Password rotation is the practice of changing passwords at regular intervals to reduce the chances of unauthorized access. It has long been considered a core cybersecurity measure, especially in environments handling sensitive data.
While recent standards like the NIST (SP 800-63B) guidelines discourage frequent and forced password changes without cause, password rotation still plays a vital role for many organizations. It helps mitigate risks from stale or compromised credentials and forms part of a layered security strategy when implemented wisely.
Despite evolving guidelines like NIST SP 800-63B, which advise against frequent password changes without evidence of compromise, password rotation remains relevant in 2025 especially in high-risk environments. This is because stolen or exposed credentials remain a top attack vector for threat actors. Password rotation matters because it:
The relevance of password rotation now is supported by industry reports, which continue to spotlight credential theft and reuse as major factors in security breaches:
Rotating passwords isn't just about changing them often—it's about changing them smartly. To get it right, here are a few focused best practices that can help you strengthen security without frustrating your end users.
Not all accounts need the same frequency of password changes. Critical and privileged accounts should have passwords rotated more frequently—every 30 to 60 days—while regular user accounts can follow a 90- to 180-day cycle. The goal is to reduce the risk exposure window without overburdening users.
Requiring users to change passwords every few weeks can backfire. It leads to weak habits like adding a number or symbol to the old password or writing credentials down. Instead, focus on meaningful changes driven by risk or suspicious activity, not merely adherence to a time modification requirement.
Rotation only helps if the new password is secure. Make sure users can’t reuse recent passwords or follow predictable patterns. Use policy enforcement tools that reject weak, guessable, or reused credentials at the time of change.
Manual updates to service account passwords are tedious and error-prone. Automate these changes with tools that can rotate credentials across systems and update all dependencies to prevent downtime and security gaps.
Password rotation becomes far more effective when combined with MFA. Even if a password is compromised, an attacker won’t get far without a second authentication factor. This extra layer ensures your rotation policy is much more resilient.
Rotating passwords isn’t enough if users choose ones that have already been exposed. By integrating with a service like Have I Been Pwned, you can check passwords against known breach databases in real time and block compromised ones during resets or changes, keeping accounts safer.
Users are more likely to follow rotation policies if they understand why they exist. Teach them how to create strong passwords, avoid unsafe storage practices, and use password managers to simplify the process.
Many compliance regulations have strict guidelines on how often passwords should be rotated. Whether you follow NIST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, or ISO 27001, ensure your policies meet these requirements and are well-documented for audits.
Here’s how frequently each of these standards recommend or require password rotation:
ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus is an identity security solution with MFA, SSO, and password management capabilities. It provides a Password Policy Enforcer feature that enables administrators to enforce custom password policies that seamlessly integrate with AD's built-in password policies. These custom policies provide more granular control than AD natively provides, including intricate settings such as restrictions on custom dictionary words, palindromes, and character repetitions. In addition, ADSelfService Plus integrates with Have I Been Pwned to prevent your users from using breached passwords.
Password rotation is the practice of changing passwords at regular intervals to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. It ensures that even if a password is compromised, it becomes useless after a certain period. Rotation can apply to user accounts, admin credentials, and service accounts.
It depends on the type of account and the level of risk. Privileged or high-risk accounts should be rotated every 30 to 60 days, while regular user accounts should be rotated every 90 to 180 days.
Password rotation is a wise idea when it is done right. It reduces security risks, especially when paired with strong password policies and MFA. However, forced frequent rotation without proper safeguards can backfire—leading users to reuse or slightly modify old passwords.
