Mandatory Password Change

[Garin]

I don't understand why there is a mandatory password change attached to the LDS Account. It tends to make things difficult when you have to learn a new password every two months or so. Also, is there a reason that some people have to rotate passwords while others do not?

[russellhltn]

Interesting. I didn't know there was a 60/90 day password policy on the LDS Account. Perhaps that's only for users of certain systems?

What systems are you using?

[techgy]

I don't understand why there is a mandatory password change attached to the LDS Account. It tends to make things difficult when you have to learn a new password every two months or so. Also, is there a reason that some people have to rotate passwords while others do not?

If you work for the church in any capacity there's an expiration time that will apply. Otherwise, for regular members, full-time missionaries, etc who are not employees of the church there is no expiration date.

[mkmurray]

If you work for the church in any capacity there's an expiration time that will apply. Otherwise, for regular members, full-time missionaries, etc who are not employees of the church there is no expiration date.

Yes, I have never been asked to change my LDSAccount password, and I've had it for something like a year.

[Garin]

If you work for the church in any capacity there's an expiration time that will apply. Otherwise, for regular members, full-time missionaries, etc who are not employees of the church there is no expiration date.

That makes sense. However, since I am a missionary, doesn't that mean that I would be exempted from having to change it? Also, will that requirement go away when I am released at the end of this month?

[PNMarkW2]

Mandatory password changes are just so much "security theater" anyway. They don't really increase security at all. If a password is compromised it's going to be used, someone isn't going to wait 60/90 days for you to change your password before trying it out. So nearly 100% of the time a mandatory password change is really just changing one secure password for another.

Password security is about selecting passwords that are unique and not guessable, plus a system that will lockout an account after X number of failed attempts, not about changing them often.

[techgy]

That makes sense. However, since I am a missionary, doesn't that mean that I would be exempted from having to change it? Also, will that requirement go away when I am released at the end of this month?

As a missionary you are not a church employee and thus shouldn't be required to make periodic, mandatory password changes. At least this is how it was explained to me. Nothing would change at the end of the month.

[russellhltn]

Mandatory password changes are just so much "security theater" anyway. They don't really increase security at all. If a password is compromised it's going to be used, someone isn't going to wait 60/90 days for you to change your password before trying it out.

I would mostly agree with that. However, in the work place, I've seen passwords shared despite rules against this. This might be simply to unlock a station so someone else can use it. Or perhaps it's a permissions issue that someone doesn't have rights to do what they need to do. It's all done to further the work of the employer.

If the need was just a one-time event, a password change will prevent that person from being able to use that shared password when a new, perhaps less honest desire comes up.

[Garin]

As a missionary you are not a church employee and thus shouldn't be required to make periodic, mandatory password changes. At least this is how it was explained to me. Nothing would change at the end of the month.

Who would I contact to make sure that I get "fired" then when I end my service in the Church offices?

[techgy]

Who would I contact to make sure that I get "fired" then when I end my service in the Church offices?

As I indicated previously if you are serving as a missionary, which is a non-paid position, you are not a church employee. There's no need to be "fired" as nothing would change.

If you wish to contact someone to get further clarification on this issue I recommend you contact the MLS Help Desk at (801) 240-3500. This is the same place where I originally obtained the information that was posted earlier in this thread.