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How often should I change my password? What should my password look like?
For security reasons, it is a good idea to change your root and user passwords regularly. Experts vary on how often this change should occur, but most agree that passwords should be changed multiple times each year.
Passwords should not be based on a dictionary word should be at least six characters, and should include: both lower-case and upper-case letters, at least one number, and at least one punctuation mark. Don't write your password down or store it in an unencrypted file. Don't give your password to anyone.
User passwords can be set to automatically expire after a certain amount of time. Refer to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux System Administration Guide for more information.