UCF STIG Viewer Logo
Changes are coming to https://stigviewer.com. Take our survey to help us understand your usage and how we can better serve you in the future.
Take Survey

The Ubuntu operating system must be configured so that three consecutive invalid logon attempts by a user automatically locks the account until released by an administrator.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-219166 UBTU-18-010033 SV-219166r853369_rule Medium
Description
By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-force attacks, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000329-GPOS-00128
STIG Date
Canonical Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide 2023-09-08

Details

Check Text ( C-20891r802353_chk )
Verify that the Ubuntu operating system utilizes the "pam_faillock" module with the following command:
$ grep faillock /etc/pam.d/common-auth

auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail
auth sufficient pam_faillock.so authsucc

If the pam_faillock.so module is not present in the "/etc/pam.d/common-auth" file, this is a finding.

Verify the pam_faillock module is configured to use the following options:
$ sudo egrep 'silent|audit|deny|fail_interval| unlock_time' /etc/security/faillock.conf

audit
silent
deny = 3
fail_interval = 900
unlock_time = 0

If the "silent" keyword is missing or commented out, this is a finding.
If the "audit" keyword is missing or commented out, this is a finding.
If the "deny" keyword is missing, commented out, or set to a value greater than 3, this is a finding.
If the "fail_interval" keyword is missing, commented out, or set to a value greater than 900, this is a finding.
If the "unlock_time" keyword is missing, commented out, or is not set to 0, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-20890r802354_fix)
Configure the Ubuntu operating system to utilize the "pam_faillock" module.

Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-auth file.

Add the following lines below the "auth" definition for pam_unix.so:
auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail
auth sufficient pam_faillock.so authsucc

Configure the "pam_faillock" module to use the following options:

Edit the /etc/security/faillock.conf file and add/update the following keywords and values:
audit
silent
deny = 3
fail_interval = 900
unlock_time = 0