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makepasswd(1)		     UNIX Reference Manual		 makepasswd(1)

NAME
       makepasswd - generate and/or encrypt passwords

SYNOPSIS
       makepasswd [ --chars N ]	[ --clearfrom file ] [ --count N ] [ --crypt |
       --nocrypt | --crypt-md5 ] [ --cryptsalt N ] [ --help ] [	--maxchars N ]
       [ --minchars N ]	[ --randomseed N ] [ --rerandom	N ] [ --repeatpass N ]
       [ --string string ] [ --verbose | --noverbose ]

DESCRIPTION
       makepasswd generates true random	passwords using	/dev/urandom, with the
       emphasis	on security over pronounceability.  It can also	encrypt	plain-
       text passwords given on the command line.

OPTIONS
       --chars N
	      Generate	passwords  with	 exactly N characters (do not use with
	      options --minchars and --maxchars).

       --clearfrom FILE
	      Use password from	FILE instead  of  generating  passwords.   Re-
	      quires  the  --crypt or the --crypt-md5 options; may not be used
	      with these options: --chars,  --maxchars,	 --minchars,  --count,
	      --string,	 --nocrypt.   Trailing	newlines are removed but other
	      white space is not.

       --count N
	      Produce a	total of N passwords (the default is one).

       --crypt
	      Produce encrypted	passwords.

       --crypt-md5
	      Produce encrypted	passwords using	the MD5	 digest	 (hash)	 algo-
	      rithm.

       --cryptsalt N
	      Use  crypt() salt	N, a positive number <=	4096.  If random seeds
	      are desired, specify a zero value	(the default).

       --help Ignore other operands and	produce	only a help display.

       --maxchars N
	      Generate passwords with at most N	characters (default = 10).

       --minchars N
	      Generate passwords with at least N characters (default = 8).

       --nocrypt
	      Do not encrypt the generated password(s) (the default).

       --noverbose
	      Display no labels	on output (the default).

       --randomseed N
	      Use random number	seed N,	between	0 and 2^32 inclusive.  A  zero
	      value  results  in a real-random seed.  This generates much less
	      secure passwords than the	default; not  only  does  it  generate
	      predictable  passwords  due  to the fixed	seed, but the range of
	      available	seeds is 32 bits rather	than the default of 256	 bits,
	      and  cannot be changed without breaking expectations of previous
	      users of this option.  If	possible, do not use this option.

       --rerandom N
	      Set the random seed value	every N	values used.  Specify zero  to
	      use  a single seed value (the default). Specify one to get true-
	      random passwords,	though note that  doing	 this  too  frequently
	      will deplete the supply of entropy available in the kernel's en-
	      tropy pool.

       --repeatpass N
	      Use each password	N times	(4096 maximum, --crypt must be set and
	      --cryptsalt may not be set).

       --string	STRING
	      Use the characters in STRING to generate random passwords.

       --verbose
	      Display labelling	information on output.

HISTORY
       makepasswd  was	originally  part of the	mkircconf program used to cen-
       trally administer the Linux Internet Support Cooperative	 IRC  network.
       It  may	potentially be of use in any situation where passwords must be
       secure and need not be memorized	by humans.

       Colin Watson modified it	to use Bytes::Random::Secure.

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (c) 1997-1998 by lilo <lilo@linpeople.org>.  All  rights  are
       reserved	 by  the  author.  This	program	may be used under the terms of
       version 2 of the	GNU Public License.

SEE ALSO
       passwd(5)

Debian Distribution		1998 February 9			 makepasswd(1)

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