Unix

Under unix you need to run /usr/local/krb5/bin/kpasswd. It functions just like the normal unix passwd program.

Web page

You can change your password via a secure web server at the NCSA Password Changing page.

Windows

Run the credentials manager (krb5.exe) and click on Change Password. Then in the resulting dialog box enter you old password and your new one twice.

Password Policy

Kerberos allows for a good deal of control over what sorts of passwords are admissible. Currently passwords must be at least 8 characters with characters from three different classes (lowercase, uppercase, numeric, punctuation, and other). Kerberos also keeps track of a user's previous passwords and disallows their use.

Other password-checking features that we use include the use of a dictionary file. This compares the users password with a list of dictionary words, and permutations on the words, for a match. If it matches a word in the dictionary, or a permutation of a word, it will not allow the password.