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OTPWCalc

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User Commands

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OTPWCalc(1)

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Name

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OTPWCalc - Client application for calculating responses to OTP challenges.

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Synopsis

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OTPWCalc [-h] [-v] [-V]

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Description

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Playing the role of a hardware michael@14: token in a client server authentication system as described michael@14: in RFC 2289, OTPWCalc calculates responses to incoming michael@14: authentication challenges as typed in by the user.

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Options

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michael@14: -h Display a brief help message and exit.
michael@14: -v Print verbose text to the calling terminal.
michael@14: -V Print the version number and exit. michael@14:

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Terms

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Username

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michael@14: The name that the server knows. For example, 'albertc'. michael@14:

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Secret

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michael@14: A password, usually selected by the user, that is michael@14: needed to gain access to the server. For example, michael@14: 'Mysec2-pw'. michael@14:

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Challenge

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michael@14: Information printed by the server when it tries to michael@14: authenticate a user. This information is needed by michael@14: OTPWCalc to generate a proper response. For example, michael@14: 'otp-md5 820 dinw23612'. michael@14:

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Response

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michael@14: Information generated from a challenge that is used michael@14: by the server to authenticate the user. For example, michael@14: 'BIEM ROSE JINX HARD BALL SKY NEW'. michael@14:

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Seed

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michael@14: Information used in conjunction with the secret and michael@14: sequence number to compute the response. It allows michael@14: the same secret to be used for multiple sequences michael@14: by changing the seed, or for authentication to michael@14: multiple servers by using different seeds. michael@14:

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Sequence #

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michael@14: A counter used to track key iterations. Each time michael@14: a successful response is received by the server the michael@14: sequence number is decremented. For example, 71. michael@14:

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Hash ID

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michael@14: Text that identifies the cryptographical algorithm michael@14: used. The valid hash identifiers are 'otpmd4' michael@14: corresponding to MD4, and 'otp-md5' corresponding michael@14: to MD5. michael@14:

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Files

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michael@14: The application may store a cookie in a file used to michael@14: restore the most recent settings. The location of this michael@14: file (or arbitrary data structure) varies according to michael@14: the operating system. michael@14:

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Bugs

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This manual.

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Security

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michael@14: All of the authentication strategies covered in the michael@14: standards implemented by this application are vulnerable michael@14: to man in the middle (MITM) attacks. The strategies can michael@14: be combined with public key logic to defeat such attacks. michael@14:

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Standards

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michael@14: The IETF standards RFC 1760 (The S/KEY One-Time Password michael@14: System) and RFC 2289 (A One-Time Password System) are michael@14: implemented. michael@14:

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