password policy

[ebnsys2ek]

I run HP-UX 10.20 trusted and I have some problems with the password policy. It does'nt seem possible to alter the default minimum password length of 8 charachters. Root may override this for himself, but there are no options in SAM for this. There is however an option for altering the maximum password length... as if that was important to restrict?!?

Now I wander if anyone knows how to alter the default minimum passwordlength. Or at least give me a straight answer whether it's possible or not?

[Zigor Buruaga]

Hi,

I also have HP-UX 10.20 trusted and the minimum password length is 6 characters.
The only way I know to alter that value is on "/etc/default/security", check this link:
http://www.unixadm.net/howto/etc-security.html

But I'm not using that file.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Zigor

[twang]

You may try to set the minimum to 8 by using the MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH variable in /etc/default/security and see if it works.

[Darren Prior]

Hi,

I believe that the minimum password length for a 10.20 trusted system is determined from a formula that involves password ageing. The maximum password length is important to some customers - but it only applies to system-generated passwords.

There's far more control over password length in HP-UX 11 and above, where the /etc/default/security file can be used. Please note that 10.20 is no longer supported by HP.

regards,

Darren.

[ebnsys2ek]

There was no /etc/default/security file in 10.20 trusted, so I made one and edited the MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH=XX into it. Unfortunately that did'nt work, so unless anyone else has any bright ideas, I'll have to either live with 6 characters or change to 11.X. Now it does'nt take a master degree in economics to figure out the cheaper choice!

[ebnsys2ek]

The /etc/default/security did not exist on my 10.20. I tried to touch such a file and edit it with the "MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH"-string, but it didn't pay off.

Any other suggestions?

[T G Manikandan]

This feature was first introduced in HP-UX 11.0 patch PHCO_20334.

you cannot use this in 10.20

[Bill Hassell]

The security file is an 11.xx feature and will not be backported to 10.20. You can create any password length (only the first 8 are significant) using the attached program and then paste it into the passwd file in the appropriate location. A significant number of security features were added to 11.0 but enhancments to 10.20 terminated several years ago and the last full patch set was released Dec 2001.

[Darren Prior]

The straight answer is you cannot do this in 10.20. I believe the /etc/defaults/security file is only valid for 11.00 onwards - libpam_unix at 10.20 is not aware of the file.

regards,

Darren.

[Pete Randall]

The MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH functionality was introduced to 11.0 by PHCO_26089 - and there are no equivalent patches for 10.20.


See this thread:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x922dc72e7884b24ca45c35aea73fef25,00.html


Pete

[Bill Hassell]

Here is the password creation program...

[Zigor Buruaga]

Hi,

Please accept my apologies. I posted my initial reply without testing it in HP-UX 10.20, sorry for wasting your time. My reply only deserved a big 0.

Kind regards and sorry again,
Zigor

[Kiran Kumar Aekabote]

Hi

Try as below, using sam
sam -> Audting and security ->system security policies -> password format policies

Here set the max password length as 8 or less than 8 and it will apply for all users.

The above works in 11.0, but see will it possible in 10.20 also.

Regards
Kiran