Chapter I
Before computers
Before passwords were typed they were spoken, and even then they gave people away.
How did a Roman camp tell friend from foe at night?
With a watchword that changed every day, and a way to prove every unit had it.
The long answerWhy does “open sesame” still sound like a password?
Because the story it’s from has everything a password does: a secret word, a thief who overhears it, and someone who forgets it.
The long answerHow did a sound become a life-or-death password?
Because how you said a word gave away where you were from.
The long answerHow did the habits of Enigma operators help break their own codes?
They fell into predictable patterns, just like people do with passwords.
The long answer