Contents
A Password Generation Tool for BBS Users, System Operators, and Network Administrators Alike.

Welcome to Excel-PWD.  In this help file you will learn all of the features of the password-generation tool "EXCEL-PWD," as well as have the opportunity to read an article about passwords and security, "Password Time" from the once- TOW News Journal.  You will also learn about Excel Progs and the future of this program and the shareware group.

Before continuing on, you might find the super-set of the article "Password Time" iteresting.  It discusses the usefulness of difficult passwords and the chances of a password getting hacked.

Here is where you can click to get the basics of operating this program.

Types of passwords you can create.

256 Character ANSI Set

Lower/Upper Case

Punctuation

Numbers

Space

What else has been made by Excel Progs?

This program is unregistered.  How may I Register?


Password Combinations / Crack-ability
How Easy Is It To Crack a Password?

Just how easy is it to crack a password?  Are passwords consisting of more characters and different character combinations REALLY that much harder to crack?  Taking it on a truly mathematical scale, here are the possible combinations for several password types, the length of the password ranging from 1 to 6 characters (remember that it is recommended to make your passwords as long as you can...)

A password with just letters:
Possible combinations = 26 ^ # Chars.

# Chars../Possible Combinations	# Chars../Possible Combinations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1	26	2	676
3	17,576	4	456,978
5	11,881,376	6	308,915,776

A password with letters and numbers.
Possible combinations = 36 ^ # Chars.

# Chars../Possible Combinations	# Chars../Possible Combinations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1	36	2	1,296
3	46,656	4	1,679,616
5	60,466,176	     	6	2,176,782,336

A password with small/cap letters, spaces, #s, and punctuation.
Possible combinations = 94 ^ # Chars.

# Chars../Possible Combinations	# Chars../Possible Combinations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1	94	2	8,836
3	830,584	4	78,074,896
5	7,339,040,224	      6	6.89 X 10^11

A password which can use every character of the standard (7-bit) ASCII set.
Possible Combinations = 128 ^ # Chars.

# Chars../Possible Combinations	# Chars../Possible Combinations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1	128	2	16,384
3	2,097,152	4	268,435,456
5	3.4 X 10^10	6	4.39 X 10^12

A password which can use every character of the extended (8-bit) ANSI set.
Possible Combinations = 256 ^ # Chars.

# Chars../Possible Combinations	# Chars../Possible Combinations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1	256	2	65,546
3	16,777,216	     	4	4,294,967,296
5	1.099 X 10^12	6	2.81 X 10^14

As you can see, that is only 6 characters.  It's recommended to use at least 7 for each password.  As the length grows, and the character possibility grows, the possible combinations grow.  And as that grows, the chances lessen that you will be hacked..

Malek, Andrew.  "Password Time."  TOW NEWS JOURNAL (1994).  {7}.


256 Character ANSI Set

When this checkbox is clicked, ExcelPWD will generate passwords that use the entire 256 character ANSI set.  Since Windows will not display all 256 characters, if the password is sent to the clipboard the symbolx (#XXX) will appear.  XXX wil be replaced by the decimal representation of the password character.

ASCII codes 0-255


Lower/Upper Case

When this checkbox is selected, ExcelPWD will generate passwords which contain both upper and lower case letters.  If the checkbox is not selected, all letters in a password will be uppercase.

ASCII Codes 65-90, 97-122


Punctuation

When this checkbox is selected, EXCEL-Pwd will generate passwords that can use punctuation symols.

ASCII codes 32-47, 58-64, 91-96, 121-126.


Numbers

When this checkbox is selected, EXCEL-PWD will generate passwords that can contain numbers.

ASCII Codes 48-57


Space

When this checkbox is selected, EXCEL-PWD will generate passwords that can contain the space character.

ASCII Code 32


ASCII Definition
ASCII

ASCII stands for the American Standard Code for Information Interchange.  ASCII characters make up the set of numbers, letters, punctuation, and other special symbols used on the computer.  Normal ASCII characters are 7-bit (codes 0-127), but various computers have extended this amount to included other characters.  For example, the Commodore brand of computers used PET ASCII, allowing for 256 characters in the set.  IBM/compatible computers use the ANSI character set, also allowing for 256 characters.


