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No. Serial numbers generally have really low entropy. They're often a fixed format assigned sequentially or in batches, which makes attacking them substantiall
by mirashii 8y ago
No.
Serial numbers generally have really low entropy. They're often a fixed format assigned sequentially or in batches, which makes attacking them substantially easier.
- ryandrake 8y agoHence the name serial numbers. Often times they are actually assigned 1, 2, 3, 4, ...
- JoeAltmaier 8y agoOf course. But nobody knows which one you have. So you have time to change it. I shipped firmware for an IoT device, had the initial password == the serial number. The client said "Nah, just make it open, our installers don't want to fool with passwords". Sigh.
- posterboy 8y agoYoud simply buy one and try a bunch up and down the sequence. Serial numbers of captured German tank parts were actually used to estimate how many there are. That story was an application of Bayesian inference, and is used to explain that. However, I didn't understand the argument.