Hi my friends,
Really interesting subject for research, I appreciate all the efforts you guys did to come up with encryption techniques, but as you may already know Windows NT maintain the C2 security level defined by the United States Department Of Defense, it means the Cryptography technology it uses is really state of the art.
The corner stone of this technology is the RSA is a public-key encryption algorithm, the most basic level of this idea is
to use a hash. A hash is a fixed value, typically 128 bits, that you derive by means of an algorithm from a variable-length block of text, such as a password. Although a given block of text always generates the same hash value under a given algorithm, it's virtually impossible to obtain the original text that produced a hash value.
Here are some statistical information about the amount of computation you need to break this security system by trying to reverse the RSA algorithm.
If the key is 40 bits wide [available on NT and 98]
Attempts/seconds Average time to break
---------------- -----------------------
1 17432.6425002537 Years
10 1743.26425002537 Years
100 174.326425002537 Years
1000 17.4326425002537 Years
10000 1.74326425002537 Years
100000 0.174326425002537 Years
[hope any one have a multi-processor computer can go this fast]
If the key is 128 bits wide
1 5.39514153540301E+30 Years
10 5.39514153540301E+29 Years
100 5.39514153540301E+28 Years
1000 5.39514153540301E+27 Years
10000 5.39514153540301E+26 Years
100000 5.39514153540301E+25 Years
By storing hash values instead of passwords, you guarantee that even if the password source is compromised, the original passwords won't reveal themselves.
Interesting ha, well, if any one interested more details on this theory and how to use it in the real world you can visit
Once there make sure that you show the toc. You reading
Chapter Twenty Security and Cryptography
Of Windows 98 Developer’s Handbook
After you familiarize your self with this technology, if you need any help in integrating it in VFP you can contact me for sample code.
Hope this will help
Thanks
Walid Magd
Engwam@Hotmail.com