<ul><li>Password composition policies are rules that dictate what constitutes an acceptable password to the user before they can proceed to create it.</li><li>Requirements include a minimum length, a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.</li><li>Research shows that users respond to these requirements in predictable ways when forced.</li><li>Composition policies can fail to deliver their intended security benefits.</li><li>Checking passwords against a blacklist is a more effective way to improve password security.</li><li>Evaluating password strength, not complexity, is also useful.</li><li>Length is the primary factor in characterizing password strength, so users should be encouraged to make their passwords as lengthy as they want.</li><li>A significant subset of users still choose easy-to-guess passwords, like P@ssword1, that meet policy requirements but remain highly vulnerable to attackers.</li><li>Improving password security can be done without sacrificing user experience.</li><li>Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is also a useful option for improving security.</li></ul>

Password Composition Policies Are Bad and Here's Why

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