home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Random Password Generator V5.0
-
-
- By:
- Timothy L. Hirtle
- 2/2/96
-
- All Rights Reserved
-
-
- Description:
- ============
-
- Simply the most secure method for creating passwords. Voted by Windows Magazine
- as "Superior Shareware" (Aug 1995). Random Password Generator as the name implies
- will randomly select from a group of numbers, lowercase letters, uppercase letters
- and special characters or any combination and select passwords. The user has the
- ability to identify up to 1,000,000 (yes, that's 1,000,000) different passwords,
- using as many as 25 characters per password. This application will randomly select
- passwords which have not been previously selected (if desired) and sort them in order.
- The user can copy selected passwords or save them all as text files. The generator
- uses numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and special keyboard characters. You can
- select any combination of these choices to generate passwords. A total of 94
- characters are available for the randomizer to select from.
-
-
- Requirements:
- =============
-
- - Windows 3.x or Windows 95
-
- - VBRUN300.DLL installed in your Windows System directory. This file is required
- for thousands of software products. You should be able to find it at almost any
- site which offers Windows software for downloading. The file is usually called:
- VBRUN300.ZIP. However, the latest version is called VBRUN301.EXE. If you can find it,
- use this file. When decompressed it will be listed as VBRUN300.DLL.
-
-
- Installation:
- =============
-
- - Run Install.exe using the RUN option from the file menu of Windows Program Manager or
- double click on the Install.exe icon from the File Manager.
-
- - Follow the directions of the install program.
-
-
- Installation should have placed the following files in the identified directories:
-
- - In your install directory which you specified
- PassGen.exe
- PassGen.txt
- commdlg.dll (This file may not be necessay if one with the same name already resides in your system directory)
- cmdialog.vbx (This file may not be necessay if one with the same name already resides in your system directory)
-
-
- Distribution:
- =============
-
- - Random Password Generator is distributed as Shareware. The Author maintains all rights to the
- program in its entirety.
-
- - Random Password Generator may be distributed freely as long as the integrity of Shareware
- is maintained.
-
- - The author grants a 30 day trial period or a 300 minute time limit, whichever comes
- first for users to decide whether they want to keep the program. If so, a $15 donation
- is required (plus shipping and handlind, see order form in Help menu). If not, then before
- the 30 days is up or the 300 minutes have expired, you must delete this program from your
- system(s).
-
- - This version is half price ($7.50 + Shipping & Handling) to all previously registered
- customers. One per registration. Contact the author at the e-mail address or u.s. mail
- address provided if you do not have an active registration number. Again this applies
- to previous registered customers ONLY.
-
-
- Compuserve Customers:
- Save a stamp! You can register this program on-line if desired.
- The cost of this program will be added to your Compuserve account.
- Here's how:
-
- 1. Use the GO 'swreg' command
- 2. Select 'Register Shareware' option
- 3. Select the geographic region you reside in
- 4. This is a search area. select the appropriate fields which will help identify
- this application. once done choose 'Begin Search' then 'Display Selection'. This
- application is REG # 7664.
- 5. The number of matching titles found will be displayed. Select the appropriate
- title and the the 'Select' button
- 6. Select the 'Description' button
- 7. Select the 'Register' button
- 8. Fill out the appropriate information and your done
-
- That's it! You have now registered this software. Your next Compuserve
- bill will show that you have registered this software. The author will
- send you a registered copy of this application or send you a
- registration number immediately to enter into the program which will
- activate the registered features.
-
-
-
- Disclaimer:
- ===========
-
- Random Password Generator has no expressed or implied warranty. The user accepts full
- responsibility for this program by loading it on their computer. At no time is the
- author responsible for any hardware or software malfunctions caused by this program.
- Though the author knows of no such problems from this software, he is not liable if
- any should occur.
-
-
-
- NOTE:
- =====
- A shareware limitation is placed on this software. Users will only be allowed to
- request a maximum of 25 passwords in a single pass. Registered customers will be
- granted full access, up to 1,000,000 passwords in a single pass. See order form for
- registration details.
-
-
-
- Version Information:
-
- V1.0
- ====
- Initial release.
-
-
- V1.1
- ====
- - Added the ability to sort or unsort results.
-
- - Made the Help menu uneditable. Previously the help menu could be
- edited, though it the changes would not be saved. Now help is read-only.
-
-
- V2.0
- ====
- - Added uppercase letters to the program. Now when letters are requested, both upper
- and lowercase letters are used in the equation. For instance the letter "r" and the
- letter "R" are both treated as different choices in the calculator. Most password
- programs should treat upper and lowercase letters individually. this will
- increase the security of passwords with more choices on which an individual must
- consider when attempting to crack them.
-
- - Added the ability to use special symbols into the calculator. Now you may
- have the calculator randomly select special characters such as !@#$%^&*()-_=+;:'<>?
- this will also increase the security of passwords with more choices on which an
- individual must consider when attempting to crack them. When Symbols are desired
- they have approximately a 30% probability of being selected.
-
- - Removed much of the error checking code between the total passwords and the
- total characters operator inputs. Because of the uppercase and symbol additions,
- the error checking is too intensive to include into the application. These two
- inputs should be intuitive without intense error checking.
-
- - As many as 2000 passwords can now be selected when including symbols along with
- the combination of letters and numbers.
-
-
- v2.1
- ====
- - Seperated the letter choice into 2 seperate categories; lowercase and uppercase
- letters. This adds more flexibility to users who have specific preferences.