Password definition
Password

A password is a special set of letters, numbers, punctuation, or other characters.  Passwords are used to confirm that those entering a computer system are who they say they are.  The better the passwords and system managers, the better the security.


TOW News Journal definition
TOW News Journal

TOW News Journal was a monthly journal of events and items of interest of The Other World BBS users and telecommunications enthusiasts as a whole.   Though short-lived, the journal contained various articles about how to be a smarter computer user, various tricks, and a sub-set of this help file, "Password Time."


BBS definition
BBS (Bulletin Board System)

BBS, an acronym for Bulletin Board System, is a computer system(s) or network set up to receive calls via a modem from all sorts of people or other computers.  BBS's can perform all types of services for its users, including e-mail (electronic mail) where people can send mail back and forth to each other.  BBS's allow the end users to download (receive) files from its storage, allowing easy distribution of games, pictures, sounds, ..etc.  Many BBS's also include on-line shopping malls where items may be purchased; on-line games covering space, trivia, and logic categories; voting booths where peoples' opinions may be tabulated; classifed ads for those who want to rid themselves of unused items; and more.


Excuses
or, "reasons" why people do not feel that they should worry about passwords and the security they bring.

Excuse #219

Logging on another board..."Oh gee, it's asking once again for the password.  Let's just re-type my handle..."

"Password...oh yeah, I use this one on all the other boards so I can remember them."

"I used to use hard passwords, but I forget them often.  Now, I use easy ones so they are easy to remember."

In my years of CoOping and SysOping boards, I have seen and heard thousands of excuses like the above.  To many people, passwords are just an inconvenience to everyone, just another annoyance when logging onto boards.  They are hard to remember and keep up, and forgetting them is an embarassing experience.  No one wants to leave E-Mail to a sysop or a system administrator stating that "I forgot my password!"  As such, many people choose easy passwords or the same passwords everywhere they connect to, making sure they never experience the ordeal.

I have only three words to say:  You're risking it.


Excuse Definition
Excuse

                  _
-n. (ek-skuz') - a questionable reason used to avoid accomplishing a specific task.


Reality
One may wish that there are not problems with computer access, but there are those who enjoy to damage others.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people on the various networks and bulletin boards who like to "break into" accounts.  These people, given the name "hackers" or "crackers," unfortunately unethically and sometimes illegally find out passwords people use, then enter the information network or bulletin boards AS another user.  To the system, to the sysop, and to all the users, anything the hacker does is seen as the person who the hacker broke into.

For example:  Say a hacker breaks into someone with an alias of Mr. X.  The hacker, who does not like Mr. X., writes a nasty message to all the users:

FROM:	MR. X.
DATE:	February 22, 1994 - 11:02 PM
SUBK:	YoU aLl aRe lOserS!

eVERYONE OF YOU IS REDNeCK lOSER AND SHOULD CHOKE ON A BuLLFROG.  I HATE YOU ALL.  ILL FIGHT ANY OF YOU.  NAME TIME AND PLACE AND MY GANG WILL WHIP YOU.

MR X

Everyone on the board now sees the message from Mr. X., and obviously they are quite mad (a major understatement!)  This was a large enough problem back when all boards used handles.  Nowadays, many require full names.  Imagine the shock if you saw the above message written, supposedly,  by YOU!  Or, imagine if that message was echoed throughout several networks, including, possibly, Internet?  It's very hard to apologize, especially since it wasn't your fault the message occurred,

That is just part of the damage that can occur if your account is hacked.  What if you have high security on an information system or network?  The hacker could then use YOUR security for his/her means.  If this security is as high as, say, system administrator, the hacker can delete everything on the host computer, rendering the system inoperable.  Or, the hacker may choose to continue logging on as different users, using passwords he has found using his ill-gained "sysop" access.  Even worse, with the current state of networking, the hacker has a chance of breaking into OTHER systems, and trying out those passswords on others.  One broken password can lead to a huge chain-reaction, causing massive amounts of time, dignity, and equipment, lost.


