How to validate password using express-validator npm

Question

I am writing rest API using node , express web module. For validation I am using express-validator npm. I want to apply some validation rules on password field.

How can I achieve it using express-validator?

What validation rules I want to apply for password as:

1. min 8 char long.
2. At least one uppercase.
3. At least one lower case.
4. At least one special character.

I read in this link that there is a function available called regex() . So I tried it but not working at all.

My approach:

req.check("password", "Password should be combination of one uppercase , one lower case, one special char, one digit and min 8 , max 20 char long").regex("/^(?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])[0-9a-zA-Z]{8,}$/", "i");

Error

In express-js they have listed all the methods but did not find method / trick which solve my problem.

Solution 1

The link you're referring to is almost 3 years old. Since then, the API of validator changed.

To check against a regular expression, use .matches():

req.check("password", "...").matches(/^(?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])[0-9a-zA-Z]{8,}$/, "i");

Solution 2

I believe the accepted answer is outdated. RegExp and express-validator are not the best ways to validate passwords in 2017, as the obscurity of regular expressions makes the app unmaintainable and prone to bugs.

password-validator makes it easy to define password rules and maintain them. Here's a sample:

var passwordValidator = require('password-validator');

var schema = new passwordValidator();

schema
  .is().min(8)
  .is().max(100)
  .has().uppercase()
  .has().lowercase();

console.log(schema.validate(req.body.password)); // prints a boolean

PS: I'm the author of the password-validator.

Solution 3

Chosen answer is incomplete as it's missing validation for special characters. Correct answer should be:

req.checkBody("password", "Password must include one lowercase character, one uppercase character, a number, and a special character.").matches(/^(?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])(?=.*[^a-zA-Z0-9]).{8,}$/, "i");

Only real difference is that I added the (?=.*[^a-zA-Z0-9]) expression which ensures a user is using a character that's not a number or letter.

Solution 4

Using the built in validators of express-validator I was able to use built in validators without a regex to check the password.

const validateStrongPassword = body("password")
  .isString()
  .isLength({ min: 8 })
  .not()
  .isLowercase()
  .not()
  .isUppercase()
  .not()
  .isNumeric()
  .not()
  .isAlpha();

This verifies that there is at least one non letter character, one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, a minimum length and that there are letters in the password.

Solution 5

check(
      "password1",
      "Please enter a password at least 8 character and contain At least one uppercase.At least one lower case.At least one special character. ",
    )
.isLength({ min: 8 })
.matches(
          /^(?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])[a-zA-Z\d@$.!%*#?&]/,
        )

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Comments

[Sunil Sharma]

I have used 'matches()' in first attempt but I made a silly mistake. I put pattern in quotes. like ' req.check("password", "...").matches(/^(?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])[0-9a-zA-Z]{8‌​,}$/, "i"); ' .

[Sunil Sharma]

now it is working. perfectly. :). Still I think my question does not fall in down vote bucket. In future definitely it will help others.

[robertklep]

@SunilSharma not anymore, no. I didn't downvote but I'll upvote to get it back to 0.

[Admin]

@robertklep can you please explain the regex.

[robertklep]

@dewnor check out this page, which does a pretty good job explaining how something similar works :)