Oracle Error ORA-01017: Invalid Username/Password (Fix Guide)
Fix Oracle Error ORA-01017 invalid username/password logon denied. Covers case sensitivity, account lock, password expiry, and OS authentication.
The Error Message
ORA-01017: invalid username/password; logon denied
What Causes Oracle ORA-01017?
ORA-01017 occurs when the username or password is incorrect, or the account is locked/expired.
Common Causes
Case-sensitive password
Oracle 11g+ passwords are case-sensitive by default. "Password" and "password" are different.
Account locked
Too many failed login attempts locked the account.
Password expired
Oracle's default password policy expires passwords after 180 days.
Wrong username case
If the username was created with double quotes, it is case-sensitive.
How to Fix It
Step 1: Check account status
Check if the account is LOCKED or EXPIRED.
-- Connect as DBA:
SELECT username, account_status, lock_date, expiry_date
FROM dba_users
WHERE username = 'YOUR_USER';Step 2: Unlock and reset password
Unlock the account and set a new password.
-- Unlock the account:
ALTER USER your_user ACCOUNT UNLOCK;
-- Reset password:
ALTER USER your_user IDENTIFIED BY new_password;Step 3: Check case sensitivity
If sec_case_sensitive_logon is TRUE, the password must match the exact case used when it was set.
-- Check if case-sensitive passwords are enabled:
SELECT value FROM v$parameter
WHERE name = 'sec_case_sensitive_logon';
-- If TRUE, password must match exact case
-- Connect with exact case:
sqlplus YOUR_USER/"YourPassword123"@ORCLStep 4: Extend password expiry
By default, Oracle expires passwords after 180 days. Change this if appropriate for your environment.
-- Check current profile:
SELECT profile, resource_name, limit
FROM dba_profiles
WHERE resource_name = 'PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME';
-- Set to unlimited:
ALTER PROFILE DEFAULT LIMIT PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME UNLIMITED;How to Prevent This Error
Use a password manager for Oracle credentials. Set up password expiry notifications. Use profiles to customize password policies per user type.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does ORA-01017 mean?
ORA-01017 means Oracle rejected your login credentials. The username or password is wrong, the account is locked, or the password has expired.
Are Oracle passwords case-sensitive?
Yes, by default since Oracle 11g. The parameter sec_case_sensitive_logon controls this. Make sure you match the exact case when connecting.
How do I unlock an Oracle account?
Connect as a DBA and run: ALTER USER username ACCOUNT UNLOCK; Then reset the password if needed: ALTER USER username IDENTIFIED BY newpassword;