This section deals with the basics regarding passwords. Most
accounts on a computer system usually have some method of
restricting access to that account, usually in the form of a
password. When accessing the system, the user has to present a
valid ID to use the system, followed by a password to use the
account. Most systems either do not echo the password back on
the screen as it is typed, or they print an asterisk in place of
the real character. On most systems,the password is typically
ran through some type of algorithm to generate a hash. The hash
is usually more than just a scrambled version of the original
text that made up the password, it is usually a one-way hash.
The one-way hash is a string of characters that cannot be
reversed into its original text. You see, most systems do not
"decrypt" the stored password during authentication, they store
the one-way hash. During the login process, you supply an
account and password. The password is ran through an algorithm
that generates a one-way hash. This h