torkell | Blank passwords are suprisingly powerful

(x-posted to

boggyb)

A long time ago, I made a database in Lotus Approach. I passworded it for reasons I've forgotten - it's not like it actually had any sensitive information, but rather I think I went "Ooh, passwords, shiney!".

Fast-forward a few years, and I want to open it. I'm prompted for a password. I try a few of mine, and none work.
Repeat once or twice a year for a few years.

Today I decide that I *will* get in. I go hunting for a password extractor, and find one. But the trial version is limited to telling you the first 3 characters and the length. That's ok, I think, I should be able to work it out from there. There's only so many different passwords that it could be.

And I run it, and lo and behold it reports the first three characters and length. Actually, it reports something else. It reports '<none>'

WTF? So I open it up, and hit [Enter] at the prompt. And the file opens, and there was much rejoicing.

For 10 years I have been defeated by a file with a blank password. Ten years!