter the secret 4-digit PIN plus a random number shown on the fob. Such identification is a very good method for remote access and for all activities where it is possible to pass the fob to its owner securely. However, this idea will not work for online purchases and other transactions where in-person meetings are not involved. In this case, the idea of one-time passwords and technologies like PassWindow, when the user has to use a unique visual key in order to get access to password entry field.
