The Ubuntu Operating system must be configured so that when passwords are changed or new passwords are established, pwquality must be used.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-219186	UBTU-18-010116	SV-219186r610963_rule		Medium

Description
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. "pwquality" enforces complex password construction configuration and has the ability to limit brute-force attacks on the system.

STIG	Date
Canonical Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-12-09

Details

Check Text ( C-20911r569487_chk )
Verify the Ubuntu operating system has the libpam-pwquality package installed, by running the following command: # dpkg -l libpam-pwquality ii libpam-pwquality:amd64 1.4.0-2 amd64 PAM module to check password strength If "libpam-pwquality" is not installed, this is a finding. Verify the operating system uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules. Verify the pwquality module is being enforced by the Ubuntu Operating System, by running the following command: # grep -i enforcing /etc/security/pwquality.conf enforcing = 1 If the value of "enforcing" is not 1 or the line is commented out, this is a finding. Check for the use of "pwquality" with the following command: # sudo cat /etc/pam.d/common-password \| grep requisite \| grep pam_pwquality password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3 enforce_for_root If no output is returned or the line is commented out, this is a finding. If the value of "retry" is set to "0" or greater than "3", this is a finding. If "enforce_for_root" is missing from the configuration line, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-20911r569487_chk )

Verify the Ubuntu operating system has the libpam-pwquality package installed, by running the following command:

# dpkg -l libpam-pwquality

ii libpam-pwquality:amd64 1.4.0-2 amd64 PAM module to check password strength

If "libpam-pwquality" is not installed, this is a finding.

Verify the operating system uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules.

Verify the pwquality module is being enforced by the Ubuntu Operating System, by running the following command:

# grep -i enforcing /etc/security/pwquality.conf

enforcing = 1

If the value of "enforcing" is not 1 or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Check for the use of "pwquality" with the following command:

# sudo cat /etc/pam.d/common-password | grep requisite | grep pam_pwquality

password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3 enforce_for_root

If no output is returned or the line is commented out, this is a finding.
If the value of "retry" is set to "0" or greater than "3", this is a finding.
If "enforce_for_root" is missing from the configuration line, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-20910r569488_fix)
Configure the operating system to use "pwquality" to enforce password complexity rules. Install the pam_pwquality package by using the following command: # apt-get install libpam-pwquality -y Add the following line to "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" (or modify the line to have the required value): enforcing = 1 Add the following line to "/etc/pam.d/common-password" (or modify the line to have the required value): password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3 enforce_for_root Note: The value of "retry" should be between "1" and "3".

Fix Text (F-20910r569488_fix)

Configure the operating system to use "pwquality" to enforce password complexity rules.

Install the pam_pwquality package by using the following command:

# apt-get install libpam-pwquality -y

Add the following line to "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" (or modify the line to have the required value):

enforcing = 1

Add the following line to "/etc/pam.d/common-password" (or modify the line to have the required value):

password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3 enforce_for_root

Note: The value of "retry" should be between "1" and "3".