[mod.computers.vax] Password security and INQUIRE

MACPHEDR@SASK.BITNET.UUCP (02/12/87)

Hello,
 
I have noticed that several people have been suggesting that INQUIRE
not be used for reading username/password combinations, as the input
to the INQUIRE statement is left in the RECALL buffer. This was true
in the first versions of VMS 4.x, but since 4.4, any input to an
INQUIRE after a SET TERM/NOECHO is not included in the buffer.
 
E.G. try the following command file:
$ INQUIRE TEST1 "Echoed symbol"
$ SET TERMINAL/NOECHO
$ INQUIRE TEST2 "Not echoed"
$ SET TERMINAL/ECHO
 
followed by:
$ RECALL/ALL
 
NOTE: This is not to say that I do not favour the use of READ. For one
thing, READ keeps the case significance of the input, which is handy
when you are trying to get a username/password combination for accessing
an Ultrix machine over DECNet. (For INQUIRE, the case significance must be
kept by enclosing the input within quotes.)
 
Ian.