Strong Passwords

Simple passwords (your name, your company name, etc.) programmed into computers or devices can be easily “cracked” using software that performs a brute-force “dictionary” attack. Industry experts say that passwords should be “strong,” and include capital and lowercase letters, numbers, symbols such as { or #, and have a minimum of eight characters.

The problem with strong passwords is that they’re hard to remember, so users may well write them on a Post-It note and stick them on their computer. This makes password theft easy for fellow employees or others who may pass by a person’s workstation.

The answer is to use a phrase that the person can remember, and convert that into a strong password. “I went to Emory University in 1973” can be converted into the “I>tEuI73.” And now you know how old I am….

It’s Alive

See an SDM editor battle networks and the Internet, armed only with a laptop and his fingers. In conjunction with Bosch, Axis, Sony, Pelco, and JVC, my company (Slayton Solutions Ltd.) will be providing one-day “Networking 101 for Technicians” training classes at 40-plus ADI locations around the country during 2007. This program is a part of the IP/ADI industry education initiative, provided in partnership with the NBFAA/NTS. Learn how to program network physical security devices and access them over the Internet. A complete schedule can be viewed at www.slaytonsolutionsltd.com.

Red Storer

In our rapidly changing world of physical security, we often forget that it’s the people we work with who provide the colors in a black-and-white world.

Mark “Red” Storer was a long-time industry professional, having worked for ADI for the majority of his career. Red was instrumental in the establishment of the ADI Systems Support center in Louisville.  A pleasure to work with, Red brought a sense of fun to the sometimes mundane tasks of designing systems and selling the components. Red passed away in 2006 after battling cancer. He was a loyal husband, father, and industry fellow. Red dealt professionally with his co-workers and clients, and was a person who had integrity…and he made me laugh.

He is missed by his family, friends, customers, and fellow employees. Those who knew him know that their lives are better because Red was here.

Sidebar: Web Site of the Month

www.google.com
Hit the world’s greatest information resource with the following searches: “inurl:view/index.shtml”; “inurl:ViewerFrame?Mode=”or “inurl:MultiCameraFrame?Mode=” (use the quote marks). These searches will bring up thousands of Internet-connected cameras, most of which require no password for access. Looking at a few of these should give security integrators some new ideas on possible uses for Internet cameras.