The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured to lock accounts for a minimum of 15 minutes after three unsuccessful logon attempts within a 15-minute timeframe.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-204427	RHEL-07-010320	SV-204427r853880_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. Limits are imposed by locking the account. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000329-GPOS-00128, SRG-OS-000021-GPOS-00005

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2022-09-12

Details

Check Text ( C-4551r462528_chk )
Check that the system locks an account for a minimum of 15 minutes after three unsuccessful logon attempts within a period of 15 minutes with the following command: # grep pam_faillock.so /etc/pam.d/password-auth auth required pam_faillock.so preauth silent audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900 auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900 account required pam_faillock.so If the "deny" parameter is set to "0" or a value greater than "3" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. If the "even_deny_root" parameter is not set on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. If the "fail_interval" parameter is set to "0" or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. If the "unlock_time" parameter is not set to "0", "never", or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. Note: The maximum configurable value for "unlock_time" is "604800". If any line referencing the "pam_faillock.so" module is commented out, this is a finding. # grep pam_faillock.so /etc/pam.d/system-auth auth required pam_faillock.so preauth silent audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900 auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900 account required pam_faillock.so If the "deny" parameter is set to "0" or a value greater than "3" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. If the "even_deny_root" parameter is not set on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. If the "fail_interval" parameter is set to "0" or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. If the "unlock_time" parameter is not set to "0", "never", or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module or is missing from these lines, this is a finding. Note: The maximum configurable value for "unlock_time" is "604800". If any line referencing the "pam_faillock.so" module is commented out, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-4551r462528_chk )

Check that the system locks an account for a minimum of 15 minutes after three unsuccessful logon attempts within a period of 15 minutes with the following command:

# grep pam_faillock.so /etc/pam.d/password-auth

auth required pam_faillock.so preauth silent audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900
auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900
account required pam_faillock.so

If the "deny" parameter is set to "0" or a value greater than "3" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

If the "even_deny_root" parameter is not set on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

If the "fail_interval" parameter is set to "0" or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

If the "unlock_time" parameter is not set to "0", "never", or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

Note: The maximum configurable value for "unlock_time" is "604800".

If any line referencing the "pam_faillock.so" module is commented out, this is a finding.

# grep pam_faillock.so /etc/pam.d/system-auth

auth required pam_faillock.so preauth silent audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900
auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900
account required pam_faillock.so

If the "deny" parameter is set to "0" or a value greater than "3" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

If the "even_deny_root" parameter is not set on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

If the "fail_interval" parameter is set to "0" or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module, or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

If the "unlock_time" parameter is not set to "0", "never", or is set to a value less than "900" on both "auth" lines with the "pam_faillock.so" module or is missing from these lines, this is a finding.

Note: The maximum configurable value for "unlock_time" is "604800".

If any line referencing the "pam_faillock.so" module is commented out, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-4551r622287_fix)
Configure the operating system to lock an account for the maximum period when three unsuccessful logon attempts in 15 minutes are made. Add/Modify the appropriate sections of the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" and "/etc/pam.d/password-auth" files to match the following lines: auth required pam_faillock.so preauth silent audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900 auth sufficient pam_unix.so try_first_pass auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900 account required pam_faillock.so Note: Manual changes to the listed files may be overwritten by the "authconfig" program. The "authconfig" program should not be used to update the configurations listed in this requirement.

Fix Text (F-4551r622287_fix)

Configure the operating system to lock an account for the maximum period when three unsuccessful logon attempts in 15 minutes are made.

Add/Modify the appropriate sections of the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" and "/etc/pam.d/password-auth" files to match the following lines:

auth required pam_faillock.so preauth silent audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900
auth sufficient pam_unix.so try_first_pass
auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail audit deny=3 even_deny_root fail_interval=900 unlock_time=900
account required pam_faillock.so

Note: Manual changes to the listed files may be overwritten by the "authconfig" program. The "authconfig" program should not be used to update the configurations listed in this requirement.