RE: Minimum password requirements

["Kenton Smith" <ksmith () chartwelltechnology com>]

What is your password policy? If you have one, maybe the consequences for
going against the policy aren't being enforced or aren't viewed as being
serious. If you don't have a formal policy, no amount of nagging is going to
stop password sharing. You have to impress upon people the need to keep
passwords secret and then you need to have a clear policy that includes a
way of "encouraging" them (i.e. "you'll be fired if caught giving out this
information") to stick to the policy.

Kenton

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike [mailto:mike () coenholdings ie] 
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2004 9:39 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: RE: Minimum password requirements

Sorry if this subject has been flogged to death, but a recent example
from one of my own users:

User A is off work and calls in and asks colleague, user B to access her
email and supplies domain password (it doesn't matter how many times you
tell them not to tell anyone their password, they still do). User A has
internet access for business user B does not (it is hard enough to get
her to work at the best of times). User B surfs internet until user A is
forced to change password after 1 week (passwords rotate every 30 days).
As internet usage is only checked monthly (there are few problems) no
alarm bells sound until user B tries to use User A login and is booted
out for wrong user password combi and it shows up in logs.

Result: User A has sheepish conversation with IT Dept on importance of
not revealing passwords and ticking off from management.

Regards
Mike Molloy
IT Supervisor




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