Check: GEN000640
AIX 5.3 STIG:
GEN000640
(in version v1 r3)
Title
The system must require that passwords contain at least one special character. (Cat II impact)
Discussion
To enforce the use of complex passwords, minimum numbers of characters of different classes are mandated. The use of complex passwords reduces the ability of attackers to successfully obtain valid passwords using guessing or exhaustive search techniques. Complexity requirements increase the password search space by requiring users to construct passwords from a larger character set than they may otherwise use.
Check Content
Check the minother setting. Procedure: # grep minother /etc/security/user OR # lsuser -a minother ALL If the minother setting is less than 1, this is a finding.
Fix Text
Use the chsec command to set the minother setting to 1. # chsec -f /etc/security/user -s default -a minother=1 # chuser minother=1 < user id >
Additional Identifiers
Rule ID: SV-39503r1_rule
Vulnerability ID: V-11973
Group Title:
Expert Comments
CCIs
Number | Definition |
---|---|
CCI-001619 |
The information system enforces password complexity by the minimum number of special characters used. |
Controls
Number | Title |
---|---|
IA-5 (1) |
Password-Based Authentication |