If multifactor authentication is not supported and passwords must be used, the network device must require that when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least eight of the positions within the password.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-55127	SRG-APP-000170-NDM-000329	SV-69373r2_rule		Medium

Description
If the application allows the user to consecutively reuse extensive portions of passwords, this increases the chances of password compromise by increasing the window of opportunity for attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. In other words, characters may be the same within the two passwords; however, the positions of the like characters must be different.

Description

If the application allows the user to consecutively reuse extensive portions of passwords, this increases the chances of password compromise by increasing the window of opportunity for attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. In other words, characters may be the same within the two passwords; however, the positions of the like characters must be different.

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

Details

Check Text ( C-55749r2_chk )
If multifactor authentication is not supported, determine if the network device or its associated authentication server requires that when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least eight of the positions within the password. 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 when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least eight of the positions within the password, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-55749r2_chk )

If multifactor authentication is not supported, determine if the network device or its associated authentication server requires that when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least eight of the positions within the password. 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 when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least eight of the positions within the password, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-59991r2_fix)
Configure the network device or its associated authentication server to require that when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least eight of the positions within the password.