Hacker definition
Hacker

The term "hacker" nowadays describes any person who uses a computer for illegal, immoral, or unethical means.  This was not always the case.  The word hacker used to be (and sometimes is referenced as) simply another term for someone who spent a lot of time working on the computer.  This definition was appropriate especially in the earlier days of computing, when access was limited to college students who would spend all nights solving long engineering problems, creating programs, or simply working on terminals.


Handle definition
Handle or Alias

An "alias" or a "handle" is a fictional or non-fictional name, organization, code,..etc, that some people use to describe themselves as on computer information networks.  Instead of using their actual names, any communication done by these people is seen as written by the handle.  While quite popular in the older days of computing, use of handles is becoming much rarer, and most boards are requiring use of actual names.

Handles that have been used include:  "Postmaster," "Vampirette," "Tater the Greater," "Scrooge," and "Lightning."

Note that handles are not BAD if security is run correctly; as long as the sysop keeps track of real names of all users, people usually will not take adavantage of their "semi-anonymous" alias status.


Tightening Security
With all of this dreary talk, what can be done?  What can stop the problems?  These ideas MAY help.

No matter what is done, practically any password can be cracked.  This may come as a shock to some people, but this is true.  Security, however, can be tightened if certain steps are accomplished.

1)	Use a hard password.  Afraid you might forget it?  Then write it down in a safe place.  Put it in a locked file cabinet, or on your own remote computer if no one else is to have access to it.

What's a hard password, you may say?  A hard password is a LONG one with contains more than just letters.  Most passwords can contain numbers also, perhaps even punctuation.  REALLY good passwords can contain codes which are not even printable, such as high/low ANSI codes.  The only thing limiting passwords should be the information system itself, as some limit password size and will not allow the high/low ANSI codes.

This chart should explain why longer passwords with harder characters are better.

2)	Use different passwords on every different bulletin board/information system to which you belong.

You may ask why, especially if you are one to use a hard password.  No matter how hard your password may be, if the system operator/administrator's password is easy, there's a chance it will be hacked.  If so, your account's security may be in jeopardy, and the hacker may try the same password on other systems.  If YOUR password is the SAME on each system you use, thea hacker can hack on as you on EVERY SYSTEM!!!  Thus, it is IMPERATIVE to use different passwords on all different systems.

3)	Never give out your password to anyone else.

No matter how innocent a person is, no matter how long a person has been your friend,... things happen.  The only people that you should ever mention your password to is a SYSOP, COSYSOP, or any user with sufficient security to know the passwords anyway.  This is called a validation, and even if this occurs, the verification person should confirm his security level.

Several years ago, a user, claiming to be the "sysop" of one of the local BBS's, began a calling spree of people who he knew were on a certain BBS.  Claiming to be "validating" users, he got the passwords of the entire user base.  Within a week, the board was ruined, and so were many peoples' reputations.  In conclusion...NEVER give out your password except to someone with a sufficient security level, and only after he/she proves his/her identity.  It works both ways in a validation.

4)	Write or enter your password in a SAFE place.

What's the use of hard passwords, if even the user can not find them when needed?  Therefore, keep the passwords written or keyed in a safe place.  You may want to place them in a secure computer or a private file cabinet with a lock.  Wherever you choose, make sure it is a place no one else has access to.  Else, the results could be quite disastrous.

5)	Change your passwords often.

No matter how extremely low the odds are of someone guessing your passwords correctly, it can happen.  There are multitudes of programs written for the explicit task of going through lists of possible passwords and trying them.  Since computers can now number-crunch information at extraordinary speeds, it is crucial for you to alter your passwords on a regular basis to "beat" the systems used.  Make a habit of it; rotate your passwords every few months, or every month, or perhaps weekly.


Security Level definition
Security Level (or Access Level)

A code or number on a computer information system that signifies the amount of activities a certain user may accomplish.  Lower security levels are given to the regular users, who should simply have access to use the board.  Higher security levels are reserved for those who operate the BBS, and these levels give the options to run higher-level functions (such as password viewing, executing external files, viewing the log of callers,..etc).


