Generate encrypted password

This window is invoked from the Database Explorer window (Tools > Generate Encrypted Password).

This feature was introduced in conjunction with Batch Mode operation of AQT, in which you need to specify Connect statements in your batch scripts to sign onto the database you wish to run your script against. If your database requires a user-id and password to be specified, these will need to be coded in the script. This is a security risk - passwords should never be coded in clear text in scripts.

Our solution to this is to use encrypted passwords in your batch scripts. The procedure is to:

• use the Generate Encrypted Password window to generate an encrypted password.
• use this encrypted password in the your batch scripts. When coding a Connect function, you specify an encrypted password with the epwd parameter.

To use the Generate Encrypted Password window

• Type your password into the Password textbox
• AQT will encrypt the password and show the result to you in Encrypted Password
• AQT will then also decrypt the encrypted password and show this in Decrypt Check. This is used to verify that the encryption and decryption are working correctly. The Decrypt Check should be the same as Password - if it is different there is some problem with the decryption.
• Hit the Copy button to copy the Encrypted Password to the windows clipboard. This can then be pasted into an AQT script.

Note that there is a randomizer built into the encrypted password. The same password can produce different encrypted passwords if run more than once (this is to prevent the cracking of password by trial and error).

Note: while AQT uses strong password encryption, we cannot state that it cannot be broken. You should not code encrypted passwords for databases which contain sensitive or critical data.

Earlier Releases of AQT

As of AQT v10.1.1, AQT will use a stronger encryption method than prior releases. Encrypted Passwords generated by AQT v10.1.1 cannot be used in prior releases of AQT.

Encrypted passwords generated by prior releases of AQT can still be used by AQT v10.1.1 and AQT v11.

Who can use this password?

Three identity options are available:

• Anyone. When this is selected any AQT user can use this encrypted password.
• Anyone using this Machine. When this option is selected, the encrypted password can be used by any user on the machine. The encrypted password cannot be used on another machine.

  The encryption key is based on a hash of the machine name and will be invalid if the machine name changes.

• Only myself. Only you are able to use the encrypted password. No other user will be able to use it. The encryption key is based on a hash of the user's SID.