Setting password length

System Administration Guide
Chapter 1, Administering user accounts

Password length is controlled by three parameters:

minimum length
maximum generated length -- the limit on passwords created by the password generator
number of significant segments -- see ``Password compatibility across UNIX systems''

The maximum length of non-generated passwords is 80 characters.

To reconfigure the minimum length, change the value of PASSLENGTH in /etc/default/passwd. If PASSLENGTH is removed from the file or is set to an asterisk (PASSLENGTH=*), the value is calculated by the system; see ``Restricting password obviousness'' for more information.

You can configure the generated length for individual users with the Account Manager. Select a user name, then select Password Restrictions from the Users menu, then select Selection.

To change the system default value, use this command line:

usermod -D -x "{passwdGeneratedLength value}"

where value has a maximum value of 80.

You can change the value for an individual user with the usermod(ADM) command by omiting the -D option and appending the user name to the above command.