Linux-Hams archive - March 1998: Re: Security

Re: Security

Mark Cheeseman (qtp@sanmina-sci.com)
Mon, 2 Mar 1998 09:19:27 +0000


Ben Kram <xnt.vfnniqdjhk@red.net> wrote:

> One alternative is a request systerm, where the authentication is done by
> the server asks you a question (i.e the number 234252) and you look up on
> a chart the coordinating word (i.e. FISH) and thus you are authenticated
> and you password is different every time.

One package which looks ideal is OPIE (download from
ftp://ftp.inner.net/pub/opie/), which uses one-time passwords for
logins through FTP and Telnet daemons (and su). All FTP/Telnet
traffic is transmitted unencrypted (hence the need for the modified
su), and standard clients can be used. All you need is a secure path
(or at least, more secure than amateur radio) to transmit the
initiator used to generate the passwords to the user.

The docs say Linux is supported, but I haven't had a chance (or the
need) to tried it.

73 de Mark Vk2XGK

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