Configure group policy

The password filter must be enabled and configured using group policy before it will process password changes. When installing the application, you have the option of installing the ADMX group policy template files.

The group policy templates should be installed on any machine that you need to configure the password settings group policy on. We recommend copying the ADMX files to a central policy store, which will enable you to see and manage the group policy settings from any machine in the domain.

If you do not copy the ADMX/ADML files to the central policy story in the domain, you'll only be able to see and edit the group policy settings from the machine where you installed the ADMX files.

The files that need to be copied are as follows

%WINDIR%\PolicyDefinitions\lithnet.activedirectory.passwordfilter.admx
%WINDIR%\PolicyDefinitions\lithnet.admx
%WINDIR%\PolicyDefinitions\en-us\lithnet.activedirectory.passwordfilter.adml
%WINDIR%\PolicyDefinitions\en-us\lithnet.adml

Please ensure that the ADML files are places into the en-us folder of the central policy store.

If you don't see the group policy settings for Lithnet Password Protection in the group policy editor after installing them, it may be because you have a central policy store configured. Copy the group policy files to the central policy store, and restart the group policy editor.

Once you have installed the templates, create a new GPO, which you will link to the OU containing your domain controllers in Active Directory. If you have other computers that you want to be able to use the Get‐PasswordFilterResult cmdlet on, they will need to have the group policy applied to them as well.

Do note that Active Directory will still process its own password policy rules, so ensure that the built-in Active Directory password policy settings do not conflict with those that you set in the Lithnet Password Protection settings. For example if you are using password complexity settings in this LPP, then it's recommended to disable Active Directory's complexity settings.

The group policy settings are found under Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Lithnet\Password Filter.

Settings Reference

General settings

Regular expression policies

Complexity policies

Password content policies

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