Title

All accounts installed with the web server software and tools must have passwords assigned and default passwords changed. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

During installation of the web server software, accounts are created for the web server to operate properly. The accounts installed can have either no password installed or a default password, which will be known and documented by the vendor and the user community. The first things an attacker will try when presented with a login screen are the default user identifiers with default passwords. Installed applications may also install accounts with no password, making the login even easier. Once the web server is installed, the passwords for any created accounts should be changed and documented. The new passwords must meet the requirements for all passwords, i.e., upper/lower characters, numbers, special characters, time until change, reuse policy, etc. Service accounts or system accounts that have no login capability do not need to have passwords set or changed.

Check Content

Review the web server documentation and deployment configuration to determine what non-service/system accounts were installed by the web server installation process. Verify the passwords for these accounts have been set and/or changed from the default passwords. If these accounts still have no password or default passwords, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Set passwords for non-service/system accounts containing no passwords and change the passwords for accounts which still have default passwords.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-206444r961863_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-206444

Group Title: SRG-APP-000516

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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