Windows Server 2019 manually managed application account passwords must be changed at least annually or when a system administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-205847	WN19-00-000060	SV-205847r991589_rule		Medium

Description
Setting application account passwords to expire may cause applications to stop functioning. However, not changing them on a regular basis exposes them to attack. If managed service accounts are used, this alleviates the need to manually change application account passwords.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-14

Details

Check Text ( C-6112r857287_chk )
Determine if manually managed application/service accounts exist. If none exist, this is NA. If passwords for manually managed application/service accounts are not changed at least annually or when an administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization, this is a finding. Identify manually managed application/service accounts. To determine the date a password was last changed: Domain controllers: Open "PowerShell". Enter "Get-AdUser -Identity [application account name] -Properties PasswordLastSet \| FT Name, PasswordLastSet", where [application account name] is the name of the manually managed application/service account. If the "PasswordLastSet" date is more than one year old, this is a finding. Member servers and standalone or nondomain-joined systems: Open "Command Prompt". Enter 'Net User [application account name] \| Find /i "Password Last Set"', where [application account name] is the name of the manually managed application/service account. If the "Password Last Set" date is more than one year old, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-6112r857287_chk )

Determine if manually managed application/service accounts exist. If none exist, this is NA.

If passwords for manually managed application/service accounts are not changed at least annually or when an administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization, this is a finding.

Identify manually managed application/service accounts.

To determine the date a password was last changed:

Domain controllers:

Open "PowerShell".

Enter "Get-AdUser -Identity [application account name] -Properties PasswordLastSet | FT Name, PasswordLastSet", where [application account name] is the name of the manually managed application/service account.

If the "PasswordLastSet" date is more than one year old, this is a finding.

Member servers and standalone or nondomain-joined systems:

Open "Command Prompt".

Enter 'Net User [application account name] | Find /i "Password Last Set"', where [application account name] is the name of the manually managed application/service account.

If the "Password Last Set" date is more than one year old, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-6112r355904_fix)
Change passwords for manually managed application/service accounts at least annually or when an administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization. It is recommended that system-managed service accounts be used whenever possible.