The network device or authentication server must never automatically remove or disable emergency administrator accounts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-55175	SRG-APP-000234-NDM-000272	SV-69421r4_rule		Medium

Description
Emergency accounts are administrator accounts which are established in response to crisis situations where the need for rapid account activation is required. Therefore, emergency account activation may bypass normal account authorization processes. If these accounts are automatically disabled, system maintenance during emergencies may not be possible, thus adversely affecting system availability. Emergency accounts are different from infrequently used accounts (i.e., local logon accounts used by system administrators when network or normal logon/access is not available). Infrequently used accounts also remain available and are not subject to automatic termination dates. However, an emergency account is normally a different account that is created for use by vendors or system maintainers. To address access requirements, many application developers choose to integrate their applications with enterprise-level authentication/access mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements. Such integration allows the application developer to off-load those access control functions and focus on core application features and functionality.

Description

Emergency accounts are administrator accounts which are established in response to crisis situations where the need for rapid account activation is required. Therefore, emergency account activation may bypass normal account authorization processes. If these accounts are automatically disabled, system maintenance during emergencies may not be possible, thus adversely affecting system availability. Emergency accounts are different from infrequently used accounts (i.e., local logon accounts used by system administrators when network or normal logon/access is not available). Infrequently used accounts also remain available and are not subject to automatic termination dates. However, an emergency account is normally a different account that is created for use by vendors or system maintainers. To address access requirements, many application developers choose to integrate their applications with enterprise-level authentication/access mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements. Such integration allows the application developer to off-load those access control functions and focus on core application features and functionality.

STIG	Date
Network Device Management Security Requirements Guide	2017-07-07

Details

Check Text ( C-55795r6_chk )
If the use of emergency administrator accounts is prohibited by the organization, this is not a finding. If the system does not have the capability to remove or disable accounts based on account type or cannot be configured to remove or disable accounts automatically, this is not a finding. Interview site personnel and ask if emergency administrator accounts are allowed to be configured locally on the network device. Review the network device configuration to determine if it is configured to automatically disable or remove emergency administrator accounts. If an emergency administrator account type has been configured to be automatically removed or disabled, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-55795r6_chk )

If the use of emergency administrator accounts is prohibited by the organization, this is not a finding.
If the system does not have the capability to remove or disable accounts based on account type or cannot be configured to remove or disable accounts automatically, this is not a finding.

Interview site personnel and ask if emergency administrator accounts are allowed to be configured locally on the network device. Review the network device configuration to determine if it is configured to automatically disable or remove emergency administrator accounts.

If an emergency administrator account type has been configured to be automatically removed or disabled, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-60039r4_fix)
Remove the expiration date or other method which is used to automatically disable or remove emergency administrator accounts which are configured on the network device.