The "Enforce password history" and "Minimum password age" Group Policy settings do not work when you reset the password for a Windows Server 2008 R2-based or a Windows Server 2008-based computer

Consider the following scenario in a domain environment:

• You configure the following Group Policy settings:
  • Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Account Policies\Password Policy\Enforce password history
  • Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Account Policies\Password Policy\Minimum password age
• You use a password reset application to reset user accounts' password, such as Forefront Identify Manager 2010.

In this scenario, Enforce password history and Minimum password age policy settings do not work, and you can set the account password to a previous password in the password history at any time. However, the expected behavior is that you cannot set the password to a previous password in the password history during the period that is configured by using the Minimum password age policy setting.

For example, you reset your account password by using the Self-Service Password Reset functionality in Microsoft Forefront Identity Manager 2010. However, Forefront Identity Manager does not enforce password history when your account password is reset.

Note: The issue only affects some specific password reset applications. Normal AD password reset operations by using built-in operating system tools are not affected.

The hotfix for this issue is no longer available. This issue does not occur in Windows Server 2012 and later versions. Consider upgrading to Windows 10 to get the most up-to-date security and other features built right in. To get Windows 10, see Windows 10 Home. Need more info on Windows 10? See Upgrade to Windows 10: FAQ.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

For more information about the Enforce password history policy setting, visit the following Microsoft webpage.

Introduction to enforce password history

For more information about best practices to set a password, visit the following Microsoft webpage.

Introduction to password best practices