While these password rules might be the "official rules", I believe they are of the legacy variety. I have passwords that: 1. Do not start with an alpha character ([az]) 2. That contain the ^%!=+?<>{}[]|\ characters None of these cause issues in our apps or using any Oracle client tools (both Oracle developed and 3rd party). -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Baumgartel, Paul Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 1:38 PM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: password complexity -- implementing security changes An Oracle password has the following rules: A password must begin with an alphabetic character. Passwords can contain only alphanumeric characters and the underscore (_), dollar sign ($), and pound sign (#). So your @s, your /s, and your ^s are problematic from the get-go. Paul Baumgartel paul.baumgartel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 212.538.1143 -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of MARK BRINSMEAD Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 3:22 PM To: jkstill@xxxxxxxxx Cc: venu_potluri@xxxxxx; rjamya@xxxxxxxxx; wbfergus@xxxxxxxx; oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: password complexity -- implementing security changes Okay, so why is *that* a problem? After all, last time I checked, Oracle database passwords were case-insensitive anyway... Special characters, on the other hand, *can* be a problem. I seem to recall even SQL*Plus giving me considerable grief with a password that contained "/" characters... No wait; it was a Pro*C application. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jared Still <jkstill@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Friday, March 3, 2006 12:30 pm Subject: Re: password complexity -- implementing security changes > > > One thing the verify_function cannot do is enforce upper or lower > case.Try it, case doesn't matter. > > While on the subject, be careful with those special characters. > > Some applications do not like them. > > Net Backup for instance will not work if there is a @ or ^ in the > passwordfor the account used to do backups. > > > > Jared Still > Certifiable Oracle DBA and Part Time Perl Evangelist > -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l ======================================================================== ====== Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer: http://www.credit-suisse.com/legal/en/disclaimer_email_ib.html ======================================================================== ====== -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l This electronic message transmission is a PRIVATE communication which contains information which may be confidential or privileged. The information is intended to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited. Please notify the sender of the delivery error by replying to this message, or notify us by telephone (877-633-2436, ext. 0), and then delete it from your system. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l