The vCenter Server for Windows must enforce a 60-day maximum password lifetime restriction.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-216827	VCWN-65-000003	SV-216827r612237_rule		Medium

Description
Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords need to be changed at specific intervals. One method of minimizing this risk is to use complex passwords and periodically change them. If the application does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the system and/or application passwords could be compromised. This requirement does not include emergency administration accounts which are meant for access to the application in case of failure. These accounts are not required to have maximum password lifetime restrictions.

Description

Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords need to be changed at specific intervals. One method of minimizing this risk is to use complex passwords and periodically change them. If the application does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the system and/or application passwords could be compromised. This requirement does not include emergency administration accounts which are meant for access to the application in case of failure. These accounts are not required to have maximum password lifetime restrictions.

STIG	Date
VMW vSphere 6.5 vCenter Server for Windows Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-12-10

Details

Check Text ( C-18058r366195_chk )
From the vSphere Web Client go to Administration >> Single Sign-On >> Configuration >> Policies >> Password Policy. View the value of the "Maximum lifetime" setting. If the "Maximum lifetime" policy is not set to "60", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-18056r366196_fix)
From the vSphere Web Client go to Administration >> Single Sign-On >> Configuration >> Policies >> Password Policy. Click Edit and enter "60" into the "Maximum lifetime" setting and click "OK".