Increase Password length

Operating Systems Linux Red Hat Increase Password length

09-30-2009

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Are you trying a standard user account when you make these changes or a root user? In RH some password requirements don't work under root or sudo.

Create a standard user...Set your password minlen to 10...then log in as the user and try changing the password to an 8 character password. It should give an error message.

nixnoob

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pwconv

PWCONV(8)						    System Management Commands							 PWCONV(8)

NAME

       pwconv, pwunconv, grpconv, grpunconv - convert to and from shadow passwords and groups

SYNOPSIS

       pwconv [options]

       pwunconv [options]

       grpconv [options]

       grpunconv [options]

DESCRIPTION

       The pwconv command creates shadow from passwd and an optionally existing shadow.

       The pwunconv command creates passwd from passwd and shadow and then removes shadow.

       The grpconv command creates gshadow from group and an optionally existing gshadow.

       The grpunconv command creates group from group and gshadow and then removes gshadow.

       These four programs all operate on the normal and shadow password and group files: /etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/shadow, and /etc/gshadow.

       Each program acquires the necessary locks before conversion.  pwconv and grpconv are similar. First, entries in the shadowed file which
       don't exist in the main file are removed. Then, shadowed entries which don't have `x' as the password in the main file are updated. Any
       missing shadowed entries are added. Finally, passwords in the main file are replaced with `x'. These programs can be used for initial
       conversion as well to update the shadowed file if the main file is edited by hand.

       pwconv will use the values of PASS_MIN_DAYS, PASS_MAX_DAYS, and PASS_WARN_AGE from /etc/login.defs when adding new entries to /etc/shadow.

       Likewise pwunconv and grpunconv are similar. Passwords in the main file are updated from the shadowed file. Entries which exist in the main
       file but not in the shadowed file are left alone. Finally, the shadowed file is removed. Some password aging information is lost by
       pwunconv. It will convert what it can.

OPTIONS

       The options which apply to the pwconv, pwunconv, grpconv, and grpunconv commands are:

       -h, --help
	   Display help message and exit.

       -R, --root CHROOT_DIR
	   Apply changes in the CHROOT_DIR directory and use the configuration files from the CHROOT_DIR directory.

BUGS

       Errors in the password or group files (such as invalid or duplicate entries) may cause these programs to loop forever or fail in other
       strange ways. Please run pwck and grpck to correct any such errors before converting to or from shadow passwords or groups.

CONFIGURATION

       The following configuration variable in /etc/login.defs changes the behavior of grpconv and grpunconv:

       MAX_MEMBERS_PER_GROUP (number)
	   Maximum members per group entry. When the maximum is reached, a new group entry (line) is started in /etc/group (with the same name,
	   same password, and same GID).

	   The default value is 0, meaning that there are no limits in the number of members in a group.

	   This feature (split group) permits to limit the length of lines in the group file. This is useful to make sure that lines for NIS
	   groups are not larger than 1024 characters.

	   If you need to enforce such limit, you can use 25.

	   Note: split groups may not be supported by all tools (even in the Shadow toolsuite). You should not use this variable unless you really
	   need it.

       The following configuration variables in /etc/login.defs change the behavior of pwconv:

       PASS_MAX_DAYS (number)
	   The maximum number of days a password may be used. If the password is older than this, a password change will be forced. If not
	   specified, -1 will be assumed (which disables the restriction).

       PASS_MIN_DAYS (number)
	   The minimum number of days allowed between password changes. Any password changes attempted sooner than this will be rejected. If not
	   specified, -1 will be assumed (which disables the restriction).

       PASS_WARN_AGE (number)
	   The number of days warning given before a password expires. A zero means warning is given only upon the day of expiration, a negative
	   value means no warning is given. If not specified, no warning will be provided.

FILES

       /etc/login.defs
	   Shadow password suite configuration.

SEE ALSO

       grpck(8), login.defs(5), pwck(8).

shadow-utils 4.1.5.1						    05/25/2012								 PWCONV(8)

Red Hat