The DBMS must enforce password maximum lifetime restrictions.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-61739	O121-C2-015200	SV-76229r4_rule		Medium

Description
Password maximum lifetime is the maximum period of time, (typically in days) a user's password may be in effect before the user is forced to change it. Passwords need to be changed at specific policy-based intervals as per policy. Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. One method of minimizing this risk is to use complex passwords and periodically change them. If the application does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the system and/or application passwords could be compromised. The “PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME” parameter defines the number of days a password remains valid. This can, but must not be, set to “UNLIMITED”. Further, the “PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME” parameter, if set to “UNLIMITED”, can nullify the “PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME”. “PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME” must be set to “0” days (or another small integer). Note: User authentication and account management must be done via an enterprise-wide mechanism whenever possible. Examples of enterprise-level authentication/access mechanisms include, but are not limited to, Active Directory and LDAP. With respect to Oracle, this requirement applies to cases where it is necessary to have accounts directly managed by Oracle.

Description

Password maximum lifetime is the maximum period of time, (typically in days) a user's password may be in effect before the user is forced to change it. Passwords need to be changed at specific policy-based intervals as per policy. Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. One method of minimizing this risk is to use complex passwords and periodically change them. If the application does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the system and/or application passwords could be compromised. The “PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME” parameter defines the number of days a password remains valid. This can, but must not be, set to “UNLIMITED”. Further, the “PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME” parameter, if set to “UNLIMITED”, can nullify the “PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME”. “PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME” must be set to “0” days (or another small integer). Note: User authentication and account management must be done via an enterprise-wide mechanism whenever possible. Examples of enterprise-level authentication/access mechanisms include, but are not limited to, Active Directory and LDAP. With respect to Oracle, this requirement applies to cases where it is necessary to have accounts directly managed by Oracle.

STIG	Date
Oracle Database 12c Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-06-12

Details

Check Text ( C-62617r6_chk )
If all user accounts are authenticated by the OS or an enterprise-level authentication/access mechanism, and not by Oracle, this is not a finding. Review DBMS settings to determine if passwords must be changed periodically. If not, this is a finding: SELECT p1.profile, CASE p1.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE CASE p2.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE CASE p3.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE CASE p4.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE TO_CHAR(DECODE(p1.limit, 'DEFAULT', p3.limit, p1.limit) + DECODE(p2.limit, 'DEFAULT', p4.limit, p2.limit)) END END END END effective_life_time FROM dba_profiles p1, dba_profiles p2, dba_profiles p3, dba_profiles p4 WHERE p1.profile=p2.profile AND p3.profile='DEFAULT' AND p4.profile='DEFAULT' AND p1.resource_name='PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME' AND p2.resource_name='PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME' AND p3.resource_name='PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME' -- from DEFAULT profile AND p4.resource_name='PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME' -- from DEFAULT profile order by 1; If the “effective_life_time” is greater than “60” for any profile applied to user accounts, and the need for this has not been documented and approved by the ISSO, this is a finding. If the value is greater than 35 for any profile (not documented and approved by the ISSO), applied to user accounts, and the DBMS is configured to use Password Lifetime to disable inactive accounts, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-62617r6_chk )

If all user accounts are authenticated by the OS or an enterprise-level authentication/access mechanism, and not by Oracle, this is not a finding.

Review DBMS settings to determine if passwords must be changed periodically. If not, this is a finding:

SELECT p1.profile,
CASE p1.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE
CASE p2.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE
CASE p3.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE
CASE p4.limit WHEN 'UNLIMITED' THEN 'UNLIMITED' ELSE
TO_CHAR(DECODE(p1.limit, 'DEFAULT', p3.limit, p1.limit) + DECODE(p2.limit, 'DEFAULT', p4.limit, p2.limit))
END
END
END
END effective_life_time
FROM dba_profiles p1, dba_profiles p2, dba_profiles p3, dba_profiles p4
WHERE p1.profile=p2.profile
AND p3.profile='DEFAULT'
AND p4.profile='DEFAULT'
AND p1.resource_name='PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME'
AND p2.resource_name='PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME'
AND p3.resource_name='PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME' -- from DEFAULT profile
AND p4.resource_name='PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME' -- from DEFAULT profile
order by 1;

If the “effective_life_time” is greater than “60” for any profile applied to user accounts, and the need for this has not been documented and approved by the ISSO, this is a finding.

If the value is greater than 35 for any profile (not documented and approved by the ISSO), applied to user accounts, and the DBMS is configured to use Password Lifetime to disable inactive accounts, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-67655r5_fix)
For user accounts managed by Oracle: Modify DBMS settings to force users to periodically change their passwords. For example, using PPPPPP to stand for a profile name: ALTER PROFILE PPPPPP LIMIT PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME 35 PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME 0; Do this for each profile applied to user accounts. (Note: Although the DoD requirement is for a password change every 60 days, using a value of “35” facilitates the use of “PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME” as a means of locking accounts inactive for 35 days. But if “35” is not a practical or acceptable limit for password lifetime, set it to the standard DoD value of “60”.) Where a password lifetime longer than “60” is needed, document the reasons and obtain ISSO approval.

Fix Text (F-67655r5_fix)

For user accounts managed by Oracle: Modify DBMS settings to force users to periodically change their passwords. For example, using PPPPPP to stand for a profile name:
ALTER PROFILE PPPPPP LIMIT PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME 35 PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME 0;
Do this for each profile applied to user accounts.

(Note: Although the DoD requirement is for a password change every 60 days, using a value of “35” facilitates the use of “PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME” as a means of locking accounts inactive for 35 days. But if “35” is not a practical or acceptable limit for password lifetime, set it to the standard DoD value of “60”.)

Where a password lifetime longer than “60” is needed, document the reasons and obtain ISSO approval.