When managing users in AWS, it's crucial to enforce strong security controls — especially around password hygiene. One such control is preventing IAM users from reusing old passwords.
Why Password Reuse Matters
Passwords are still a common attack vector. If users can reuse the same password (or rotate between two), you're exposing your environment to:
- Credential stuffing
- Password spraying
- Social engineering risks
TL;DR: Reused passwords defeat the purpose of rotation policies.
AWS IAM Password Policy Overview
AWS IAM lets you define account-wide password policies for IAM users, including:
- Minimum password length
- Require symbols/numbers/uppercase/lowercase
- Password expiration
- Password reuse prevention
We’re focusing on the last one today.
How to Prevent Password Reuse in AWS
âś… Option 1: AWS Console
Go to IAM Console → https://console.aws.amazon.com/iam/
Click Account Settings
Click “Change Password Policy”
Check: ✅ “Prevent password reuse”
Enter a value for “Remember last N passwords” (e.g., 4)
Click Save
That’s it! Users can no longer reuse the last 4 passwords.
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