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The SSH daemon must not allow authentication using an empty password.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
RHEL-06-000239 RHEL-06-000239 RHEL-06-000239_rule High
Description
Configuring this setting for the SSH daemon provides additional assurance that remote login via SSH will require a password, even in the event of misconfiguration elsewhere.
STIG Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2013-02-05

Details

Check Text ( C-RHEL-06-000239_chk )
To determine how the SSH daemon's "PermitEmptyPasswords" option is set, run the following command:

# grep -i PermitEmptyPasswords /etc/ssh/sshd_config

If no line, a commented line, or a line indicating the value "no" is returned, then the required value is set.
If the required value is not set, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-RHEL-06-000239_fix)
To explicitly disallow remote login from accounts with empty passwords, add or correct the following line:

PermitEmptyPasswords no

Any accounts with empty passwords should be disabled immediately, and PAM configuration should prevent users from being able to assign themselves empty passwords.