From: RedRook <redrook@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 06:58:58 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Using a password as a private key.
Message-ID: <19981027215307.3786.rocketmail@send1d.yahoomail.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



&#130;&#130;&#130;&#130;Assymetic crypto systems such as
Diffie-Hellman, El-Gamel, and DSS, allow the private key to be a
randomly chosen number. &#130;But, as a cute hack, instead of using a
random number, for the private key, you could use a hash of the User
Name, and a password. 

Doing so allows the users to generate their private key on demand.
They don't have to store the private key, and if they want to work on
a another computer, they don't need to bring along a copy.&#130;
Has any one tried this? Is there existing software that does this? Any
comments on the security of such a scheme? &#130;
The only draw back that I can think of is the potential lack of
randomness in the key. If the user chooses a bad password, it would be
possible to brute force the public key.&#130;
Harv.&#130;&#130;RedRook@yahoo.com&#130;&#130;&#130;&#130;&#130;&#130;&#130;&#130;
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