RHEL 9 must employ FIPS 140-3 approved cryptographic hashing algorithms for all stored passwords.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-258231	RHEL-09-671015	SV-258231r1015135_rule		Medium

Description

The system must use a strong hashing algorithm to store the password. Passwords need to be protected at all times, and encryption is the standard method for protecting passwords. If passwords are not encrypted, they can be plainly read (i.e., clear text) and easily compromised. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000073-GPOS-00041, SRG-OS-000120-GPOS-00061

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-12-04

Details

Check Text (C-61972r926678_chk)

Verify that the interactive user account passwords are using a strong password hash with the following command:

$ sudo cut -d: -f2 /etc/shadow

$6$kcOnRq/5$NUEYPuyL.wghQwWssXRcLRFiiru7f5JPV6GaJhNC2aK5F3PZpE/BCCtwrxRc/AInKMNX3CdMw11m9STiql12f/

Password hashes "!" or "*" indicate inactive accounts not available for logon and are not evaluated.

If any interactive user password hash does not begin with "$6", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-61896r926679_fix)

Lock all interactive user accounts not using SHA-512 hashing until the passwords can be regenerated with SHA-512.