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A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

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Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#121
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, just replace the original password for "password" and pixelate that, if it really must look like a real password. And make sure to never use "password" as a real password, but that's a different level of shooting oneself in the foot.

> replace the original password for "password" and pixelate that, if it really must look like a real password Or replace the original password for "password" and leave it at that.

[deleted]

Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#122
post #26

This kind of techniques have been discussed here many times. See for example: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8078747 I think one of the reasons people use blurring/pixelation is that it looks nicer than black boxes. Wondering if it would make sense to build a tool that renders a pixelated version of lorem ipsum or something like that. It would be secure while also looking good.

The added benefit of this would be wasting the time of a would-be hacker

Security by attrition.

Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decensoring Hentai with Deep Neural Networks: https://github.com/deeppomf/DeepCreamPy

Interesting, but seems to only work on static cartoon images where regions to uncensor have been manually identified.

IIRC there was another project which does the identifying part automatically, and then it's just a matter of doing it all in a loop for each frame.

Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#125
Seems like pixelization algorithms should implement some degree of brightness and chromatic random noise in order to defeat this?

To preserve the same aesthetics (a blurred username or identifier that doesn't call attention to itself) but would make it impossible to match against?

E.g. in Photoshop, the "Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic" option should have a checkbox called "Secure" or "Security noise". Or there should be a separate filter called "Pixelate > Redact". Ideally it would use some intelligence to figure out the size of characters/symbols in the selected area and automatically figure out the right combination of pixel size and noise.

Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#127

Seems like pixelization algorithms should implement some degree of brightness and chromatic random noise in order to defeat this? To preserve the same aesthetics (a blurred username or identifier that doesn't call attention to itself) but would make it impossible to match against? E.g. in Photoshop, the "Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic" option should have a checkbox called "Secure" or "Security noise". Or there should be…

Or flood the whole rectangle with black. If that's the only layer of the picture, there's no need to worry if the "secure noise" is secure enough, or if it stays secure in two years.

Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#128
post #86
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't facepalm enough. Just, amazing incompetence.

But customers are always right, which is why Acrobat these days has special features to do this. Besides deleting letters under it could affect layouts.

> Besides deleting letters under it could affect layouts.

Which is in and of itself a security risk. Not only can the length of the redaction give an estimate on the length of the password, but for variable width fonts, could even rule out many passwords using pixel measurements between the text on either side.

Re: A tool for recovering passwords from pixelized screenshots

#129
post #77
post #4

Is "pixelized" the norm somewhere? I'm used to "pixelated."

"pixelated" has a pre-existing meaning in English (discombobulated, airheaded, tipsy). An English speaker already familiar with the word might choose "pixelized" to avoid the collision.

You're thinking of "pixilated," not "pixelated."
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