-
- - Fixed a minor problem that would cause an error when users pressed the backspace
- key in either the number of passwords or number of characters box.
-
- - Modified the randomizer to provide equal weight to each character. Previous
- versions did not provide this. For example if the user requested numbers and
- letters, previous versions would use a 50/50 probability between numbers and
- letters. This was not the best method since there are 26 letters and only 10
- numbers. Each number theoretically had a higher probability of being selected.
- This version provides equal weight to all characters.
-
- - Added a pop-up message to identify when the application is computing. Sometimes
- when large passwords are requested, especially on slower computer systems, the
- application may take a few moments to finish it's computations.
-
-
- V2.2
- ====
- - Administrative release to update registration information.
-
-
- V3.0
- ====
- - Added 'Characters to Use' window to show the total number of characters the
- user has specified to be used in the random calculator.
-
- - Added the ability to eliminate certain characters which appear similar to one another.
- Small case L, J, I, along with upper case letter O, and numbers 0, 1 will not be selected
- by Random Password Generator if desired by the user. These characters can be confused with
- others. To eliminate this confusion the operator can choose not to have them selected.
-
- - Modified registration information and windows.
-
- - Placed shareware limitations into application.
-
- - Prevented more than one instance of application to run.
-
- - Added quick help to many options within the application. Now you can select
- any option choice to see a quick help window stating the purpose and limitations of the
- selected option.
-
- - Added a notification when attempting to write to a file which already exists. The application
- will now ask if the file should be rewritten. Also removed the read-only option in the save window.
-
- - Modified the 'Copy' option to be enabled only if a password is selected. Now only either the
- sorted or the unsorted windows can show a selected password. Previous versions would allow both
- windows to display selected passwords, even when only one was active. Also eliminated the ability
- to make multiple selections in either window since only the most recent selection could be copied
- to the clipboard. This elimates some confusion.
-
-
- V4.0
- ====
- - Added the ability to request up to 32,000 passwords in a single pass. Previous versions
- could only do a maximum of 2000. Removed the 'Computing...Please Wait' notification.
-
- - Added 12 additional special characters to bring the maximum number of characters
- to 94 vice 82 in previous versions. RPG now uses the exact character set that
- Microsoft Windows utilizes. Now with 94 total characters to select from, it would
- be even more difficult to crack these passwords.
-
- - Added the ability for users to choose whether to check for duplications or allow
- duplications.
-
- - Added a 'Passwords Generated' read-out display so users can see the exact number of
- passwords which is currently being selected. This feature is very handy for high numbers
- of password requests. It gives users an idea of how long it will take to complete.
-
- - Added 'Save Sorted' and 'Save Unsorted' options in the 'File' menu. Now, besides the
- buttons, users can use the pull down menu for these features.
-
- - Added 'Display Character Set' option in the 'Help' menu. This option will display
- the entire 94 characters available to RPG.
-
- - Added a routine which will check for unreasonable requests. For instance Total Characters
- is 3 while using only Numbers, and Total Passwords = 2000. If You request that no
- duplications is required, then it would be unreasonable. The max passwords that could be
- generated in this scenerio is 1000. Therefore, you will now be alerted prior to any
- passwords being selected.
-
- - Changed the maximum total characters which can be generated for each password to 25 vice 30
- in previous versions. 25 is more friendly to work with than is 30, plus 30 is very high and
- probably is not necessary for most (if not all) users.
-
- - Streamlined the randomizer algorithm which now essentially doubles the speed of which
- passwords are generated.
-
- - Modified the 'Characters to Use' read-out display to show exactly how many characters will
- will used in password generation. V3.0 did not account for characters which were eliminated
- do to similar appearance with others.
-
- - Added CTRL_C shortcut key option to copy passwords.
-
- - Changed some code that will allow you to operate other applications while passwords are
- being generated. Previous versions would tie-up the entire computer when creating passwords.
- Now, you can operate other apps. Allowing 32,000 passwords can take some time, previous
- versions could only perform 2,000, so locking the computer is a greater issue.
-
- - Added a 'Stop' button so that password generations can be stopped at anytime. Password
- generation can take a long time if a high quantity is requested. This stop feature is handy
- in situations where you don't want to wait for it to complete.
-
- - Added a probability readout display which indicates the 'liklihood' that someone could crack
- a single password simply by guessing. The readout display dynamically updates depending upon
- many factors such as the amount of characters per password and amount of total character to
- choose from.
-
-
- V5.0
- ====
-
- - Added the ability to create up to 1,000,000 passwords at a time. The previous version
- could only create a max of 32,000. All password requests over 32,000 will be saved directly
- to a text file (unsorted).
-
- - Added the ability to save and open settings. This is handy when you have consistent
- password settings which you use often. Instead up setting it up each time, you can now save
- your usual settings and load them back in.
-
- - Added password details to every saved file. Now at the beginning of each file the settings
- used to create the passwords will be printed.
-
- - Added counter to icon. When an application is minimized while executing, it will display
- the generated password count on the icon.
-
- - Added a status window to inform users of significant events.
-
-
-
-
- Send payment, questions and comments to:
-
- Timothy L. Hirtle
- P.O. Box 710911
- San Diego, CA 92171-0911
-
- Internet:
- 102705.2261@compuserve.com or
- hirtle@mail.sdsu.edu
-
-