password policies

Ensuring the security of Linux systems is paramount for administrators, especially regarding user authentication and password management. Password policies are essential tools in securing a system by enforcing strong and regularly updated passwords. Despite the variety of Linux distributions, setting a robust password policy can be universally applicable if approached correctly. This article will explore how to establish and manage effective password policies across popular Linux distros such as Ubuntu, CentOS, and Fedora. Before diving into the specifics of each distribution, it’s critical to understand the Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) framework, which is used by most Linux distributions for handling authentication tasks.