| 摘要 |
<p>A password storage and retrieval system (8) for secure authentication and management of network agents (10). The password storage and retrieval system (8) includes a memory unit (18) and, in a network agent (10), a decryptor (12), an encryptor (14), and an encryption key (16). The decryptor (12) uses a symmetrical algorithm and an encryption key (16) to decrypt an encrypted password related to the network agent (10) to thereby obtain a decrypted password. The same symmetrical algorithm was previously used to encrypt the password with the key and store the encrypted password. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the encryption key (16) is hard-coded in the network agent (10), and the memory unit (18) for the encrypted password is a designated directory easily accessible to the network agent (10). An obvious advantage of this invention is that in order to break through the system, a person would need to obtain at least two pieces of information; that is, the encryption key (16) and the encrypted password.</p> |
