Password Generator widget

Name: Password Generator widget
Rating: 2.5625 (5 reviews)

1.2

14 September 2005

Widget creates random passwords.

Overview

Generate random, secure passwords

What's new in Password Generator widget

Version 1.2 - New icon

5 Password Generator widget Reviews

Amazing! This widget appears to contain code to determine if it is being run in IE (to handle the HTTP request). I cannot stress enough that you should not use this widget as it does NOT generate random passwords and that it DOES call home. I wouldn't trust this with the password to an empty file cabinet.

Version 1.2

2 answer(s)

Anonymous

16 September 2005

You sir, are an idiot. This widget does not "call home". It contacts random.org to obtain random values which are then used to generate the password.

Version 1.2

rspeed

23 February 2009

Glen, As of version 1.1 it DID call home (see earlier comments). In version 2.2 the author apparently changed this behavior but didn't outline it in the description. Regardless, the app uses a network resource which is NOT secure (no SSL) in order to grab random numbers even though a true random number generator is available locally. The password generator in Keychain.app is much more flexible anyway.

Version 1.2

new version seems better, except it connects to the internet every time so not good for "on-the-run" people. it connects to planxty.dsg.cs.tcd.ie with is a page with a outer connection to random.org But why no connect to random.org?

Version 1.1

After noting that the numbers don't seem random, you can have 2 instances running that cycle through the same series password. I noticed that it the list remains unchanged when powering down and rebooting. Meaning that the same series of passwords are cycled through never changing. I would be highly suspect of using a password from this software, unless someone can tell me why it wouldn't be a hugh security risk to use passwords supplied by some unknown party. Oddly enough Keychain helper seems to do the same thing, run through a list of password rather than generate them... very suspect.

Version 1.0

WARNING--It's not random. At all. It produces the same passwords. Try this: place two of these widgets on your desktop. Hit generate password. On my machine it gives me the exact same password on each widget.

Version 1.0

1 answer(s)

Jim

07 June 2005

I agree, the passwords appear to cycle through a predetermined list. I can 'catch up' one instance of the password generator with another instance of password generator with a few clicks. As though they are cycling through the same list. I could see a real security risk by using this software depending on where the list is that the software is using. If the widget is hitting off of some website of passwords that would be bad. If it is constructing a list locally well not so bad. I have seen this also with another product widget called KeyChainHelper. It too will cycle through the same list of passwords, in 2 instances.

Version 1.0