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

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
SRG-NET-000158-NDM-000115	SRG-NET-000158-NDM-000115	SRG-NET-000158-NDM-000115_rule		Medium

Description
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, and brute-force attacks. A combination of upper case, lower case, numeric, 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. This control applies to passwords configured or controlled by the network device itself.

Description

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, and brute-force attacks. A combination of upper case, lower case, numeric, 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. This control applies to passwords configured or controlled by the network device itself.

STIG	Date
Network Device Management Security Requirements Guide	2013-07-30

Details

Check Text ( C-SRG-NET-000158-NDM-000115_chk )
If authentication functionality is provided by the underlying platform's account management system or by a network authentication server rather than the network device application itself, this is not a finding. Review the network device account management configuration and settings to determine whether passwords contain the organization defined number of special characters. If the network device does not require passwords have the organizationally defined number of special characters, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-SRG-NET-000158-NDM-000115_chk )

If authentication functionality is provided by the underlying platform's account management system or by a network authentication server rather than the network device application itself, this is not a finding.

Review the network device account management configuration and settings to determine whether passwords contain the organization defined number of special characters.

If the network device does not require passwords have the organizationally defined number of special characters, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-SRG-NET-000158-NDM-000115_fix)
Configure the network device to enforce password complexity by the number of special characters used.