[Info-vax] What to do with my VAX.....

[Dave Froble]

On 11/11/2020 9:12 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 11/11/20 8:54 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>> On 11/11/2020 6:56 PM, Alexander Schreiber wrote:
>>> seasoned_geek <roland at logikalsolutions.com> wrote:
>>
>>>> ALL
>>>> ENCRYPTION is security by obscurity. Period.
>>>
>>> Thus proving nicely that you know _absolutely_ nothing about encryption.
>>> You imight want to read up on Kerckhoff's principle for starters.
>>
>> Well, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss that statement.
>>
>> Isn't not knowing a solution a form of obscurity?  Otherwise, if one
>> knows the key, then there is no security, right?  So not knowing the
>> key is sort of "security by obscurity"?
>>
>> There have been multiple instances in the past of codes being broken
>> and harmful affects because of that.  The Japanese code in WWII?
>>
>> What is a "secret key", other than "unknown data"?  Can such a key be
>> guessed?  Unlikely.  But possible.
>>
> Guess it depends on which part of ENCRYPTION you are talking about.
> The entire algorithm for the Unix Password encryption is documented
> and available for anyone who wants to read it.  No obscurity involved
> at all.  Let me know when you figure out how to reverse the encryption
> for any password.  Brute force doesn't count.
>
> bill

But, it would be possible, however very unlikely, to guess?  Or is that 
considered "brute force"?

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
DFE Ultralights, Inc.
170 Grimplin Road
Vanderbilt, PA  15486