UCF STIG Viewer Logo

The ESXi host must prohibit the reuse of passwords within five iterations.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-239287 ESXI-67-000032 SV-239287r674790_rule Medium
Description
If a user or root used the same password continuously or was allowed to change it back shortly after being forced to change it to something else, it would provide a potential intruder with the opportunity to keep guessing at one user's password until it was guessed correctly.
STIG Date
VMware vSphere 6.7 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide 2022-01-05

Details

Check Text ( C-42520r674788_chk )
From the vSphere Client, select the ESXi host and go to Configure >> System >> Advanced System Settings.

Select the "Security.PasswordHistory" value and verify it is set to "5".

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name Security.PasswordHistory

If the "Security.PasswordHistory" setting is not set to "5", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-42479r674789_fix)
From the vSphere Client, select the ESXi host and go to Configure >> System >> Advanced System Settings.

Select the "Security.PasswordHistory" value and configure it to "5".

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name Security.PasswordHistory | Set-AdvancedSetting -Value 5