Windows 2012/2012 R2 passwords must be configured to expire.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-226247	WN12-GE-000016	SV-226247r794529_rule		Medium

Description
Passwords that do not expire or are reused increase the exposure of a password with greater probability of being discovered or cracked.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 Domain Controller Security Technical Implementation Guide	2022-03-01

Details

Check Text ( C-27949r476585_chk )
Review the password never expires status for enabled user accounts. Open "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator). Domain Controllers: Enter "Search-ADAccount -PasswordNeverExpires -UsersOnly \| Where PasswordNeverExpires -eq True \| FT Name, PasswordNeverExpires, Enabled". Exclude application accounts and disabled accounts (e.g., Guest). Domain accounts requiring smart card (CAC/PIV) may also be excluded. If any enabled user accounts are returned with a "PasswordNeverExpires" status of "True", this is a finding. Member servers and standalone systems: Enter 'Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_Useraccount -Filter "PasswordExpires=False and LocalAccount=True" \| FT Name, PasswordExpires, Disabled, LocalAccount'. Exclude application accounts and disabled accounts (e.g., Guest). If any enabled user accounts are returned with a "PasswordExpires" status of "False", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-27949r476585_chk )

Review the password never expires status for enabled user accounts.

Open "Windows PowerShell" with elevated privileges (run as administrator).

Domain Controllers:

Enter "Search-ADAccount -PasswordNeverExpires -UsersOnly | Where PasswordNeverExpires -eq True | FT Name, PasswordNeverExpires, Enabled".

Exclude application accounts and disabled accounts (e.g., Guest).
Domain accounts requiring smart card (CAC/PIV) may also be excluded.

If any enabled user accounts are returned with a "PasswordNeverExpires" status of "True", this is a finding.

Member servers and standalone systems:

Enter 'Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_Useraccount -Filter "PasswordExpires=False and LocalAccount=True" | FT Name, PasswordExpires, Disabled, LocalAccount'.

Exclude application accounts and disabled accounts (e.g., Guest).

If any enabled user accounts are returned with a "PasswordExpires" status of "False", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-27937r476586_fix)
Configure all enabled user account passwords to expire. Uncheck "Password never expires" for all enabled user accounts in Active Directory Users and Computers for domain accounts and Users in Computer Management for member servers and standalone systems. Document any exceptions with the ISSO.