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On 15/10/2010 16:25, ken wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4CB8726B.6090409@bbk.ac.uk" type="cite">On
15/10/2010 15:56, James Firth wrote:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">On the crypto angle NIST recons the
entropy in English language passphrases
<br>
is so low that one needs over 50 characters to achieve 80-bit
equivalent key
<br>
strength.
<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-63/SP800-63V1_0_2.pdf">http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-63/SP800-63V1_0_2.pdf</a>
<br>
<br>
Of course the entropy significantly increases if one uses random
<br>
capitalisation and illogical placing of alphanumerical
characters, which
<br>
then somewhat obviously can make the passphrase less memorable.
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
And of course poems and songs and assorted bits of memorable
literature don't help because the other side knows them too.
<br>
<br>
So as Leo Marks and others realised seventy years ago, there is a
genuine use - these days even a lucrative use - for bad poetry.
That should warm the hearts of sensitive literary-minded
17-year-olds everywhere.
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Leo Marks also noted the benefits of keeping secret information
recorded on easily destructible media (e.g. silk). Adopting his
procedures, and citing his work, might have helped Mr Drage present
a more convincing account.<br>
<br>
Nicholas<br>
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