documentation_complete: true

title: 'Set Password Quality Requirements'

description: |-
    The default <tt>pam_pwquality</tt> PAM module provides strength
    checking for passwords. It performs a number of checks, such as
    making sure passwords are not similar to dictionary words, are of
    at least a certain length, are not the previous password reversed,
    and are not simply a change of case from the previous password. It
    can also require passwords to be in certain character classes. The
    <tt>pam_pwquality</tt> module is the preferred way of configuring
    password requirements.
    <br /><br />
    The <tt>pam_cracklib</tt> PAM module can also provide strength
    checking for passwords as the <tt>pam_pwquality</tt> module.
    It performs a number of checks, such as making sure passwords are
    not similar to dictionary words, are of at least a certain length,
    are not the previous password reversed, and are not simply a change
    of case from the previous password. It can also require passwords to
    be in certain character classes.
    <br /><br />
    The man pages <tt>pam_pwquality(8)</tt> and <tt>pam_cracklib(8)</tt>
    provide information on the capabilities and configuration of
    each.
