The Windows Password PolicyIs Not Enough

Roadmap

Windows Password Policy Tour

The problems

The user experience

The nFront Password Filter solution

Windows Password Policy Tour

Let’s tour the options available with the Windows Password Policy.

Keep in mind the one policy applies to all users and multiple policies are not possible**

**If all DCs are 2008 or 2012 you can do fine grained policies. The rules are the same (not granular) but you can apply different rules to different OUs.

Windows Tour – Min Length

Require a minimum length. Longer passwords are more difficult to hack. Ideally 15 characters or more is best due to

Rainbow Tables.

Windows Tour – Max Age

Have the user change their password on a regular basis.

The idea is to change the password before the hacker has enough time to guess / crack the password.

Windows Tour – Password History

Without keeping a password history, the user can set their new password to the old password.

Keeping a history with Windows only stops new passwords that exactly match the old ones, not variations (like incrementing a number on the end).

Windows Tour – Min Age

Some users like their old password. In 5 minutes, they will go through the 13

password changes to get “back” to the one they had yesterday.

Minimum password age forces them to keep their first password change for a minimum amount of time.

Windows Tour – Password Complexity

The password must contain 3 of 4 character sets (a-z, A-Z, 0-9, special) and the password cannot contain the username or part of the full name.

Complexity allows weak passwords

Even with the password complexity requirement enabled, the standard Windows Password Policy still allows weak passwords: Password123 Company2015 January1 P@ssw0rd LetMeIn2015 Photoshop1

Windows Tour – Reversible Encryption

No one knows what it is or where it is documented but they know it is not a good idea.

Encryption can be reversed, hashes cannot. Passwords should be stored as “salted” hashes

that are not reversible. Windows does not salt, but at least hashes the passwords.

Standard Windows Password Change

The user is not made aware of the password requirements.

Standard Windows Password Error

The error message is not very helpful.

The Problems

Weak passwords are allowed and are an easy target for hackers, malware, viruses, spear phishing, etc.

The one size fits all policy forces large organizations to dumb down their password policy. The bigger the company, the easier to hack.

The user is not given the requirements needed during password creation causing frustration and confusion.

The Windows policy does not meet the specific requirements of PCI or NERC compliance.

Users can easily increment passwords with a number.

nFront Password Filter

What is nFront Password Filter

nFront Password Filter is a password policy enforcement solution that provides multiple, granular password policies for Windows domains.

The standard Windows password policy cannot meet most industry compliance requirements.

Without nFront Password Filter your network likely allows weak passwords that are an easy target for hackers and

malware.

nFront Password Filter Features

Policies are granular with over 40 rules per policy and rules to meet all compliance requirements.

Up to 6 different granular password policies in one Windows Domain

A dictionary option to prevent millions of common passwords is less than one second

One checkbox to meet password specific compliance requirements

An optional client to clearly show the password rules and an improved failure message

Easy to implement and configure

Install and configure in less than 5 minutes.

Centrally managed via Group Policy.

No reboots needed for patches or upgrades.

nFront Password Filter Benefits

Better Passwords = Better Security

No more weak, easily hacked passwords on the network.

A proactive solution instead of a reactive one.

Eliminate or simplify compliance paperwork.

Pass security audits

No more dumbing down your password policy. You can use more restrictive policies for more privileged users.

Multiple Policies

Create up to 6 different password policies with each policy targeting one or more security groups or OUs.

Eliminate Password Repetition

Variations of the old password can be rejected.

Windows - Good nFront - Even Better

Prevent Common Passwords

The dictionary substring search can efficiently check to see if the password contains millions of common passwords in less than one second.

The client failure message can show the exact dictionary word that is disallowed.

One Step Compliance

nFront Password Filter provides features that Windows cannot - such as one

step PCI Compliance.

nFront User Experience – Windows 7

Password rules are displayed during the password change process. An optional strength meter can be

displayed.

nFront User Experience – Win7

A much better error message is given. It evens includes the dictionary word if dictionary

checking is enforced.

nFront User Experience – Windows XP

Password rules are displayed during the password change process. An optional strength meter and

clearer error message can be displayed.

nFront Web Password Change

nFront Web Password Change is an application for IIS that provides a password change portal that is “nFront” aware.

Eliminates the need to deploy optional software client to workstations.

Can be integrated with existing intranet.

nFront Web Password Change

nFront Web Password Change is an application for IIS that provides a password change portal that is “nFront” aware.

Eliminates the need to deploy optional software client to workstations.

Can be integrated with existing intranet. Can be branded with your corporate logo and other

customizations.

nFront Web Password Change Experience

Upon typing a username the password requirements are displayed.

nFront Web Password Change Experience

When an unacceptable password is submitted a detailed error is returned in orange above the rules.

Why some companies do not use

a better password policy

It costs too much

So you can spend $$$$ on an expensive web application firewall but still allow internal and

external users to have passwords like

Password123

Really?

Users will write down passwords

Some users will write down there passwords.

We understand.

*A shock collar can help with this

When the weak password that was not written down gives external hackers and malware

access to your customer data you may want to reconsider.

*may not be HR approved

We have a strong written password policy

A strong written password policy is a great idea.

Chances are Windows alone cannot enforce it.

Unless you force the users to meet the requirements, you likely have a lot of passwords

in use that do not meet the written requirements.

We run password crackers periodically

Self-diagnostics are great

but why do you want to

ALLOW WEAK PASSWORDS ON THE NETWORK

for weeks or months

and

MANUALLY RUN A PASSWORD CRACKER

when

You can automate the process and prevent the bad passwords.

Which network would you hack?

“Friends do not let friends use bad passwords”

From the nFront Team, Thank You

For questions regarding nFront Security products or compliance please visit

nFrontSecurity.com