USAGE
apg [-sdyltqhv] [-a algorithm] [-M mode] [-E string] [-n count] [-m length]
[-x length] [-r file] [-b file] [-p length] [-c seed]
DESCRIPTION
apg generates several random passwords. It uses several password generation
algorithms (currently two) and a built-in pseudo random number generator.
Default algorithm is pronounceable password generation algorithm designed
by Morrie Gasser and described in A Random Word Generator For Pronounceable
Passwords National Technical Information Service (NTIS) AD-A-017676. The
original paper is very old and had never been put online, so I have to use
NIST implementation described in FIPS-181.
Another algorithm is simple random character generation algorithm, but it
uses four user-defined symbol sets to produce random password. It means
that user can choose type of symbols that should appear in password. Symbol
sets are: numeric symbol set (0,...,9) , capital letters symbol set
(A,...,Z) , small letters symbol set (a,...,z) and special symbols symbol
set (#,@,!,...).
Built-in pseudo random number generator is an implementation of algorithm
described in Appendix C of ANSI X9.17 or RFC1750 with exception that it
uses CAST or SHA-1 instead of Triple DES. It uses local time with preci-
sion of microseconds and random device (if available) to produce initial
random seed.
apg also have the ability to check generated password quality using dictio-
nary. You can use this ability if you specify command-line options -r dict-
file or -b filtername where dictfile is the dictionary file name and fil-
tername is the name of Bloom filter file. In that dictionary you may place
words (one per line) that should not appear as generated passwords. For
example: user names, common words, etc. You even can use one of the dictio-
naries that come with dictionary password crackers. Bloom filter file
should be created with apgbfm utility included in apg distribution. In
future releases I plan to implement some other techniques to check pass-
words (like pattern check) just to make life easier The options are as
follows:
-a use algorithm number for password generation where number is:
0 - pronounceable password generation
1 - random character password generation
-n count
generate count number of passwords. Default is 6.
-m length
generate password with minimum length. If minimum length > maximum
length then maximum length = minimum length. Default minimum password
is 8.
-x length
generate password with maximum length. If minimum length > maximum
length then maximum length = minimum length. Default maximum length
password length is 10.
-M mode
Use symbolsets specified with mode for password generation. mode is
a text string consisting of characters S, s, N, n, C, c, L, l.
Where:
S generator must use special symbol set for every generated
password.
s generator should use special symbol set for password genera-
tion.
N generator must use numeral symbol set for every generated
password.
n generator should use numeral symbol set for password genera-
tion.
C generator must use capital symbol set for every generated
password.
c generator should use capital symbol set for password genera
tion.
L generator must use small letters symbol set for every generated
password (always present if pronounceable password generation
algorithm is used).
l generator should use small letters symbol set for password
generation.
mode cannot be more than 4 characters in length.
Note:
Usage of L, M, N, C will slow down password generation process.
Examples:
-M sncl or -M SNCL or -M Cn
-E string
exclude characters in string from password generation process (in
pronounceable password generation mode you can not exclude small
letters). To include special symbols that can be recognized by shell
(apostrophe, quotes, dollar sign, etc.) in string use the backslashed
versions.
Examples:
Command apg -a 1 -M n -n 3 -m 8 -E 23456789 will generate a set of
passwords that will look like this
10100110
01111000
11011101
Command apg -a 1 -M nc -n 3 -m 26 -E GHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ will gen-
erate a set of passwords that will look like this
16A1653CD4DE5E7BD9584A3476
C8F78E06944AFD57FB9CB882BC
8C8DF37CD792D36D056BBD5002
-r file
check generated passwords for their appearance in dictionary file.
-b file
check generated passwords for their appearance in filter file. filter
file should be created with apgbfm utility.
-p length
this option tells apg to check every substring of the generated pass-
word for appearance in filter file. If any of such substrings would
be found in the filter file then generated password would be rejected
and apg will generate another one. length specifies minimum substring
length to check. This option is active only if -b option is defined.
-c seed
use seed as a random seed for password generation.
-s ask user for random sequence for password generation.
-d do NOT use any delimiters between generated passwords.
-y print generated passwords and crypted passwords.
-q quiet mode (do not print warnings).
-l spell generated passwords. Useful when you want to read generated
password by telephone.
WARNING: Think twice before read your password by phone.
-t print pronunciation for generated pronounceable password.
-h print help information and exit.
-v print version information and exit.
DEFAULT OPTIONS
apg -a 0 -M sncl -n 6 -x 10 -m 8
If you want to generate really secure passwords, you should use option -s.
EXIT CODE
On successful completion of its task, apg will complete with exit code 0.
An exit code of -1 indicates an error occurred. Textual errors are written
to the standard error stream.
AUTHOR
Adel I. Mirzazhanov, <a-del@iname.com>
Project home page: http://www.adel.nursat.kz/apg/
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