Re: Hiding passwords (was patch for freebcp: take password from stdin instead of command line)

Wood, David wrote:
> 
> Have you ever considered a generic solution for hiding freebcp, tsql,
> etc passwords from prying eyes (eg, ps -ef)?  Sybase SDK does this with
> all of their utilities.  Michael Peppler implemented a similar solution
> in sqsh

I'm unpersuaded of the efficacy of "quickly" hiding the password.  There
are other, better options: 

1.  reading from ~/.netrc, as most ftp clients do. 
2.  kerberos.
3.  a wrapper script that uses any other password-fetching mechanism.  

cf.
http://infocenter.sybase.com/help/index.jsp?topic=/com.sybase.dc00212_1254/html/nfg1254/nfg125413.htm

for an example of how Sybase's isql can use kerberos.  

The first option is easily done.  The second is not but would permit
integration with single signon regimes.  I'd accept patches for either
one, but don't plan to work on them myself.  

--jkl