Prepare to activate longer passwords (IBM i Security Level 20)
Activating longer passwords on IBM i Security Level 20 is crucial for several reasons:
- Enhanced Security: Longer passwords, or passphrases, significantly increase security by making it harder for attackers to guess or crack them. With the ability to use up to 128 characters, you can create complex and unique passwords that are much more secure
- Compatibility with Modern Systems: As technology evolves, many systems now support longer and more complex passwords. By enabling longer passwords, you ensure compatibility with these modern systems and avoid potential integration issues
- Flexibility and Usability: Longer passwords allow for the use of passphrases, which can be easier to remember, and type compared to shorter, complex passwords. Passphrases can include spaces and a mix of characters, making them both user-friendly and secure
- Future-Proofing: Preparing for longer passwords now helps future-proof your system against evolving security threats. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, having robust password policies in place is essential
Would you like more details on how to implement these changes on your system?
We can use a simple SQL command to list all the users on the system and show their password status, while leaving their passwords private:
select AUTHORIZATION_NAME,
PREVIOUS_SIGNON,
STATUS,
NO_PASSWORD_INDICATOR,
PASSWORD_LEVEL_2_3,
PASSWORD_LEVEL_4
from QSYS2.USER_INFO
where NO_PASSWORD_INDICATOR = 'NO' and
(PASSWORD_LEVEL_2_3 = 'NO' or
PASSWORD_LEVEL_4 = 'NO')Run this command on my personal IBM i Power System and I see this:
Very cool!
Thankyou – KRISTER for leaving this neat SQL trick over on the blog about Changing IBM i Password Settings to allow for longer passwords