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Default operating system accounts, other than root, must be locked.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-208806 OL6-00-000029 SV-208806r793591_rule Medium
Description
Disabling authentication for default system accounts makes it more difficult for attackers to make use of them to compromise a system.
STIG Date
Oracle Linux 6 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2021-12-03

Details

Check Text ( C-9059r357398_chk )
To obtain a listing of all users and the contents of their shadow password field, run the command:

$ awk -F: '$1 !~ /^root$/ && $2 !~ /^[!*]/ {print $1 ":" $2}' /etc/shadow

Identify the operating system accounts from this listing. These will primarily be the accounts with UID numbers less than 500, other than root. If any default operating system account (other than root) has a valid password hash, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-9059r357399_fix)
Some accounts are not associated with a human user of the system, and exist to perform some administrative function. An attacker should not be able to log into these accounts.

Disable logon access to these accounts with the command:

# passwd -l [SYSACCT]