The built-in Windows password complexity policy must be enabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-1150	WN08-AC-000008	SV-48046r2_rule		Medium

Description
The use of complex passwords increases their strength against attack. The built-in Windows password complexity policy requires passwords to contain at least 3 of the 4 types of characters (numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, and special characters), as well as preventing the inclusion of user names or parts of.

STIG	Date
Windows 8 / 8.1 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2016-06-08

Details

Check Text ( C-66209r1_chk )
Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. (See "Performing Analysis with the Security Configuration and Analysis Snap-in" in the STIG Overview document.) Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view. Navigate to Account Policies >> Password Policy. If the value for "Password must meet complexity requirements" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding. Note: If an external password filter is in use that enforces all 4 character types and requires this setting be set to "Disabled", this would not be considered a finding. If this setting does not affect the use of an external password filter, it must be enabled for fallback purposes.

Check Text ( C-66209r1_chk )

Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. (See "Performing Analysis with the Security Configuration and Analysis Snap-in" in the STIG Overview document.)
Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view.
Navigate to Account Policies >> Password Policy.

If the value for "Password must meet complexity requirements" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding.

Note: If an external password filter is in use that enforces all 4 character types and requires this setting be set to "Disabled", this would not be considered a finding. If this setting does not affect the use of an external password filter, it must be enabled for fallback purposes.

Fix Text (F-41184r2_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy >> "Password must meet complexity requirements" to "Enabled".