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Password Program Changing

The program to change your password on ECN UNIX hosts, passwd(1), will be changing sometime in November 1990. This change will force users to make better choices for passwords, thereby improving UNIX system security.

The new passwd(1) command will restrict users from choosing an easily guessable password by prohibiting the use of:

• the user's login, forwards or backwards, regardless of case
• the user's name or any part thereof, forwards or backwards, regardless of case
• digit strings (phone numbers or Social Security numbers, for example)

Much of this information is available to anyone connected to our network via the finger(1) command. Some people attempt to break into other people's accounts using this information as passwords. Unfortunately, they sometimes succeed. These restrictions will disallow users from choosing these passwords, thereby greatly reducing the chances that their account will be compromised.

The new passwd(1) command will enforce a minimum password length of five (5) character. When a 5 character password is used, the pool of potential combinations is great enough to make it difficult to crack.

With the implementation of the upgraded password restraints, the passwd(1) program will NOT allow users to choose restricted passwords regardless of the number of times the restricted password is entered (previously the passwd(1) program would accept a rejected password after three attempts).

If you would like more information concerning this policy, please contact your site specialist or Phil Moyer (login: prm), MSEE 170.

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