Microsoft no longer recommends changing passwords periodically

One of the most common security-enhancing measures in the past was the regular change of password. However, this practice has become outdated over time: indeed, safety scientists have been advising against it for several years. NIST itself, a US safety body, highly advise against forcing customers to alter their passwords. Therefore, Microsoft has chosen to create these rules its own by removing from its Windows and Azure rules the need to alter passwords.

Microsoft no longer recommends regular password changes Anyone who has had to cope with regular password changes has realized some weaknesses of this scheme: passwords must tend to follow accurate laws of complexity, making it hard to remember them; this makes it more likely to use fresh passwords that are very comparable to past ones and alter one or two characters (banana1).

For several years, Microsoft has suggested that regular password modifications be required, especially in corporate settings. With the update of Windows 10 and Windows Server in April (1903), however, the firm no longer proposes regular change as an efficient safety strategy. As the business explains in an article on its blog, the company's suggestions for improving environmental safety are a foundation for building a wider security policy that must include several steps. Among these are two variables (two-factor authentication or 2FA) authentication or the development of unusable password lists that exclude passwords as trivial as passwords, p455w0rd, 1234 and so on.

Microsoft's argument for justifying the decision is, in fact, easy: regular password changes are only helpful to restrict intruders ' ability to use a compromised profile forever. The issue is that the present rules are ineffective in this context, since they range from Windows ' default environment of 42 days to Microsoft's recommended 60 days: time periods definitely too high. However, it is unrealistic to reduce this period to a helpful interval to contain the attack: altering passwords every day would make security policy management highly chaotic.

Passwords should only be altered if there is reasonable suspicion that they are compromised, but if there is no proof that they have been compromised, there is no point in introducing additional problems resulting from a regular change in processes as they would not give any benefit. In addition, if all the components that enable better safety to be accomplished are effectively implemented (authentication by multiple variables, list of unlawful passwords, detection of assaults and unusual efforts at access), what is the benefit of adding additional complexity by enforcing password changes on users?

Consequently, Microsoft has chosen to remove the suggestions on the regular change from its fundamental rules entirely: businesses will decide which method is best. This is, however, a important step forward towards rationalizing safety measures that will hopefully quickly spread to businesses.

As further components of concern, we point out that NIST also advises against the introduction of constraints in the structure of the password (e.g. requiring passwords to be composed of upper and lower case letters and contain letters, numbers and unique symbols) and to avoid using the function ' paste' to promote the use of password executives such as KeePass.

A straightforward but basic fact is recognized by NIST and Microsoft: we are human, and as such we are imperfect-and so is our memory. Making users devote energy and money to pursue arbitrary modifications in passwords imposes extra burdens that influence their job performance or lower their safety level. Better concentrate on what matters really!