diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index c445434391..c981959ab2 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Merged from 4.1:
  * Disk usage guardrail cannot be disabled when failure threshold is reached (CASSANDRA-21057)
  * ReadCommandController should close fast to avoid deadlock when building secondary index (CASSANDRA-19564)
 Merged from 4.0:
+ * Rate limit password changes (CASSANDRA-21202)
  * Node does not send multiple inflight echos (CASSANDRA-18866)
  * Obsolete expired SSTables before compaction starts (CASSANDRA-19776)
  * Switch lz4-java to at.yawk.lz4 version due to CVE (CASSANDRA-21052)
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManager.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManager.java
index 0e9c0b5640..fa87442ac3 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManager.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManager.java
@@ -27,14 +27,18 @@ import java.util.function.Supplier;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
+import com.github.benmanes.caffeine.cache.Cache;
+import com.github.benmanes.caffeine.cache.Caffeine;
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.common.base.Strings;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
+import org.mindrot.jbcrypt.BCrypt;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import org.apache.cassandra.concurrent.ScheduledExecutors;
+import org.apache.cassandra.config.CassandraRelevantProperties;
 import org.apache.cassandra.config.DatabaseDescriptor;
 import org.apache.cassandra.schema.SchemaConstants;
 import org.apache.cassandra.cql3.*;
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ import org.apache.cassandra.transport.Dispatcher;
 import org.apache.cassandra.transport.messages.ResultMessage;
 import org.apache.cassandra.utils.ByteBufferUtil;
 import org.apache.cassandra.utils.NoSpamLogger;
-import org.mindrot.jbcrypt.BCrypt;
+import org.apache.cassandra.utils.Clock;
 
 import static org.apache.cassandra.config.CassandraRelevantProperties.AUTH_BCRYPT_GENSALT_LOG2_ROUNDS;
 import static org.apache.cassandra.service.QueryState.forInternalCalls;
@@ -118,6 +122,19 @@ public class CassandraRoleManager implements IRoleManager
 
     private static final int GENSALT_LOG2_ROUNDS = getGensaltLogRounds();
 
+    private static int PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS = CassandraRelevantProperties.ROLE_PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS.getInt();
+    // in-memory protection against excessive loadRoleWithWritetimeStatement queries
+    private static Cache<String, Boolean> recentPasswordUpdates = Caffeine.newBuilder()
+                                        .expireAfterWrite(PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
+                                        .build();
+
+    @VisibleForTesting
+    public static synchronized void updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(int newInterval)
+    {
+        recentPasswordUpdates = Caffeine.newBuilder().expireAfterWrite(newInterval, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS).build();
+        PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS = newInterval;
+    }
+
     static int getGensaltLogRounds()
     {
         int rounds = AUTH_BCRYPT_GENSALT_LOG2_ROUNDS.getInt(10);
@@ -129,6 +146,7 @@ public class CassandraRoleManager implements IRoleManager
 
     private SelectStatement loadRoleStatement;
     private SelectStatement loadIdentityStatement;
+    private SelectStatement loadRoleWithWritetimeStatement;
 
     private final Set<Option> supportedOptions;
     private final Set<Option> alterableOptions;
@@ -218,6 +236,10 @@ public class CassandraRoleManager implements IRoleManager
         loadRoleStatement = (SelectStatement) prepare("SELECT * from %s.%s WHERE role = ?",
                                                       SchemaConstants.AUTH_KEYSPACE_NAME,
                                                       AuthKeyspace.ROLES);
+
+        loadRoleWithWritetimeStatement = (SelectStatement) prepare("SELECT writetime(salted_hash) AS salted_hash_writetime from %s.%s WHERE role = ?",
+                                                                   SchemaConstants.AUTH_KEYSPACE_NAME,
+                                                                   AuthKeyspace.ROLES);
     }
 
