Non-trusted system enforcing password minimums

[Ken Englander]

I have a number of systems running HP-UX 11.23 that are now requiring passwords satisfy the following minimum:

Password must contain at least two alphabetic characters and at least one numeric or special character.

There is no /tcb directory. The /etc/default/security file is all comments.

It seems that this is a new default requirement possibly related to some patch.

The base level for these systems is the Sep06 MCOE.

Anyone else see this situation? Can it be disabled or is that the true minimum password requirement?

[Michael Steele_2]

Here's a good link on how to build /etc/default/security with examples.

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1167728&admit=109447626+1201648428672+28353475

[James R. Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Hi Ken:

The manpages for 'passwd' note that "a password must contain at least two letters and at least one numeric or special character."

However, as the 'root' account, you can change a user's password to whatever you want without being bound by this restriction.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Ken Englander]

Michael - thank you for the quick response but it really did not address my question.

James - you hit the nail on the head - I missed that key piece of information in the man page when I reviewed it yesterday. Thanks!