A Scrutiny of Honeyword Generation Methods: Remarks on Strengths and Weaknesses Points

Abstract

Honeyword system is a successful password cracking detection system. Simply the honeywords are (False passwords) that are accompanied to the sugarword (Real password). Honeyword system aims to improve the security of hashed passwords by facilitating the detection of password cracking. The password database will have many honeywords for every user in the system. If the adversary uses a honeyword for login, a silent alert will indicate that the password database might be compromised. All previous studies present a few remarks on honeyword generation methods for max two preceding methods only. So, the need for one that lists all preceding researches with their weaknesses is shown. This work presents all generation methods then lists the strengths and weaknesses of 26 ones. In addition, it puts 32 remarks that highlight their strengths and weaknesses points. This research has proved that every honeyword generation method has many weaknesses points.

Keywords

• flatness
• honeychecker
• honeywords
• password
• sweetwords