Parameter
login/min_password_diff
Short text
Number of different characters: Old/new password
Parameter Description
The administrator can use this parameter to specify by how many characters a new password must differ from the old password when the user changes it. This parameter is ignored when new users are created or when passwords are reset to the initial password.
Application Area
Logon
Parameter Unit
Number of characters
Default Value
1
Who is permitted to make changes?
Customer
Operating System Restrictions
None
Database System Restrictions
None
Are other parameters affected or dependent?
• login/min_password_lng
• login/min_password_digits
• login/min_password_letters
• login/min_password_specials
• login/min_password_lowercase
• login/min_password_uppercase
• login/disable_password_logon
• login/password_charset
• login/password_downwards_compatibility
• login/password_compliance_to_current_policy
Values allowed
1 – 40 (if login/password_downwards_compatibility = 5: 1 – 8 only)
The number of different characters is calculated as follows:
The two character strings are made to overlap as much as possible (by searching for the longest common string and rotating as necessary). The number of different characters (after comparing character-by-character) returns the number the system needs.
Example
Old password = “BDAFAG” (six characters)
New password = “ABC DBA” (seven characters)
After being rotated: “DBAABC ” (seven characters)
==> Number of different characters = 4
