The vCenter Server must enforce a 90-day maximum password lifetime restriction.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-258918	VCSA-80-000079	SV-258918r1003597_rule		Medium

Description
Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords must 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 must 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
VMware vSphere 8.0 vCenter Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-07-11

Details

Check Text ( C-62658r934410_chk )
From the vSphere Client, go to Administration >> Single Sign On >> Configuration >> Local Accounts >> Password Policy. View the value of the "Maximum lifetime" setting. Maximum lifetime: Password must be changed every 90 days If the password policy is not configured with "Maximum lifetime" policy of "90" or less, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-62567r934411_fix)
From the vSphere Client, go to Administration >> Single Sign On >> Configuration >> Local Accounts >> Password Policy. Click "Edit". Set "Maximum lifetime" to "90" and click "Save".