If multifactor authentication is not supported and passwords must be used, the network device must enforce password complexity by requiring that at least one special character be used.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-55125	SRG-APP-000169-NDM-000257	SV-69371r1_rule		Medium

Description
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password complexity is one factor of several that determine how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Description

Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password complexity is one factor of several that determine how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

STIG	Date
Network Device Management Security Requirements Guide	2016-07-07

Details

Check Text ( C-55747r1_chk )
If multifactor authentication is not supported and passwords are used, check to see that the network device or its associated authentication server enforces password complexity by requiring that at least one special character be used. This requirement may be verified by demonstration, configuration review, or validated test results. If the network device or its associated authentication server does not require that at least one special character be used in each password, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-55747r1_chk )

If multifactor authentication is not supported and passwords are used, check to see that the network device or its associated authentication server enforces password complexity by requiring that at least one special character be used. This requirement may be verified by demonstration, configuration review, or validated test results. If the network device or its associated authentication server does not require that at least one special character be used in each password, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-59989r1_fix)
Configure the network device or its associated authentication server to enforce password complexity by requiring that at least one special character be used.