Title

The macOS system must restrict maximum password lifetime to 60 days. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

The macOS must be configured to enforce a maximum password lifetime limit of at least 60 days. This rule ensures that users are forced to change their passwords frequently enough to prevent malicious users from gaining and maintaining access to the system. NOTE: The guidance for password-based authentication in NIST 800-53 (Rev 5) and NIST 800-63B states that complexity rules should be organizationally defined. The values defined are based on common complexity values, but each organization may define its own password complexity rules.

Check Content

Verify the macOS system is configured to restrict maximum password lifetime to 60 days with the following command: /usr/bin/pwpolicy -getaccountpolicies 2> /dev/null | /usr/bin/tail +2 | /usr/bin/xmllint --xpath '//dict/key[text()="policyAttributeExpiresEveryNDays"]/following-sibling::*[1]/text()' - If the result is not "60" or less, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure the macOS system to restrict maximum password lifetime to 60 days by installing the "com.apple.mobiledevice.passwordpolicy" configuration profile.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-268536r1038967_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-268536

Group Title: SRG-OS-000076-GPOS-00044

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.