password_history
INFO
Rule IDs: sec_006
Overview
- Purpose
- Documented in the MySQL 8.4 manual as a server system variable (scope: Global). Purpose and semantics are described at the linked manual page.
- Dynamic (MySQL 8.4 reference)
- MySQL 8.4 marks this variable as dynamic (
Dynamic= Yes). Runtime changes useSET GLOBAL(global scope) orSET SESSION(session scope) — confirm syntax and persistence (SET PERSIST) in the manual. - Default value
- 0 (MySQL 8.4)
- Version and product notes
- MariaDB and Percona Server may use different names, defaults, or dynamic behavior; verify their documentation.
- Documentation
- https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.4/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_password_history
- Other vendors
What is checked
Rules that reference this variable, with their severity and what each rule detects:
- INFO
sec_006: Set password_history > 0 (e.g., 5-10) for compliance with password reuse policies.
Tuning guidance
- Recommended actions:
- Set password_history > 0 (e.g., 5-10) for compliance with password reuse policies.
- Trade-offs: Security settings protect against unauthorized access and data exposure. Tighter settings may require application changes (e.g., SSL certificates for require_secure_transport, IP-based grants for skip_name_resolve).
Example
SET GLOBAL password_history = 5; -- Remember last 5 passwords
Always validate on a non-production instance first. Use SET PERSIST (MySQL 8.0+) for changes that should survive restarts.