The Palo Alto Networks security platform must enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-228639	PANW-NM-000015	SV-228639r513524_rule		Medium

Description
By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced.

STIG	Date
Palo Alto Networks NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide	2022-09-14

Details

Check Text ( C-30874r513522_chk )
Go to Device >> Administrators If there is no authentication profile configured for each account (aside from the emergency administration account), this is a finding. Note which authentication profile is used for each account. Go to Device >> Authentication Profile Check the authentication profile used for each account (noted in the previous step) If the "Failed Attempts (#)" field is not set to "3", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-30874r513522_chk )

Go to Device >> Administrators
If there is no authentication profile configured for each account (aside from the emergency administration account), this is a finding.

Note which authentication profile is used for each account.

Go to Device >> Authentication Profile
Check the authentication profile used for each account (noted in the previous step)

If the "Failed Attempts (#)" field is not set to "3", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-30851r513523_fix)
This should not be configured in Device >> Setup >> Management >> Authentication Settings; instead, an authentication profile should be configured with lockout settings of three failed attempts and a lockout time of zero minutes. Go to Device >> Authentication Profile Select the configured authentication profile or select "Add" (in the bottom-left corner of the pane) to create a new one. In the "Authentication Profile" field, enter the name of the authentication profile that will be used to control each person's authentication process. The "Lockout Time (min)" field is the lockout duration; this must be set to "0". This will keep the lockout in effect until it is manually unlocked. In the "Failed Attempts" field, enter "3". Select "OK". Apply the authentication profile to the Administrator accounts. Go to Device >> Administrators Select each configured account or select "Add" (in the bottom-left corner of the pane) to create a new one. In the "Authentication Profile" field, enter the configured authentication profile. Select "OK". This authentication profile should not be applied to the emergency administration account since it has special requirements. Commit changes by selecting "Commit" in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select "OK" when the confirmation dialog appears.

Fix Text (F-30851r513523_fix)

This should not be configured in Device >> Setup >> Management >> Authentication Settings; instead, an authentication profile should be configured with lockout settings of three failed attempts and a lockout time of zero minutes.
Go to Device >> Authentication Profile
Select the configured authentication profile or select "Add" (in the bottom-left corner of the pane) to create a new one.
In the "Authentication Profile" field, enter the name of the authentication profile that will be used to control each person's authentication process.
The "Lockout Time (min)" field is the lockout duration; this must be set to "0". This will keep the lockout in effect until it is manually unlocked.
In the "Failed Attempts" field, enter "3".
Select "OK".

Apply the authentication profile to the Administrator accounts.
Go to Device >> Administrators
Select each configured account or select "Add" (in the bottom-left corner of the pane) to create a new one.
In the "Authentication Profile" field, enter the configured authentication profile.
Select "OK".

This authentication profile should not be applied to the emergency administration account since it has special requirements.
Commit changes by selecting "Commit" in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Select "OK" when the confirmation dialog appears.