About Setting Password Complexity Rules

Restricting Password Reuse

Site administrators can restrict password reuse for all administrator, developer, and end-user accounts based on a history of passwords previously used for the accounts.

To restrict password reuse:

1. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the database where Oracle Application Express is installed having the apex_administrator_role role or as SYS specifying the SYSDBA role. For example:

   • On Windows:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:\ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

   • On UNIX and Linux:

     $ sqlplus /nolog
     SQL> CONNECT SYS as SYSDBA
     Enter password: SYS_password
     

2. Execute the following statement:

   ALTER SESSION SET CURRENT_SCHEMA = APEX_040000;
   
   

3. Execute the following statement:

   BEGIN
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER('PASSWORD_HISTORY_DAYS',365);
   COMMIT;
   END;
   /
   

   This will restrict new or updated passwords to those that have not been used for the account for the previous 365 days. Recording of previously used passwords (actually, hashed representations of passwords) begins upon installation of Oracle Application Express 4.0.

4. To disable this feature, run the block above, providing 0 for the parameter value. For example:

   BEGIN
   APEX_INSTANCE_ADMIN.SET_PARAMETER('PASSWORD_HISTORY_DAYS',0);
   COMMIT;
   END;
   /