Ubuntu Manpage: apg - generates several random passwords

NAME

       apg - generates several random passwords

SYNOPSIS

       apg  [-a  algorithm]  [-M mode] [-E char_string] [-n num_of_pass] [-m min_pass_len] [-x max_pass_len] [-r
       dictfile] [-b filter_file] [-p min_substr_len] [-s] [-c cl_seed] [-d] [-y] [-l] [-t] [-q] [-h] [-v]

DESCRIPTION

apg generates several random passwords. It uses several password generation algorithms (currently two)
and a built-in pseudo random number generator.

Default algorithm is pronounceable password generation algorithm designed by Morrie Gasser and described
in A Random Word Generator For Pronounceable Passwords National Technical Information Service (NTIS) AD-
A-017676. The original paper is very old and had never been put online, so I have to use NIST
implementation described in FIPS-181.

Another algorithm is simple random character generation algorithm, but it uses four user-defined symbol
sets to produce random password. It means that user can choose type of symbols that should appear in
password. Symbol sets are: numeric symbol set (0,...,9), capital letters symbol set (A,...,Z), small
letters symbol set (a,...,z) and special symbols symbol set (#,@,!,...).

Built-in pseudo random number generator is an implementation of algorithm described in Appendix C of ANSI
X9.17 or RFC 1750 with exception that it uses CAST or SHA-1 instead of Triple DES. It uses local time
with precision of microseconds (see gettimeofday(2)) and /dev/random (if available) to produce initial
random seed.

apg also have the ability to check generated password quality using dictionary. You can use this ability
if you specify command-line options -r dictfile or -b filtername where dictfile is the dictionary file
name and filtername is the name of Bloom filter file. In that dictionary you may place words (one per
line) that should not appear as generated passwords. For example: user names, common words, etc. You even
can use one of the dictionaries that come with dictionary password crackers. Bloom filter file should be
created with apgbfm(1) utility included in apg distribution. In future releases I plan to implement some
other techniques to check passwords (like pattern check) just to make life easier.

OPTIONS

Password generation modes options
-a algorithm
Use algorithm for password generation.
0 - pronounceable password generation (default), see SECURITY CAVEATS below
1 - random character password generation

-n num_of_pass
Generate num_of_pass number of passwords. Default is 6.

-m min_pass_len
Generate password with minimum length min_pass_len. If min_pass_len > max_pass_len then
max_pass_len = min_pass_len. Default minimum password length is 8.

-x max_pass_len
Generate password with maximum length max_pass_len. If min_pass_len > max_pass_len then
max_pass_len = min_pass_len. Default maximum password length is 10.

-M mode
Use symbolsets specified with mode for password generation. mode is a text string consisting of
characters S, s, N, n, C, c, L, l (see SECURITY CAVEATS below). Where:

S Generator must use special symbol set for every generated password.

s Generator should use special symbol set for password generation.

N Generator must use numeral symbol set for every generated password.

n Generator should use numeral symbol set for password generation.

C Generator must use capital symbol set for every generated password.

c Generator should use capital symbol set for password generation.

L Generator must use small letters symbol set for every generated password (always present if
pronounceable password generation algorithm is used).

l Generator should use small letters symbol set for password generation.

R,r Not supported any more. Use -E char_string option instead.
mode can not be more than 4 characters in length.

Note:
Usage of L, M, S, C will slow down password generation process.

Examples:
-M sncl
-M SNCL
-M Cn

-E char_string
Exclude characters in char_string from password generation process (in pronounceable password
generation mode you can not exclude small letters). To include special symbols that can be
recognized by shell (apostrophe, quotes, dollar sign, etc.) in char_string use the backslashed
versions.

Examples:

Command apg -a 1 -M n -n 3 -m 8 -E 23456789 will generate a set of passwords that will look like
this:
10100110
01111000
11011101

Command apg -a 1 -M nc -n 3 -m 26 -E GHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ will generate a set of passwords that
will look like this:
16A1653CD4DE5E7BD9584A3476
C8F78E06944AFD57FB9CB882BC
8C8DF37CD792D36D056BBD5002

Password quality control options
-r dictfile
Check generated passwords for their appearance in dictfile

-b filter_file
Check generated passwords for their appearance in filter_file. filter_file should be created with
the apgbfm(1) utility.

-p min_substr_len
This option tells apg(1) to check every substring of the generated password for appearance in
filter_file. If any of such substrings would be found in the filter_file then generated password
would be rejected and apg(1) will generate another one. min_substr_len specifies minimum
substring length to check. This option is active only if -b option is defined.

Pseudo random number generator options
-s Ask user for random sequence for password generation

-c cl_seed
Use cl_seed as a random seed for password generation. I use it when i have to generate passwords
in a shell script.
Examples:
-c /dev/urandom
-c /tmp/seed_file

Password output options
-d Do NOT use any delimiters between generated passwords. I use it when i have to generate passwords
in a shell script.

-y Print generated passwords and crypted passwords (see crypt(3))

-q Quiet mode (do not print warnings)

-l Spell generated passwords. Useful when you want to read generated password by telephone.
WARNING: Think twice before read your password by phone.

-t Print pronunciation for generated pronounceable password. Ignored if -a 1 is set.

-h Print help information and exit

-v Print version information and exit

DEFAULT OPTIONS

       apg -a 0 -M sncl -n 6 -x 10 -m 8 (new style)

       If you want to generate really secure passwords, you should use option -s. To simplify apg usage, you can
       write a small shell script. For example:
       [begin]----> pwgen.sh
       #!/bin/sh
       /usr/local/bin/apg -m 8 -x 12 -s
       [ end ]----> pwgen.sh

EXIT CODE

       On  successful  completion of its task, apg will complete with exit code 0.  An exit code of -1 indicates
       an error occurred.  Textual errors are written to the standard error stream.

DIAGNOSTICS

       If /dev/random is not available, apg will display a message about it.

FILES

       None.

SECURITY CAVEATS

       apg is no longer maintained upstream. Alternatives include pwgen, diceware and xkcdpass.

       In particular, pronouncable passwords may be prone to various attacks and enforcing the  use  of  certain
       symbolsets (via the S, N, C and L modes of the -M option) might even simplify attacking the password.
       See Debian bug #987952.

BUGS

       None.  If you've found one, please send bug description to the author.

AUTHOR

       Adel I. Mirzazhanov, <a-del@iname.com>
       Project home page: http://www.adel.nursat.kz/apg/

Automated Password Generator                       2003 Aug 04                                            APG(1)