CWE-262Not Using Password Aging

PUBLISHEDweakness recordLow
released 2006-07-19 · last modified 2025-12-11

Metadata

CWE ID:
CWE-262
Abstraction:
Base
Structure:
Simple
Status:
Draft
Release Date:
2006-07-19
Latest Modification Date:
2025-12-11

Weakness Name

Not Using Password Aging

Description

The product does not have a mechanism in place for managing password aging.

Password aging (or password rotation) is a policy that forces users to change their passwords after a defined time period passes, such as every 30 or 90 days. Without mechanisms such as aging, users might not change their passwords in a timely manner. Note that while password aging was once considered an important security feature, it has since fallen out of favor by many, because it is not as effective against modern threats compared to other mechanisms such as slow hashes. In addition, forcing frequent changes can unintentionally encourage users to select less-secure passwords. However, password aging is still in use due to factors such as compliance requirements, e.g., Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

Common Consequences

Scope:
Access Control
Impact:
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Notes:
As passwords age, the probability that they are compromised grows.

Related Weaknesses