If multifactor authentication is not available and passwords must be used, the Palo Alto Networks security platform must require that when a password is changed, the characters are changed in at least 8 of the positions within the password.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-228654	PANW-NM-000059	SV-228654r997672_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
Palo Alto Networks NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-10

Details

Check Text ( C-30889r997670_chk )
Go to Device >> Setup >> Management. View the "Minimum Password Complexity" window. If the "New Password Differs by Characters" field is not "8", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-30866r997671_fix)
Go to Device >> Setup >> Management. In the "Minimum Password Complexity" window, select the "Edit" icon (the gear symbol in the upper-right corner of the pane). In the "New Password Differs by Characters" field, enter "8". Check the "Enabled box", then select "OK". Commit changes by selecting "Commit" in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select "OK" when the confirmation dialog appears.