Question
Identify mechanisms for implementing the following. State what policy or policies they
might be enforcing.
A. A password-changing program will reject passwords that are less than five characters
long or that are found in the dictionary.
B. Only students in a computer science class will be given accounts on the department’s
computer system.
might be enforcing.
A. A password-changing program will reject passwords that are less than five characters
long or that are found in the dictionary.
B. Only students in a computer science class will be given accounts on the department’s
computer system.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To implement the scenarios described, we can identify specific mechanisms and policies associated with each.
### A. Password-changing program
**Mechanisms:**
1. **Input Validation**: The password-changing program will need to include input validation mechanisms that check the length of the password (rejecting anything less than five characters) as well as a dictionary word list to ensure that new passwords do not match common words.
- **Regular Expressions**: Utilize regex patterns to enforce minimum length restrictions and check against a list of prohibited or common dictionary words.
2. **Password Strength Check**: Implement algorithms to evaluate password strength beyond basic length checks, encouraging users to use a mix of characters (upper/lowercase, numbers, symbols).
3. **Feedback Mechanism**: Provide users with immediate feedback on password strength and reasons for rejection if their choices do not meet security requirements.
4. **Logging and Monitoring**: Track attempts to create weak passwords and analyze trends for refining password policies.
**Policies Enforced:**
- **Password Policy**: A comprehensive password policy aimed at enhancing security by requiring stronger passwords. This policy may include requirements for minimum password length and complexity, restrictions against using common dictionary words, and guidelines on regular password changes.
- **Account Security Policy**: This type of policy emphasizes the safeguarding of user accounts against unauthorized access through weak passwords.
---
### B. Student Account Access Policy
**Mechanisms:**
1. **Access Control Lists (ACLs)**: Implement ACLs on the department's computer system to limit access to student accounts based on course enrollment data.
2. **User Authentication**: Require authentication processes, such as single sign-on (SSO) or identity verification linked to student enrollment, to verify that only students enrolled in the computer science class can create or access accounts.
3. **Database Integration**: Integrate the student information system with the computer system to automatically verify course enrollment and grant or restrict access accordingly.
4. **User Provisioning and De-provisioning**: Employ user account provisioning to grant accounts only after course enrollment is confirmed and de-provisioning to revoke access when students drop the class or graduate.
**Policies Enforced:**
- **Access Control Policy**: A policy that outlines who is permitted access to the computer system based on their course enrollment status, ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive resources.
- **User Account Management Policy**: A policy governing the creation, management, and deletion of user accounts, ensuring that user access aligns with educational and security requirements.
Both policies aim to enhance security and ensure that system access is appropriately restricted to the relevant user groups, thereby maintaining the integrity of the computer system.
### A. Password-changing program
**Mechanisms:**
1. **Input Validation**: The password-changing program will need to include input validation mechanisms that check the length of the password (rejecting anything less than five characters) as well as a dictionary word list to ensure that new passwords do not match common words.
- **Regular Expressions**: Utilize regex patterns to enforce minimum length restrictions and check against a list of prohibited or common dictionary words.
2. **Password Strength Check**: Implement algorithms to evaluate password strength beyond basic length checks, encouraging users to use a mix of characters (upper/lowercase, numbers, symbols).
3. **Feedback Mechanism**: Provide users with immediate feedback on password strength and reasons for rejection if their choices do not meet security requirements.
4. **Logging and Monitoring**: Track attempts to create weak passwords and analyze trends for refining password policies.
**Policies Enforced:**
- **Password Policy**: A comprehensive password policy aimed at enhancing security by requiring stronger passwords. This policy may include requirements for minimum password length and complexity, restrictions against using common dictionary words, and guidelines on regular password changes.
- **Account Security Policy**: This type of policy emphasizes the safeguarding of user accounts against unauthorized access through weak passwords.
---
### B. Student Account Access Policy
**Mechanisms:**
1. **Access Control Lists (ACLs)**: Implement ACLs on the department's computer system to limit access to student accounts based on course enrollment data.
2. **User Authentication**: Require authentication processes, such as single sign-on (SSO) or identity verification linked to student enrollment, to verify that only students enrolled in the computer science class can create or access accounts.
3. **Database Integration**: Integrate the student information system with the computer system to automatically verify course enrollment and grant or restrict access accordingly.
4. **User Provisioning and De-provisioning**: Employ user account provisioning to grant accounts only after course enrollment is confirmed and de-provisioning to revoke access when students drop the class or graduate.
**Policies Enforced:**
- **Access Control Policy**: A policy that outlines who is permitted access to the computer system based on their course enrollment status, ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive resources.
- **User Account Management Policy**: A policy governing the creation, management, and deletion of user accounts, ensuring that user access aligns with educational and security requirements.
Both policies aim to enhance security and ensure that system access is appropriately restricted to the relevant user groups, thereby maintaining the integrity of the computer system.