Can we generate the same key with the same password???

Question

Hi everyone,
Is it at all possible to generate the same key? I have a program that takes a user password, creates a key. And this is done in a loop for 5 times. I just wanted to see if the keys that are generated will be the same for the same password. But the keys that are generated are different.
Does anyone have any idea why this would happen?
My Environment
jdk1.2.2
jce1.2.1
My class is very simple as is as follows
import java.security.*;
public class SecureStuff {
static
Security.addProvider(new com.sun.crypto.provider.SunJCE());
public SecureStuff()
try {
Key secretKey = null;
for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++){
javax.crypto.spec.DESedeKeySpec spec = new javax.crypto.spec.DESedeKeySpec("PASSWORDPASSWORDPASSWORD".getBytes());
javax.crypto.SecretKeyFactory desFactory = javax.crypto.SecretKeyFactory.getInstance("DESede");
secretKey = desFactory.generateSecret(spec);
System.out.println("key generated:"+secretKey.getEncoded());
} catch (Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
public static void main(String[] args) {
SecureStuff securestuff = new SecureStuff();
The Output
C:\> java SecureStuff
key generated:[B@eb7989c5
key generated:[B@e96189c5
key generated:[B@e99589c5
key generated:[B@e8d989c5
key generated:[B@ef4189c5
key generated:[B@eff589c5
Please can anyone help me..
Thank you very very much.
...geetha

Answer 1

Hi,
I was wondering if you have found a solution to your question.. I justed started working with JCE and have to implement the same functionality. basically I am trying to Encrypt passwords stored in the DB and then when a user logs in, I encrypt his password and compare with the stored password in the DB. For me to do this I have to be sure I can get the same key generated for each encryption.
Also, do you have any examples I can look at or any recommendation on books that explain this subject (JCE) well.
Thanks
Chi