Security News

In a few instances, yes.

• You might find the task of changing a password frequently to be so tedious that you install and learn how to use a password manager properly, and you use it to generate long random passwords that are unique to every site. Changing your password then becomes a few mouse clicks. This will greatly improve your passwords' quality, as well as your overall security.

• If a site improves their password hashing and storage systems, when you change your password the newer passwords will be hashed with the better algorithm. Yahoo has done this a couple of times over the decades. It's certainly uncommon.

• When a password has been breached but the loss has not yet been discovered or reported, if you happen to change it after the password has been copied but before it is abused by the thieves, you might dodge the bullet. The odds of this particular timing actually happening in a data breach scenario are pretty slim.

• The more likely case is that a password is shared with (or learned by) a coworker who abuses it. Rotating passwords in sensitive positions after a personnel change is a prudent policy.

Note that these two scenarios are literally the only justification ever raised in favor of password rotation policies.

• If you are informed that your password was compromised, change it as soon as you can. If you get lucky you might prevent a loss.

Otherwise it has no effect on Confidentiality or Integrity, and a slightly negative impact on Availability as people often forget their new passwords, or waste productive work time dealing with password changes.