HP Secure Key Manager - Manual (Page 208)

Password expiration
The password expiration feature allows you to specify a duration for administrator passwords. By default,
this feature is disabled. When an administrator password expires, the system forces that administrator
to create a new password after logging in with the expired password. (If the administrator is currently
logged in when the password expires, that session continues as normal.)
The duration of passwords is unaffected by changes to the system time (either manual changes or changes
due to NTP synchronization). This accomplishes two objectives: (1) an administrator cannot turn back the
system time to prevent a password from expiring; (2) it avoids a scenario where many or all passwords
expire simultaneously due to a large jump forward in the system time.
Password history
The password history feature enables the system to maintain a list of previously-used administrator
passwords for each administrator. When an administrator creates a new password, the system checks
that the entry does not exist on the password list. Once created, the new password is added to the
administrator’s password history.
The password history is only consulted when an administrator attempts to change his or her own
password. It is not checked when one administrator changes another’s password. This accomplishes two
objectives: (1) administrators cannot determine the passwords of other administrators, and (2) it allows
you to reset an administrator’s password to a standardized temporary password.
By default, the password history feature is disabled. The system populates the password history with
passwords created after the feature is enabled. Passwords currently in use when the feature is selected
are not included in the password history. Likewise, passwords assigned during the administrator creation
process are not retained by this feature. All password histories are cleared when the feature is disabled.
Recommendations for managing passwords
Password protection is a high priority. If passwords are not managed properly, they can become
a security risk. Some key actions to properly manage passwords are presented here. See the HP
StorageWorks Secure Key Manager Key Protection Best Practices white paper for more information.
Each of the four types of passwords on the SKM should be changed on a regular basis.
• Administrator account passwords should be scheduled to change frequently, and in the event of a
security officer personnel change.
• User account passwords should be scheduled to change regularly, but less frequently than the
administrator account passwords, and in the event of a security officer personnel change.
• Backup passwords should be scheduled to change regularly, but less frequently than the
administrator or user account passwords, and in the event of a security officer personnel change.
• Cluster passwords should be changed rarely, if at all.
CAUTION:
The cluster password cannot be changed without deleting the cluster. Care must be taken to ensure that
no information is overwritten during the recreation of the cluster following the password change.
Choose the intervals between scheduled password changes to be short enough so that security is assured,
yet long enough so that the changes do not negatively impact business operations. Time scheduled
password changes so that at least one full-access administrator account is unchanged during the process.
CAUTION:
In addition to all scheduled password changes, immediately change all administrator, user account, and
backup passwords any time a security officer takes a new position or leaves the company.
208 Using the Management Console