The Samsung KNOX for Android platform must not allow more than 10 consecutive failed authentication attempts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-69597	KNOX-34-008900	SV-84219r1_rule		Low

Description
The more attempts an adversary has to guess a password, the more likely the adversary will enter the correct password and gain access to resources on the device. Setting a limit on the number of attempts mitigates this risk. Setting the limit at 10 gives authorized users the ability to make a few mistakes when entering the password but still provides adequate protection against dictionary or brute force attacks on the password. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #02

Description

The more attempts an adversary has to guess a password, the more likely the adversary will enter the correct password and gain access to resources on the device. Setting a limit on the number of attempts mitigates this risk. Setting the limit at 10 gives authorized users the ability to make a few mistakes when entering the password but still provides adequate protection against dictionary or brute force attacks on the password. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #02

STIG	Date
Samsung Android OS 6 (with KNOX 2.x) Security Technical Implementation Guide	2016-11-14

Details

Check Text ( C-70015r1_chk )
This validation procedure is performed only on the MDM Administration Console. Check whether the appropriate setting is configured on the MDM Administration Console: 1. Ask the MDM administrator to display the "Maximum Failed Attempts" field in the "Android Password Restrictions" rule for the device unlock password. 2. Verify the value of the setting is 10 or less. This configuration is not available on the Samsung KNOX for Android device. If the "Maximum Failed Attempts" field in the "Android Password Restrictions" rule for the device unlock password is not set to "10" or less, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-70015r1_chk )

This validation procedure is performed only on the MDM Administration Console.

Check whether the appropriate setting is configured on the MDM Administration Console:
1. Ask the MDM administrator to display the "Maximum Failed Attempts" field in the "Android Password Restrictions" rule for the device unlock password.
2. Verify the value of the setting is 10 or less.

This configuration is not available on the Samsung KNOX for Android device.

If the "Maximum Failed Attempts" field in the "Android Password Restrictions" rule for the device unlock password is not set to "10" or less, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-75771r1_fix)
Configure the mobile operating system to allow only 10 or less consecutive failed authentication attempts. On the MDM Administration Console, set the "Maximum Failed Attempts" to "10" or less in the "Android Password Restrictions" rule for the device unlock password.