Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!ysub!psuvm!cunyvm!slvqc Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center Date: Monday, 17 Jun 1991 10:27:08 EDT From: Salvatore Saieva Message-ID: <91168.102708SLVQC@CUNYVM.BITNET> Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Account Passwords (was Re: Toward a "Public NeXT Lab" guidebook) References: <9106141908.AA25449@cheops.cis.ohio-state.edu> <1721@toaster.SFSU.EDU> In article <1721@toaster.SFSU.EDU>, eps@toaster.SFSU.EDU (Eric P. Scott) says: > >In article <9106141908.AA25449@cheops.cis.ohio-state.edu> > Greg Johnson > > writes: [a lot of deleted text...] >> We use >>the student's birthdate as their initial password. > >We don't, it's too easy to obtain. > [a lot more text deleted] Initial account passwords are an important consideration. When I read about Greg's idea of using birthdays in ``The Guidebook,'' I thought it was a great idea. The biggest problem in setting initial passwords is distribution: How do you get these passwords to the users? Of course one wants the password to be somewhat complicated to avoid unauthorized breakins, but it can become a huge amount of work to distribute passwords to users; ie: mail passwords to users at the start of a semester, or (even worse) have a consultant distribute passwords after verifying the user's id. Sal. ------- Salvatore Saieva Internet: slvqc@cunyvm.cuny.edu Queens College, Academic Computer Center BITNET: slvqc@cunyvm.bitnet 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, N.Y. 11367 DeskNet: (718) 520-7662 awk, sed, grep, lex, yacc, make, >, <, |,... ``I got the Power!''