Myth-Busting SOP: 'Force Password Changes Every 30 Days'

Myth-Busting SOP: 'Force Password Changes Every 30 Days'

Mandatory rotation pushes users to Spring2026! then Summer2026! — predictable, weaker, and written on a sticky note. NIST dropped this guidance years ago. Replace it:

— Step 1: Stop scheduled expiry for routine accounts; set it only on confirmed compromise.
— Step 2: Require length (12+ chars) and screen against breach corpora instead.
— Step 3: Enforce 2FA so a slightly older password isn't a single point of failure.
— Step 4: Trigger a forced reset on specific events: role change, suspected breach, employee offboarding.
— Step 5: Verify your offboarding checklist revokes sessions and API tokens, not just the password.

Rotate on signal, not on a calendar. Run this every time.