Password Requirements
SUMMARY
Passwords are an important part of business and information security. Passwords prevent unauthorized access to systems and confidential information. These new password requirements aim to improve security by ensuring strong passwords are used throughout the organization's information systems. All employees are responsible for selecting strong passwords and keeping them secure.
PASSWORD REQUIREMENTS
PBS’ new password requirements call for increased password length and complexity, minimum and maximum password age, and enforced password history. To create strong passwords, network account passwords must follow these guidelines:
- Password Length: The minimum password length will be twelve characters.
- Password Complexity: Increased password complexity will require the use of at least one character from 3 out of 4 character sets: Upper case letters, lower case letters (A-Z, a-z), numbers (0-9), or symbols (#, $, @, or *.)
- Password History: Password history ensures that the same password is not used continuously. Every password associated with a user’s account must be unique and cannot be reused for an amount of time determined by this setting in conjunction with the minimum password age.
- Password Maximum Age: PBS network account passwords have a maximum password age of 90 days and our systems will require a password change on the ninetieth day.
- Password Minimum Age: PBS network account passwords have a minimum password age of 30 minutes. This setting works in conjunction with password history to prevent password recycling.
PASSWORD BEST PRACTICES
To protect the integrity of the PBS systems and information, everyone must follow these guidelines to create and protect passwords.
- Use a pass phrase that is easy for you to remember, but hard for someone to guess. Examples:
"Fred+Sweater=42" or "Dinero is Money $4"
- Avoid obvious patterns such as qwerty, abcdef, ggghhh, 123321.
- Avoid stand-alone words, in any language, including slang or jargon, followed by a digit and\or symbol. Example: Password1$.
- Avoid using your name, or the names of family members or pets, SSN, phone numbers, etc.
Protect your password. For passwords to provide the required level of security, they need to be
protected.
- Your PBS password must be treated as confidential information.
- Avoid writing down your password, or storing your password on any system without encryption.
- Avoid sharing your password with anyone, including other PBS employees.
- Do not use the same password for work and personal accounts, or across all company applications.