topic Re: password length query in Operating System - HP-UX

password length query

sparky_2 — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:43:37 GMT

We have a user account that had a two-letter password that has expired. This password is hard-coded into a number of applications and it is therefore imperative that this original password is reset. But I am unable to over-ride the system default of a six-character minimum password length. The system is trusted - I have attempted to set the maximum password length field to 2, but this has not overridden the default. Are there any other fields I can manipulate to resolve this?

Re: password length query

Michael Tully — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:59:06 GMT

Have a look at this link, but I suspect you will have to reset your system back to untrusted before you will get it to work.

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0xb127aaf9f7b2d711abdc0090277a778c,00.html

Re: password length query

Tim Adamson_1 — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 09:05:15 GMT

Hi,

Untrust the system, set the passwd and retrust again.

Cheers!

Re: password length query

Darren Prior — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 09:07:11 GMT

Hi,

This sounds like a real weak point in the system! You have all the benefits of the extra password checks and logging, then have a system entry point with a 2 letter password.

I suppose a fairly easy way to do this would be to make a copy of the u_pwd field for this password. Next set the password to something that fits in with the password policies, then replace the u_pwd field that you saved. In future you'll probably want to remove the password ageing for this account.

regards,

Darren.

Re: password length query

sparky_2 — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 10:22:52 GMT

In the end, I restored the user's protected password file and changed the current u_pwd field to the original encryption string. Ageing was not set on this account anyway - the password change was an error...(Users!!! sigh...)
Thanks for the input.