public static function generateWelcartCompliantRandomPassword() {
        global $usces;

        $maxlength = 12;
        if (isset($usces->options['system']['member_pass_rule_max'])) {
            $maxlength = (int)$usces->options['system']['member_pass_rule_max'];
        }

        if ($maxlength < 4) {
            $maxlength = 4;
        }

        $password = '';

        // add at least one lowercase letter
        $lowercasechars = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz';
        $password .= substr($lowercasechars, wp_rand(0, strlen($lowercasechars) - 1), 1);

        // add at least one uppercase letter
        $uppercasechars = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ';
        $password .= substr($uppercasechars, wp_rand(0, strlen($uppercasechars) - 1), 1);

        // add at least one number
        $numchars = '0123456789';
        $password .= substr($numchars, wp_rand(0, strlen($numchars) - 1), 1);

        // add at least one special character
        $specialchars = '!@#$%^&*()';
        $password .= substr($specialchars, wp_rand(0, strlen($specialchars) - 1), 1);

        // add extra characters until the max character length rule is met
        $allchars = $lowercasechars . $uppercasechars . $numchars . $specialchars;
        for ($i = strlen($password); $i < $maxlength; $i++) {
            $password .= substr($allchars, wp_rand(0, strlen($allchars) - 1), 1);
        }

        // scramble order of characters for added security
        $password = str_shuffle($password);

        return $password;
    }