Introduction

Password management policies are a set of rules created so as to increase the security of computer systems by encouraging end users to create reliable, secure passwords and which are then store and utilized properly. A password is a convenient and easy method of authentication for the end users entering a computer system or signing in to any system. Though password driven security has not provided the perfect solution, the counter parts and the existing alternatives has not gained much attention and traction of application within the computing industry. The computing system simply requires the end user to proof their identity by presenting something as a proof and evident that the user is who he or she claims to be.

With the understanding that a strong password policy offers the front-line of defense in any computing system as it provides protections to financial systems and transactions, personal communication systems and private personal information stored online. This goes even to the end computer users of any system as in using a strong password at work as well as at home it important for they are defending their own personal system and information against serious cybersecurity related threats, scamming and the hackers serving as the personal system bodyguard.

This policy defines best practices that will make password protection as strong and manageable as possible while putting in place the importance of proper password management policy.

The Best Password Management Policies and the Best Practices to be Implement

Enforcing of Password

This is policy ensures and sets how often and old password can be reused within the same system. This for instance can be implemented with a minimum of at least 10 previous passwords remembered. This policy will help in discouraging end users from reusing passwords or alternating between several commonly used passwords.

Minimum Password Age Policy

This policy helps in determining how long the end users must keep a password before the systems prompts them to change the password. The minimum password age policy will prevent any end user from escaping or dogging by using a new password and then changing it back to their old one. The minimum password age policy will also prevent a user from immediately changing a compromised password.

Maximum Password Age Policy

The Maximum Password Age policy determines how long the end users can keep a password before they are required or prompted by the system to change it. This policy will force the end users to change their passwords regularly which will ensure that network security especially in a scenario where 90 days period is the set day to change the passwords and 180 days duration for passphrases.

Minimum Password Length Policy

The Minimum Password Length Policy helps to determine the minimum number of characters needed by the end users to create a password. For even greater security, one could set the minimum password length of up to 14 characters.

Passwords Must Meet Complexity Requirements Policy

This policy will ensure that the end users’ passwords will go beyond the basic password and

 account policies and by ensuring that every password used or created is secured with the following guidelines:

• Password cannot contain the user name or the parts of the end user name in the system.
• Password must use at least three of the lowercase letters, the uppercase letters, numbers, and the special symbols.

Importance of Proper Password Management Policy

Storing of password using the reversible encryption for all end user’s policy will not only be enabled on a per-user basis and then only to meet the user’s actual needs, this will ensure that the password even in storage databased are secured and it will not be reversed by the hackers and unauthorized personnel.

Implementation of the password audit policy will allow tracking all password changes within the system by monitoring the modifications making it easier to track and predict potential security problems and attacks. This will ensure that in the event of data and security breach, the end users are accountable and they can provide evident of the attacks.

The use of email notification policies will ensure that prior expiry of the passwords the ensures are reminded when the time comes for them to change passwords before they could expire.

The implementation of use of strong passwords passphrases policy such that strong passphrases with a minimum of 15 characters implemented in systems helps in ensuring that cracking of the used password will be hard and as a result minimization of system compromise will be possible.

The implementation of the minimum password length policy will make it harder to crack the used password compared to the scenario where short length passwords are implemented within the system.

The password complexity requirement policy will ensure that the used password goes beyond the basic password and account policies to the end users and ensuring that every password will be a combination of at least three of the lowercase letters, the uppercase letters, numbers and the special symbols. This will enhance the system security by putting in place harder to crack password.

The implementation of the encrypted password storage by hashing the password through algorithms will ensure that no password and user information will be leaked in the case where system breach occurs as the passwords are not stored in the database in plain text forms. This will ensure that the user password cannot be use to compromise the user’s account in the occurrences of data breaches.

The implementation of the must use two factor authentications to verify system login will ensure that only the authorized personnel can gain access to the system as intended and minimizing of any compromise to the end users’ accounts.

The minimum age password policy will ensure that every end user will change their passwords periodically which helps in securing the end users accounts in the scenario where their passwords are known by different people.

Finally, the user and implementation of the enforced password history policy will ensure that the end users don’t re-use their old password therefore ensuring that no unauthorize personnel can gain access to the systems as passwords are changed and no previously known old password used in place.

Conclusion

We cannot over emphasize enough the importance of using proper password management policies within organizations as it helps the end users on how to manage their strong passwords and avoiding any compromise and unauthorized access to their accounts. The passwords are only one piece of the personal security defense and security puzzle.