Increasing Password Complexity

[Guest]

Hi All, are there any products that I can install that will increase the
complexity requirements of the passwords users use. Currently I have the
standard windows complexity enabled but users can type in Password9 which
conforms but still contains a dictionary word. I would like to stop users
using dictionary words and more random letters. Sadistic I know but where's
the fun otherwise.
Thanks,
Liam.

 

[Steven L Umbach]

They will still find ways around it as in Passw0rd9!. Train them to use
passphrases and then you can increase the minimum lenght to 15 or more. A
password such as - I forget my stupid password - would be a very strong
password based on it's length and be easy to remember. In high security
situations you should look at using smart cards, possibly at least for
administrators and key personnel. If you make it too hard for users they
will simply write their passwords down and keep them under the keyboard or
such. There are third party tools. If you search Google for custom
passfilt.dll you should find some if that is the way you want to go.
Disabling storeage of lm password hashes will also go a long way to
protecting passwords from brute force attacks. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q299656&