 
@@ -276,6 +298,9 @@ public class CassandraRoleManager implements IRoleManager
 
     public void alterRole(AuthenticatedUser performer, RoleResource role, RoleOptions options)
     {
+        if (options.getPassword().isPresent())
+            enforcePasswordUpdateRateLimit(performer, role.getRoleName());
+
         // Unlike most of the other data access methods here, this does not use a
         // prepared statement in order to allow the set of assignments to be variable.
         String assignments = optionsToAssignments(options.getOptions());
@@ -627,6 +652,49 @@ public class CassandraRoleManager implements IRoleManager
                       .collect(Collectors.joining(","));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Rate limit password updates on each role.
+     * @throws OverloadedException if the password was changed within ROLE_PASSWORD_UPDATE_INTERVAL
+     */
+    private void enforcePasswordUpdateRateLimit(AuthenticatedUser performer, String roleName)
+    {
+        if (PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS <= 0)
+            return;
+
+        if (Boolean.TRUE != recentPasswordUpdates.getIfPresent(roleName))
+        {
+            QueryOptions options = QueryOptions.forInternalCalls(consistencyForRole(roleName),
+                                                                 Collections.singletonList(ByteBufferUtil.bytes(roleName)));
+
+            ResultMessage.Rows rows = select(loadRoleWithWritetimeStatement, options);
+            boolean hasRecentPasswordUpdates = !rows.result.isEmpty();
+            if (hasRecentPasswordUpdates)
+            {
+                UntypedResultSet.Row row = UntypedResultSet.create(rows.result).one();
+
+                hasRecentPasswordUpdates = row.has("salted_hash_writetime")
+                                           && PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS >= (Clock.Global.currentTimeMillis() - TimeUnit.MICROSECONDS.toMillis(row.getLong("salted_hash_writetime")));
+            }
+            if (!hasRecentPasswordUpdates)
+            {
+                recentPasswordUpdates.put(roleName, Boolean.TRUE);
+                logger.info(String.format("Password changing for role %s by %s", roleName, performer.getName()));
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        String failure = String.format("Password for role %s can only be changed every %sms.", roleName, PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS);
+        logger.warn(String.format("%s [performer: %s]", failure, performer.getName()));
+        throw new OverloadedException(failure);
+    }
+
+    protected static ConsistencyLevel consistencyForRole(String role)
+    {
+        if (role.equals(DEFAULT_SUPERUSER_NAME))
+            return ConsistencyLevel.QUORUM;
+        else
+            return ConsistencyLevel.LOCAL_ONE;
+    }
+
     private static String hashpw(String password)
     {
         return BCrypt.hashpw(password, BCrypt.gensalt(GENSALT_LOG2_ROUNDS));
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/config/CassandraRelevantProperties.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/config/CassandraRelevantProperties.java
index 0c81d63afb..968b4bbff7 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/config/CassandraRelevantProperties.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/config/CassandraRelevantProperties.java
@@ -424,6 +424,8 @@ public enum CassandraRelevantProperties
      */
     RESET_BOOTSTRAP_PROGRESS("cassandra.reset_bootstrap_progress"),
     RING_DELAY("cassandra.ring_delay_ms"),
+    /** How often a role's password can be changed */
+    ROLE_PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS("cassandra.role_password_update_min_interval_in_ms", "5000"),
 
     // SAI specific properties
 
diff --git a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/audit/AuditLoggerAuthTest.java b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/audit/AuditLoggerAuthTest.java
index 0e81afa1e2..1c7a004ea7 100644
--- a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/audit/AuditLoggerAuthTest.java
+++ b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/audit/AuditLoggerAuthTest.java
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ public class AuditLoggerAuthTest
         });
 
         SUPERUSER_SETUP_DELAY_MS.setLong(0);
+        CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(0);
         embedded = ServerTestUtils.startEmbeddedCassandraService();
 
         executeWithCredentials(
diff --git a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManagerTest.java b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManagerTest.java
index 7b6b910a86..b38ccf9b7f 100644
--- a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManagerTest.java
+++ b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CassandraRoleManagerTest.java
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ import org.junit.BeforeClass;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import org.apache.cassandra.SchemaLoader;
+import org.apache.cassandra.config.CassandraRelevantProperties;
 import org.apache.cassandra.config.DatabaseDescriptor;
 import org.apache.cassandra.db.ColumnFamilyStore;
+import org.apache.cassandra.exceptions.OverloadedException;
 import org.apache.cassandra.schema.KeyspaceParams;
 import org.apache.cassandra.schema.SchemaConstants;
 import org.apache.cassandra.schema.TableMetadata;
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ import org.apache.cassandra.service.StorageService;
 import static org.apache.cassandra.auth.AuthTestUtils.*;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 public class CassandraRoleManagerTest
 {
@@ -151,6 +154,53 @@ public class CassandraRoleManagerTest
         }
     }
 