Validation definition
Validation

Validation is the process by which an information system or an operator of an information system proves that the user requesting access is indeed who he/she says he/she is.  Validations occur in several ways:  some bulletin boards validate all people whose information they simply feel is correct (not the most secure way of validation), some boards run call-back verifiers where the phone number of the user is confirmed (better), and some actually have the operators physically call the users to prove their identity (best).


Summary
of the ideas that have been presented in this section of the help file.  Thanks for taking the time to read this.

1)  Use of a computer/information service requires responsibility.

2)  There are those who spend much time attempting and cracking passwords.

3)  To improve security on the systems you use, you must create difficult passwords and change them often.

4)  All passwords can be cracked.

5)  No matter how good your password is, if the sysop's is not difficult to crack, then your security is in jeopardy.

We at Excel Progs hope you have learned from this help file and will use its information when creating/changing passwords on the computer/information systems you use.  A few minutes of time spent now in creating difficult passwords can decrease the chances of the weeks and months it would take to recover from an account hacking.

Andrew Malek
President, Excel Progs


Basics
Basics...

Excel-PWD is extremely easy to use.  To do so takes only a couple of easy steps:

1)	Run your favorite term program.

2)	Run Excel-PWD.

3)	Choose the type of password you wish (see below for more information).

4)	Using the scroll bar, click on the amount of characters you wish in the password.  Or, click on RANDOM check-box (under the scrollbar) to create a password with a random amount of characters (from 5 to the number of characters listed above the password.)

4)	Click on "Generate." to generate your password.

5)	The password is shown.  If you like it, copy to the clipboard and place it in a document or write it down in a safe place.  Clipboard copying also allows you, with some terms, to simply "PASTE" the password into the term program.  Note that due to the fact that 256 character ANSI passwords place their non-printable codes in the password display in a readable format, and since the space character is represented as "(SPACE") for easy recognition, passwords containing these characters will NOT be able to be imported to term programs directly using this method.

6)	Generate a new password, or quit.

Now, click on the browse right-arrow to find out more about the types of passwords you can create.


What Else has Excel Progs Made?
What else has been made by Excel Progs?

Midi Machine/Icon Packs:

Midi Machine V1.21

Icon Packs #001-003

Icon Packs #004-006

MIDI Songs:

Malek1.Mid

Malek2.Mid


Midi Machine V1.1
Midi Machine V1.21

 Midi Machine V1.21 is a .MID/.WAV jukebox/file manager for Win 3.1+ (requires the file VBRUN300.DLL).  Midi Machine plays songs in many different ways:  random, shuffle, backwards, continuous, or combinations of the previous.  Album Load/Save is supported, allowing you to listen to your favorite sounds all at once.  Auto-play after drag&drop sound selections from programs such as File Manager is supported.  Icon animations "dance" to the sound of your favorite tunes - over a dozen are included with support for externals.  Command-line options allow you to run your favorite albums and play modes at start-up.  There is mouse-sensitive help as well as an external text documentation file.

The shareware version may be found on bulletin boards and FTP sites as MIDIM121.ZIP, or on Compuserve in the WinFun+ forum as MM121.ZIP.


Midi Machine Icons #001-#003
Midi Machine Icon Packs #001-#003

 Icon Packs #001-#003 give Midi Machine new animated icons which "dance" while your sounds play!

MMIC0001 	- 	Christmas #1

CANDCANE	FRACT2
MENORAH	MERRYXM
RUDOLPH	 	SANTA1
TREESNOW	WREATH
XMCOOKIE	XMSTAR

MMIC0002	-	Christmas #2

CANDLE	DANCTREE
FRACT3	GINGBMAN
ORNAMENT 	SANTA2
SNOWMAN	STOCKING
TOYSOLDR	XMASBELL

MMIC0003	-	Notes and Staves

16NOTEDN	DANCFLAT
FRACT4	NOTEBOUN
NOTEJMBL 	NOTELIGT
NOTEMRPH	RNDMNOTE
TIMESIG	WINKNOTE

 Filename on FTP sites and BBS's:  MI001003.ZIP


Midi Machine Icons #001-#003
Midi Machine Icon Packs #004-#006

 Icon Packs #004-#006 give Midi Machine new animated icons which "dance" while your sounds play!

