Last modified: 2014-04-25 09:38:21 UTC
With increasing numbers of Wikipedia user accounts, a significant number of users will have trivial passwords. This can and has been exploited by vandals. To prevent this, passwords should be subjected to checking by at least a simple password checker/cracker before being allowed to be set by a user, to prevent them from using (for example) a common dictionary word, or a common string like "123456" or "qwerty". Many suitable free software password checkers exist, including pam_passwdqc and Passwd+.
It might be wise to implement this in hooks and then have an extension available (which we could put live on Wikimedia sites).
That's an excellent idea. That way, there's minimal impact on MediaWiki, and the greatest possible choice for end users. Any hook should not only provide the username as well as the password to be checked, because some people will use their username as the basis for all or part of their password.
*** Bug 9507 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Particular suggestion (from bug 9507): ban passwords that are the same as the user's login.
Have implemented the password-same-name check in r21640. More general changes may still remain to do... There is a hook in User::isValidPassword(), but note that it doesn't currently pass other user information (name, email etc) which might be desired by a strength checker.
*** Bug 9834 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Extension:PasswordStrength committed in 36573.
^demon said
Extension:PasswordStrength does not appear to exist. Reopened per en.wp discussion at https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_%28proposals%29/Account_security#Improve_password_strength
It looks like PasswordStrength was deleted in r47762 per bug 17604. [[mw:Extension:SecurePasswords]] looks like a newer extension that accomplishes many of the same things.
OK - I see now in its description "as well as a password strength checker", but there is zero documentation of this that I can find.
If this is implemented, it should be make sure the requirements for the password are shown when opening a new account (there is nothing more frustrating then typing a 4-character password and being told it must be longer, then typing in 6-characer password and being told the same, finally typing an 8-character long password and being told it must have at least one number and so on). I think it should be shown when loging in as well - often people have different password strengths and do nto remember which one is used on a given site.
(In reply to comment #12) > If this is implemented, it should be make sure the requirements for the > password are shown when opening a new account (there is nothing more > frustrating then typing a 4-character password and being told it must be > longer, then typing in 6-characer password and being told the same, finally > typing an 8-character long password and being told it must have at least one > number and so on). I think it should be shown when loging in as well - often > people have different password strengths and do nto remember which one is used > on a given site. Agreed
Will adding a test for: *Password too short! ( < 8) *Password too long! ( > 20 ) *Password must include at least one number! ( !preg_match("#[0-9]+#", $pwd ) *Password must include at least one letter! ( !preg_match("#[a-z]+#", $pwd ) *Password must include at least one CAPS! ( !preg_match("#[A-Z]+#", $pwd ) *Password must include at least one symbol ( !preg_match("#\W+#", $pwd ) suffice ?
Due to community feedback, and consensus, I think only *Password too short! ( < 8) is required
(In reply to Tony Thomas from comment #15) > Due to community feedback, and consensus Links welcome, for transparency.
> Links welcome, for transparency. >Andre, that was from #wikimedia-dev, I can attach the chat logs, if necessary. The includes/DefaultSettings.php sets $wgMinimalPasswordLength = 1; This can be edited to a minimum level, say 8. And the minimum requirement message needs to come up near to the Password column.
Change 120025 had a related patch set uploaded by 01tonythomas: Minimum password length for new account set to 8 https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/120025
Change 120025 abandoned by 01tonythomas: Minimum password length for new account set to 8 https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/120025
I appreciate when websites show me an evaluation of the password I just entered.
