A user has forgotten their account password. Which of the following is the BEST recovery strategy?
A. Upgrade the authentication system to use biometrics instead. B. Temporarily disable password complexity requirements. C. Set a temporary password that expires upon first use. D. Retrieve the user password from the credentials database.
Answer: C
Explanation: Since a user’s password isn’t stored on most operating systems (only a hash value is kept), most operating systems allow the administrator to change the value for a user who has forgotten theirs. This new value allows the user to log in and then immediately change it to another value that they can (ideally) remember. Also setting a temporary password to expire upon first use will not allow a hacker the opportunity or time to use it.