Which term describes the record of previously used passwords to prevent reuse?

Which term describes the record of previously used passwords to prevent reuse?

• A. Password history
• B. Password expiration
• C. Password privacy
• D. Password reset process

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is enforcing non-reuse by keeping a log of previously used passwords. When you choose a new password, the system checks it against this password history. If the new password matches any entry in that history, the system will reject it and require a different password. This history is typically stored as hashed (and salted) values so the actual passwords aren’t exposed. The policy also defines how many past passwords are remembered, known as the history depth (for example, last 5 or last 24 passwords). This ensures users can’t cycle back to recently used passwords. The other terms describe different ideas: expiration relates to how long a password remains valid, privacy concerns protecting password data, and the reset process covers how a user creates a new password after forgetting it.

The concept being tested is enforcing non-reuse by keeping a log of previously used passwords. When you choose a new password, the system checks it against this password history. If the new password matches any entry in that history, the system will reject it and require a different password. This history is typically stored as hashed (and salted) values so the actual passwords aren’t exposed. The policy also defines how many past passwords are remembered, known as the history depth (for example, last 5 or last 24 passwords). This ensures users can’t cycle back to recently used passwords. The other terms describe different ideas: expiration relates to how long a password remains valid, privacy concerns protecting password data, and the reset process covers how a user creates a new password after forgetting it.