Re: Password Expatriation notification

[Morrow Long <morrow.long () YALE EDU>]

Just requiring long passwords without having an expiration period  
isn't an effective control against cases:

1.      Where the password was disclosed to other parties:
	*	The user shared their password (against policy.  Often with  
employees who are no longer at the institution).
2.	Where the password was phished (social engineering) and the user is  
still unaware they gave away their password.
3.      Where the password was guessed.
4.      Where the password was captured (keystroke logger, etc.).
5.	Where the password was brute forced (less likely with complex, long  
passwords).

- Morrow

On Aug 19, 2010, at 10:05 AM, Mark Monroe wrote:

> Wouldn't it be easier to just require 15 or 20 character passphrases  
> and never have them expire? (Two factor would be nice but not  
> financially sound for the whole campus right now.)
> It would seem that it might not be too hard of a sell with the --  
> Never have to change it again.. angle. And passphrases are easier to  
> type than the random crazy passwords..
>
> Mark
>
> On 8/19/2010 8:56 AM, Ullman, Catherine wrote:
> > James,
> >
> > I would whole-heartedly agree to your statement about providing  
> > emails from
> > IT WITHOUT links, but rather reference a known web site by name.  I  
> > think it
> > makes education and reinforcement of not clicking on links much  
> > easier when
> > IT never sends out links either.  :-)
> >
> > I expressed this sentiment just before a recent round of emails  
> > were sent
> > regarding password changes only to be informed that it would be "too
> > difficult" for the users to do and thus they wouldn't bother to  
> > change their
> > passwords.  While I understand that the password change is  
> > critical, I think
> > sending links is today a greater risk because it encourages bad  
> > behavior on
> > the part of the user.
> >
> > I will be interested to see what others out there have to say.
> >
> > Best,
> > Cathy
> >
> >
> > Catherine J. Ullman
> > Information Security Analyst
> > Information Security Office
> > University at Buffalo
> > cende () buffalo edu
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
> > [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of James
> > Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 9:23 AM
> > To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> > Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Password Expatriation notification
> >
> > We also send our users messages like this. However I'm concerned  
> > that it
> > would take very little effort to copy the content, spoof the from  
> > address
> > and href the links so they look genuine but take them to a random  
> > web server
> > which is setup with a copy of our real password management system.
> >
> > For this reason I think we shouldn't provide links in emails that  
> > ask a user
> > to login to anything, but should advise they visit our main web  
> > page (i.e.
> > type it in themselves) and we give them a link off that. We can  
> > then also
> > tag on to "we never ask for your password" that "we never link to  
> > pages that
> > ask for your password".
> >
> > Has anyone else tackled this particularly?
> >
> > Cheers
> > James
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
> > > [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Bob Bayn
> > > Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 10:11 PM
> > > To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> > > Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Password Expatriation notification
> > >
> > > And we also send out an email notice 14 days before expiration, and
> > > again more frequently as the expiration approaches.  We have a  
> > > single
> > > enterprise credential for authentication to many systems, including
> > > email.    We try to make our notification not-phish-like but still  
> > > get a
> > > few inquiries as to the validity of the message.  I usually
> > > congratulate those paranoid souls.  At least it's better than  
> > > believing
> > everything.
> >
> > > ;-)
> > >
> > > Our message says:
> > >
> > > Firstname Lastname [UniversityID#],
> > >
> > > Our system indicates that you have not changed your password since
> > > [Month day, year].
> > >
> > > Please take a few minutes to change your password and review your
> > > challenge questions by going to http://password.usu.edu before  
> > > [date 6
> > > months later].
> > >
> > > If you do not change your password by [the latter date], you may
> > > experience interruption of service on Utah State University systems.
> > > You will still be able to log in at http://id.usu.edu and make your
> > > password change after that date.
> > >
> > > You may also be temporarily receiving this message:
> > >
> > > 1) If you no longer attend Utah State University: You may not be
> > > interested in maintaining your password with us. Just ignore these
> > > messages. Once your password has expired these reminder messages  
> > > will
> > > terminate. If you ever need access again you can update your  
> > > password
> > > at http://id.usu.edu or contact the Service Desk.
> > >
> > > 2) If you have never attended Utah State University: We may have
> > > assigned you an account in conjunction with a high school concurrent
> > > enrollment course, or even as a result of receiving your SAT/ACT  
> > > scores
> > >from high school. Once your password has expired these reminder
> >
> > > messages will terminate.
> > >
> > > The Information Technology Service Desk can assist you with any
> > > questions you might have.
> > >
> > > Contact us at:
> > > Phone: 797-HELP (4357)
> > > Toll Free: 877-878-8325
> > > Email: servicedesk () usu edu<mailto:servicedesk () usu edu>
> > > Footprints.usu.edu<http://Footprints.usu.edu>  (Issue Tracking  
> > > System)
> > > [end of message] ____________________________
> > > Bob Bayn        (435)797-2396      Security Team coordinator
> > >             http://tinyurl.com/I-Need-a-Kidney
> > > Office of Information Technology   at  Utah State University

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