Apart from requiring exactly 8 characters, the other constraints will genuinely increase security.
Except, of course, that half the students will end up carrying their password on a piece of paper in their wallet.
Except, of course, that half the students will end up carrying their password on a piece of paper in their wallet.
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/06/write_down_you...
Schneier may say it's ok, but to me it seems stupidly insecure, especially when you consider that we're talking about a student's university network password, and that there'll be identification in that student's wallet that allows the thief to make use of the password immediately.
That and it took far too long to some up with a password passing the description...