Re: potential security holes in digest authorization
Dave Kristol (dmk@allegra.att.com)
Fri, 14 Jul 95 14:51:04 EDT
bradb@geom.umn.edu (Brad Barber) said:
> I'm glad to see that you are considering digest authorization
> for HTTP. I noticed a few security holes that may be of
> concern:
>
> - the server's digest database of H(<username> : <realm> : <password>) should
> receive highest security. To the knowledgeable user, it is the same as
> storing passwords in the clear. This is a weakness of the digest
> method. The passwd file in UNIX that is used for "basic" authorization
> may be released without compromising strong passwords.
[...]
I would like to propose that <password> be replace by H(<password>).
The client would pass to the server
H(<username> : <realm> : H(<password>))
The server could store in its user/password file
user-name:H(<password>)
That way the password would neither be passed in the clear nor stored
in the clear.
Dave Kristol