+    public void testPasswordUpdateRateLimiting() throws Exception
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(100);
+
+            IRoleManager roleManager = new LocalCassandraRoleManager();
+            roleManager.setup();
+
+            RoleResource testRole = RoleResource.role("test_password_role");
+            RoleOptions options = getLoginRoleOptions("initial_password");
+            roleManager.createRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole, options);
+
+            // Wait for the rate limit interval to pass
+            Thread.sleep(150);
+
+            // First password change should succeed
+            RoleOptions newOptions1 = getLoginRoleOptions("new_password_1");
+            roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole, newOptions1);
+
+            // Immediate second password change should fail with OverloadedException
+            try
+            {
+                RoleOptions newOptions2 = getLoginRoleOptions("new_password_2");
+                roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole, newOptions2);
+                fail("Expected OverloadedException due to password update rate limiting");
+            }
+            catch (OverloadedException e)
+            {
+                assertEquals("Password for role test_password_role can only be changed every 100ms. ", e.getMessage());
+            }
+
+            // Wait for the rate limit interval to pass
+            Thread.sleep(150);
+
+            // After waiting, password change should succeed again
+            RoleOptions newOptions3 = getLoginRoleOptions("new_password_3");
+            roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole, newOptions3);
+
+            roleManager.dropRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(CassandraRelevantProperties.ROLE_PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS.getInt());
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void warmCacheWithEmptyTable()
     {
@@ -167,4 +217,86 @@ public class CassandraRoleManagerTest
         for (RoleResource expectedRole : expected)
             assertTrue(actual.stream().anyMatch(role -> role.resource.equals(expectedRole)));
     }
+
+    public void testPasswordUpdateRateLimitingDisabled() throws Exception
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(0);
+
+            IRoleManager roleManager = new LocalCassandraRoleManager();
+            roleManager.setup();
+
+            RoleResource testRole = RoleResource.role("test_no_limit_role");
+            RoleOptions options = getLoginRoleOptions("initial_password");
+            roleManager.createRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole, options);
+
+            // Multiple rapid password changes should all succeed when rate limiting is disabled
+            for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
+                roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole, getLoginRoleOptions("password_" + i));
+
+            roleManager.dropRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, testRole);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(CassandraRelevantProperties.ROLE_PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS.getInt());
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testPasswordUpdateRateLimitingPerRole() throws Exception
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(100);
+
+            IRoleManager roleManager = new LocalCassandraRoleManager();
+            roleManager.setup();
+
+            RoleResource role1 = RoleResource.role("test_role_1");
+            RoleResource role2 = RoleResource.role("test_role_2");
+
+            RoleOptions options1 = getLoginRoleOptions("password1");
+            roleManager.createRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role1, options1);
+
+            RoleOptions options2 = getLoginRoleOptions("password2");
+            roleManager.createRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role2, options2);
+
+            // Wait for the rate limit interval to pass
+            Thread.sleep(150);
+
+            RoleOptions newOptions1 = getLoginRoleOptions("new_password1");
+            roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role1, newOptions1);
+
+            RoleOptions newOptions2 = getLoginRoleOptions("new_password2");
+            roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role2, newOptions2);
+
+            try
+            {
+                RoleOptions newOptions1Again = getLoginRoleOptions("another_password1");
+                roleManager.alterRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role1, newOptions1Again);
+                fail("Expected OverloadedException for test_role_1");
+            }
+            catch (OverloadedException e)
+            {
+                assertEquals("Password for role test_role_1 can only be changed every 100ms.", e.getMessage());
+            }
+
+            roleManager.dropRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role1);
+            roleManager.dropRole(AuthenticatedUser.ANONYMOUS_USER, role2);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(CassandraRelevantProperties.ROLE_PASSWORD_UPDATE_MIN_INTERVAL_MS.getInt());
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static RoleOptions getLoginRoleOptions(String password)
+    {
+        RoleOptions roleOptions = new RoleOptions();
+        roleOptions.setOption(IRoleManager.Option.SUPERUSER, false);
+        roleOptions.setOption(IRoleManager.Option.LOGIN, true);
+        roleOptions.setOption(IRoleManager.Option.PASSWORD, password);
+        return roleOptions;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CreateAndAlterRoleTest.java b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CreateAndAlterRoleTest.java
index a6adafcd01..9f8a353246 100644
--- a/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CreateAndAlterRoleTest.java
+++ b/test/unit/org/apache/cassandra/auth/CreateAndAlterRoleTest.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public class CreateAndAlterRoleTest extends CQLTester
     @BeforeClass
     public static void setUpClass()
     {
+        CassandraRoleManager.updatePasswordUpdateMinInterval(0);
         ServerTestUtils.daemonInitialization();
 
         DatabaseDescriptor.setPermissionsValidity(0);