The IDPS must enforce password complexity by the number of special characters used.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
SRG-NET-000158-IDPS-000141	SRG-NET-000158-IDPS-000141	SRG-NET-000158-IDPS-000141_rule		Medium

Description
Authorization for access to any IDPS requires an approved and assigned individual account identifier. To ensure only the assigned individual is using the account, the account holder must create a strong password that is privately maintained and changed based on the organizationally defined frequency. Password strength is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting guessing, dictionary attacks, as well as, brute-force attacks. Combination of upper case, lower case, numbers, and special characters enhances the complexity of the password string. Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password.

Description

Authorization for access to any IDPS requires an approved and assigned individual account identifier. To ensure only the assigned individual is using the account, the account holder must create a strong password that is privately maintained and changed based on the organizationally defined frequency. Password strength is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting guessing, dictionary attacks, as well as, brute-force attacks. Combination of upper case, lower case, numbers, and special characters enhances the complexity of the password string. Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password.

STIG	Date
IDPS Security Requirements Guide (SRG)	2012-03-08

Details

Check Text ( C-43280_chk )
View the password configuration for local accounts. Verify passwords are set to require one each of the following: upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. If passwords do not have one of each of the following: upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and special characters, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-43280_fix)
Configure accounts (user or system) to use passwords meeting the DoD standards of a case sensitive character mix of upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and special characters, including at least one of each.