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The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that when passwords are changed or new passwords are assigned, the new password must contain at least one numeric character.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-204409 RHEL-07-010140 SV-204409r603261_rule Medium
Description
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.
STIG Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2023-12-01

Details

Check Text ( C-4533r88419_chk )
Note: The value to require a number of numeric characters to be set is expressed as a negative number in "/etc/security/pwquality.conf".

Check the value for "dcredit" in "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" with the following command:

# grep dcredit /etc/security/pwquality.conf
dcredit = -1

If the value of "dcredit" is not set to a negative value, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-4533r88420_fix)
Configure the operating system to enforce password complexity by requiring that at least one numeric character be used by setting the "dcredit" option.

Add the following line to /etc/security/pwquality.conf (or modify the line to have the required value):

dcredit = -1