[Tutor] Python "password" securely hashed in script

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 08:47:14AM -0400, Paul Smith wrote:

> So creating small programs that automate my day specifically logins, how
> can one "hash" or hide the user and pass items in the python script itself?

You can't, really.

For *low security* passwords, or a trusted environment, you may be able 
to use a .netrc file to store the password. See the netrc module for 
more information:

https://docs.python.org/2/library/netrc.html
https://docs.python.org/3/library/netrc.html

but remember, if the attacker has access to your account and can read 
your files, she can read your .netrc file as well. The one advantage to 
this scheme is that you can treat the .netrc file as the only secret 
that needs protecting, and the python scripts as "low security" because 
they contain no passwords.

You can't hash the passwords, because you cannot reverse a hash to get 
the passwords back. Hashing is one-way.




-- 
Steve