Passwords are never stored in their original clear text form, nor are they stored in a final usable form at any time.

Instead, the 128 bit cryptographic MD5 hash of term A1 described in the RFC is calculated and stored in the database when the user is first added to the database ...

A virtual gateway page is implemented as a means of preventing automated abuse of the system through hot-linking, robots, spiders and other means. All sessions must be initiated at the gateway page ...