windows server longest possible password length

Discussion windows server longest possible password length

  • Sunday, January 06, 2013 8:56 PM
     
     

    I had to do some fixed to my password tool to cope with forums that used a very short field

    some choked on even a short 128-bit password

    so now running servers ad-nauseum under Hyper-V, how strong can I protect the administrator account?


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    • Changed Type Vegan FanaticMVP Monday, January 07, 2013 1:18 PM security discussion
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  • Monday, January 07, 2013 1:18 AM
    Moderator
     
     

    Upper range is 128 bit ( 127 practical scenario)

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms680851(VS.85).aspx

    and if you are testing on Local accounts it is 28 character long.

  • Monday, January 07, 2013 1:27 AM
     
     

    I use remote desktop to manage my virtual machines and as such they are equivalent

    I am aware that Windows 8 can use at least 16 symbols which is its limit


    Windows MVP, XP, Vista, 7 and 8. More people have climbed Everest than having 3 MVP's on the wall.

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  • Monday, January 07, 2013 4:32 AM
     
     

    Per the link Sainath provided, the limit is 128 bytes (characters) for passwords in AD. When I tested in the past I was able to assign a 127 character password, but the GUI did not allow 128. 127 bytes is 1016 bits.


    Richard Mueller - MVP Directory Services

  • Monday, January 07, 2013 1:17 PM
     
     

    256-bit is about 80 characters based on the entropy found in printable ASCII

    using a TOP SECRET rated password helps make it safer (256-bit or more)


    Windows MVP, XP, Vista, 7 and 8. More people have climbed Everest than having 3 MVP's on the wall.

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