DFAS password security

[mickeyd]

If you receive military retired pay it will take many key strokes to access your pay data in the furure.

All thanks to PFC Brad Manning?

DFAS is implementing a new password security system for its MyPay online pay program. If you use MyPay, go to these pages to learn more about the password changes. The new system requires a lengthy 15 to 30 character password with the use of special characters. Plus, we have to change passwords every 60 days.

https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx

Stronger Password Requirement

 

[nash031]

Thank God for LastPass.

 

[MichaelB]

This is too much. From the announcement

• Must be 15 to 30 characters in length
• Contain at least two UPPERCASE letters
• Contain at least two lowercase letters
• Contain at least two numbers (0-9)
• Contain at least two of the following special characters:
  • # (pound or number sign)]
  • @ (at sign)
  • $ (dollar sign)
  • = (equal sign)
  • ^ (caret)
  • ! (exclamation)
  • * (asterisk)
  • _ (underline/underscore)
• Must NOT include any spaces

and then

If you must write down your password on a piece of paper, make sure it stays locked up in a secure place. If you save it to your computer, flash drive or other media device, make sure the document is encrypted and/or password protected.

So, keep it protected by another password that is less secure?

As for the "if you must write it down" (my emphasis) I couldn't even remember the rules, let alone a password that espires in 60 days. This is nuts. In most cases, more security is really less secure.

Thank God for LastPass.

+1

 

[martyb]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this. I currently have to use this system to access my federal civil service pay account, and when I retire I will still have to use it. Also...in 4 yrs I will be using it twice as much to access my military retirement account. Lovely.

 

[braumeister]

Since I use 1Password for everything, I didn't find this requirement to be any problem. You need a 12 character password to get access to my 1Password, and you need a 25 character password to get access to my hard drive, so I feel fairly confident about security.

 

[Rustward]

Rustward$_Password_for_2013-07