Re: password administration - Mailing list pgsql-admin

From Craig James
Subject Re: password administration
Date
Msg-id 4C5B1D25.2060906@emolecules.com
Whole thread Raw
In response to password administration  ("Mark Steben" <msteben@autorevenue.com>)
Responses Re: password administration
List pgsql-admin
On 8/5/10 12:58 PM, Mark Steben wrote:
> I would like to set up a facility that enforces password changes for roles
> After a predefined period (30 days for instance) when logging into psql
> Or, at the very least, send an email out to notify that your current
> Password period is about to expire.  Preferably, I'd like to use
> The 'rolvaliduntil' column in pg_roles.
>
> I'm wondering if there is an app inside or outside of postgres
> that I can use or do I have to design from scratch.

This is an off-topic response, but security experts have said that this is a REALLY bad idea.  It forces people to
choosea new password, which means they can't remember it.  So what do they do?  They write it down.  Anyone snooping
aroundtheir office can find it. 

Besides, when a password is stolen, it's usually used within minutes.  Making everyone change every month does no good
atall. 

A better solution is to implement a password-strength algorithm and require people to select decent passwords to begin
with.

Craig

pgsql-admin by date:

Previous
From: "Mark Steben"
Date:
Subject: password administration
Next
From: Scott Marlowe
Date:
Subject: Re: password administration