The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that passwords for new users are restricted to a 60-day maximum lifetime.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-71929	RHEL-07-010250	SV-86553r2_rule		Medium

Description
Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords need to be changed periodically. If the operating system does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the operating system passwords could be compromised.

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2019-03-08

Details

Check Text ( C-72161r2_chk )
If passwords are not being used for authentication, this is Not Applicable. Verify the operating system enforces a 60-day maximum password lifetime restriction for new user accounts. Check for the value of "PASS_MAX_DAYS" in "/etc/login.defs" with the following command: # grep -i pass_max_days /etc/login.defs PASS_MAX_DAYS 60 If the "PASS_MAX_DAYS" parameter value is not 60 or less, or is commented out, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-72161r2_chk )

If passwords are not being used for authentication, this is Not Applicable.

Verify the operating system enforces a 60-day maximum password lifetime restriction for new user accounts.

Check for the value of "PASS_MAX_DAYS" in "/etc/login.defs" with the following command:

# grep -i pass_max_days /etc/login.defs
PASS_MAX_DAYS 60

If the "PASS_MAX_DAYS" parameter value is not 60 or less, or is commented out, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-78281r1_fix)
Configure the operating system to enforce a 60-day maximum password lifetime restriction. Add the following line in "/etc/login.defs" (or modify the line to have the required value): PASS_MAX_DAYS 60