MMIC0004 	- 	Fractals 5-14

FRACT5	FRACT6
FRACT7	FRACT8
FRACT9	FRACT10
FRACT11	FRACT12
FRACT13	FRACT14

MMIC0005	-	Fireworks

BOTTLRCK	FWBRIDG1
FWBRIDG2	FWHEART
FWMASSIV	FWRWB
FWSPIRAL	FWSTAR
FWTRIANG	REDBURST

MMIC0006	-	Potpourri #1

3DBOX	CIRCLES
COFFECUP	DONTCLIK
FRACT15	PAPRCLIP
PLANET	PRISM
RADAR	TILEDEAR

 Filename on FTP sites and BBS's:  MI004006.ZIP


Malek1.Mid

 This is the introductory section to my first midi, a four-part movement aptly titled "Malek."

 INSTRUMENTATION:

 General Midi patch set-up with standard drums.

 This movement is quite an alternative to the normal classical style.  Auxillary percussion (timpani, vibes, and bells) start the file in a very jarring motion, leading to a string and choir introduction and a temporary calming of the bass.  The bells return along with short bursts of the timpani. Vibes signal the introduction of a softer mode, and the piccolo takes a brief stint as soloist. Once again, auxillary percussion commences as the string dies down and the sound returns to its original state.  At last, the timpani beats a few dying notes and decays.

 One thing to notice is that by the time a thematic style is established, the music shifts direction, such as cinema/movie score music.  This is common in this work, as can be heard in the other movements.

Time:	~2:00

File on BBS's and Internet:  MALEK1.ZIP


Malek2.Mid

 This is the second section to my first midi, a four-part movement aptly titled "Malek."

 INSTRUMENTATION:

 General Midi patch set-up with standard drums.

 This movement begins with a slight auxillary percussion base, with the New Age/Flute and Vibes alternating melody.  The melody begins to get higher and higher; a peak is reached and the base lowers.  Soon a running part is established by the clarinet/flute duet as the piece reflects beginning melodies.  This reflection leads to the first climax as the SoundTrack FX rumbles in  the bottom underneath the string melody.  The Choir takes the lead as the sound mellows. After its turn at solo, the flute running part begins again; the song reaches its final climax and toms are beaten in the background.  The New Age penetrates the lower voices reaching higher and higher, breaks free, and decrescendoes to the end.

 One thing to notice is that by the time a thematic style is established, the music shifts direction, such as cinema/movie score music.  This is common in this work, as can be heard in the other movements.

 Time:	~4:00

Filename on BBS's and Internet:  MALEK2.ZIP


Registration
REGISTRATION:

o	US Mail Registration

Registration is $10.00, which will give you the current release of Excel-PWD if it is V1.5 or below.  You will also receive on disk a collection of other Excel Progs programs and screen-shots of upcoming software.  Make a check or money order out to Andrew Malek at this address:

Excel Progs
re:  Excel-PWD Registration
c/o Andrew Malek
434 Gallaher View Rd Apt. 60
Knoxville, TN  37919

(Note: Make sure the check/money order is made to Andrew Malek and NOT Excel Progs).

o	CompuServe SWREG Registration

Excel-PWD  is available for registration via the CompuServe SWREG (Shareware Registration Database).  The program costs $10.00 using the SWREG service (International registrants may have to pay slightly more for shipping & handling...all information is provided in this service before you make your order).  Simply type GO SWREG or choose "Shareware Registration" if you are using a graphical interface to the service.  Excel-PWD's SWREG ID #: 4663.

o	International Registration

Standard registration for Excel-PWD  is $10.00.  In the spirit of NAFTA, the extra S&H for Mexico and Canada has been waived.  However, overseas registration will cost a slight $0.75 extra, for a total of $10.75.  Transfer the money to US funds, made out to Andrew Malek.  Send the registration fee and your name/company name to:

Excel Progs
re:  Excel-PWD Registration
c/o Andrew Malek
434 Gallaher View Rd Apt. 60
Knoxville, TN  37919

(Note: Make sure the money is made to Andrew Malek and NOT Excel Progs).