Managing brute force attacks in a distributed storage system

1. A method for execution in a storage network, the method comprises:

performing a key derivation function on a first password to produce a key;

issuing a set of second passwords based on the key to a set of storage units, wherein a data object is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices and wherein the set of encoded data slices are stored in the set of storage units;

receiving a decode threshold number of confidential information responses from the set of storage units;

regenerating a set of keys for the decode threshold number of confidential information responses;

decrypting the confidential information responses using the set of keys to reproduce a set of encoded data slices; and

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded data slices to produce recovered data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a confidential information response of the decode threshold number of confidential information responses includes an associated pass key.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the regenerating is based on the associated pass key.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some passwords of the set of second passwords are blinded passwords.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the blinded passwords are generated using a password generator.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a confidential information response is generated based on a blinded password.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the decrypting the confidential information responses further comprises:

decrypting an encrypted data slice 1 using a first key 1 to produce an encoded data slice 1 of the set of encoded data slices.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the key derivation function is adapted to require a minimum iteration count for generating the key.

9. A computing device of a group of computing devices of a storage network, the computing device comprises:

an interface;

a local memory; and

a processing module operably coupled to the interface and the local memory, wherein the processing module functions to:

perform a key derivation function to produce a key;

issue a set of passwords based on the key to a set of storage units, wherein a data object is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices and wherein the set of encoded data slices are stored in the set of storage units;

receive a decode threshold number of confidential information responses from the set of storage units;

regenerate a set of keys for the decode threshold number of confidential information responses;

decrypt the confidential information responses using the set of keys to reproduce a set of encoded data slices; and

dispersed storage error decode a decode threshold number of the set of encoded data slices to produce recovered data.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein a confidential information response of the decode threshold number of confidential information responses includes an associated pass key.

11. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the set of keys for the decode threshold number of confidential information responses are regenerated based on the associated pass key.

12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein at least some passwords of the set of passwords are blinded passwords.

13. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the blinded passwords are generated using a password generator.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein a confidential information response is generated based on a blinded password.

15. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

decrypt the confidential information responses by decrypting an encrypted data slice 1 using a first key 1 to produce an encoded data slice 1 of the set of encoded data slices.

16. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the key derivation function is adapted to require a minimum iteration count for generating the key.

17. A method for execution in a storage network, the method comprises:

determining whether an iteration count threshold has been exceeded for generating a key;

in response to a determination that the iteration count threshold has been exceeded, performing a key derivation function on a first password to produce a key;

issuing a read threshold number of second passwords based on the key to a set of storage units, wherein a data object is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices and wherein the set of encoded data slices are stored in the set of storage units, wherein a read threshold number is number of encoded data slices per set to be read from storage for decoding a portion of the data object;

receiving a decode threshold number of confidential information responses from the set of storage units, wherein a confidential information response of the decode threshold number of confidential information responses includes an encrypted encoded data slice and an associated passkey;

regenerating a set of keys using the associated passkeys of the at least a decode threshold number of confidential information responses;

decrypting the confidential information responses using the set of keys to reproduce a set of encoded data slices; and

dispersed storage error decoding a decode threshold number of the set of encoded data slices to produce recovered data.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least some passwords of the set of second passwords are blinded passwords.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the blinded passwords are generated using a password generator.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein a confidential information response is generated based on a blinded password.