Passwords and Python: Introducing Security Concepts in Lower-Division Programming
Casey L. Fiesler, Samantha Dalal, Joshua Paup · ACM eBooks · 2023
One important concept for all computing students to understand is security—both their own, and for the technologies and systems they might eventually develop. This open educational resource provides an assignment to introduce to students in an introductory programming class to a foundational security concept: password security. The assignment begins with a basic introduction to security as an important concept in computing, drawing from real world examples of security breaches with a focus on the importance of good password practices. It then explains password strength as a concept and has students use conditionals, logical operators, and for and while loops to code a password strength checker and simple password management system.