passlen(3)passlen(3)NAMEpasslen - Determines minimum password length (Enhanced Security)
SYNOPSIS
#include <sys/types.h> #include <sys/security.h> #include <prot.h>
int passlen
time_t life_dur,
time_t login_delay,
int alphabet_size );
LIBRARY
Enhanced Security Library (libsecurity)
PARAMETERS
Specifies the password lifetime duration for an account (in seconds).
Specifies the amount of time (in seconds) between login attempts.
Specifies the number of distinct characters that can be used in a pass‐
word.
DESCRIPTION
The passlen() function takes the password lifetime duration life_dur
for an account and the login_delay between login attempts, both values
in seconds, and the alphabet_size of distinct characters, and returns
the minimum password length according to the algorithm in the DoD Pass‐
word Management Guideline (the Green Book). The parameter that speci‐
fies the probability of guessing a password is fixed to the value of 1
chance in a million.
NOTES
If the life_dur or prob_guess parameters change in the protected pass‐
word database for this account (or for the system default if those val‐
ues are used in an account), it is a good idea to invalidate the pass‐
word in case the new parameters require a longer minimum password
length.
Programs using this function must be compiled with -lsecurity.
SEE ALSO
Commands: passwd(1)
Functions: randomword(3), exp(3), floor(3)passlen(3)