The Samsung KNOX for Android container must be configured to enforce a minimum password length of four characters.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-69673	KNOX-39-014900	SV-84295r1_rule		Medium

Description
Password strength is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting guessing and brute-force attacks. The ability to crack a password is a function of how many attempts an adversary is permitted, how quickly an adversary can do each attempt, and the size of the password space. The longer the minimum length of the password is, the larger the password space. Having a too-short minimum password length significantly reduces password strength, increasing the chance of password compromise and resulting device and data compromise. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #45

Description

Password strength is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting guessing and brute-force attacks. The ability to crack a password is a function of how many attempts an adversary is permitted, how quickly an adversary can do each attempt, and the size of the password space. The longer the minimum length of the password is, the larger the password space. Having a too-short minimum password length significantly reduces password strength, increasing the chance of password compromise and resulting device and data compromise. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #45

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

Details

Check Text ( C-70115r1_chk )
This validation procedure is performed on both the MDM Administration Console and the Samsung KNOX for Android device. Check whether the appropriate setting is configured on the MDM Administration Console: 1. Ask the MDM administrator to display the "Min Length" setting in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Password Restrictions" rule. 2. Verify the value of the setting is the same or greater than the required length. On the Samsung KNOX for Android device: 1. Open the KNOX Container. 2. Select "KNOX Settings". 3. Select "Lock type". 4. Enter current password. 5. Attempt to enter a password with fewer characters than the required length. 6. Verify the password is not accepted. If the configured value of the "Min Length" setting is less than the required length, or if Samsung KNOX for Android accepts a container password with fewer characters than the required length, this is a finding. Note: This configuration setting will allow users to implement fingerprint unlock for the container, which is approved for use. However, this approval does not extend to fingerprint unlock for the Samsung device or any other DoD mobile device. The use of a password to move between container and personal areas is only required if the password is needed to provide data separation between the two processing environments. For the Samsung devices, the password is required to enable the container and implement data separation.

Check Text ( C-70115r1_chk )

This validation procedure is performed on both the MDM Administration Console and the Samsung KNOX for Android device.

Check whether the appropriate setting is configured on the MDM Administration Console:
1. Ask the MDM administrator to display the "Min Length" setting in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Password Restrictions" rule.
2. Verify the value of the setting is the same or greater than the required length.

On the Samsung KNOX for Android device:
1. Open the KNOX Container.
2. Select "KNOX Settings".
3. Select "Lock type".
4. Enter current password.
5. Attempt to enter a password with fewer characters than the required length.
6. Verify the password is not accepted.

If the configured value of the "Min Length" setting is less than the required length, or if Samsung KNOX for Android accepts a container password with fewer characters than the required length, this is a finding.

Note: This configuration setting will allow users to implement fingerprint unlock for the container, which is approved for use. However, this approval does not extend to fingerprint unlock for the Samsung device or any other DoD mobile device. The use of a password to move between container and personal areas is only required if the password is needed to provide data separation between the two processing environments. For the Samsung devices, the password is required to enable the container and implement data separation.

Fix Text (F-75877r1_fix)
Configure the mobile device to enforce a minimum password length of "4" characters. On the MDM Console, set the "Min Length" value to "4" or greater in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Password Restrictions" rule.