OpenControls Logo

STIG Viewer

STIGViewer Support

The macOS system must require that passwords contain a minimum of one special character.

Overview

Finding IDVersionRule IDIA ControlsSeverity
V-268538APPL-15-003011SV-268538r1131239_ruleCCI-004066medium
Description
The macOS must be configured to require that at least one special character be used when a password is created. Special characters are characters that are not alphanumeric. Examples include: ~ ! @ # $ % ^ *. This rule enforces password complexity by requiring users to set passwords that are less vulnerable to malicious users. Note: The guidance for password-based authentication in NIST 800-53 (Rev 5) and NIST 800-63B states that complexity rules must be organizationally defined. The values defined are based on common complexity values, but each organization may define its own password complexity rules.
STIGDate
Apple macOS 15 (Sequoia) Security Technical Implementation Guide2026-02-06

Related Frameworks

1 mapping across 4 frameworks
SCF0 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 3 hops (3) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

IAC-10Authenticator Management
0.50
IAC-10.1Password-Based Authentication
0.50
IAC-10.4Automated Support For Password Strength
0.50
NIST 800-530 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 2 hops (61) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

AC-10Concurrent Session Control
1.00
AC-12Session Termination
1.00
AC-17(10)Authenticate Remote Commands
1.00
AC-2(1)Automated System Account Management
1.00
AC-2(10)Shared and Group Account Credential Change
1.00
AC-2(11)Usage Conditions
1.00
AC-2(2)Automated Temporary and Emergency Account Management
1.00
AC-2(3)Disable Accounts
1.00
AC-2(4)Automated Audit Actions
1.00
AC-3Access Enforcement
1.00

+51 more (top 10 by confidence shown)

NIST 800-1710 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 3 hops (4) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

3.5.10
1.00
3.5.7
1.00
3.5.8
1.00
3.5.9
1.00
CCI1 mapping
CCI-004066
1.00

Details

Check Text (C-268538r1131239_chk)

Verify the macOS system is configured to require passwords contain a minimum of one special character with the following command: /usr/bin/pwpolicy -getaccountpolicies 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/tail -n +2 | /usr/bin/xmllint --xpath "//string[contains(text(), \"policyAttributePassword matches '(.*[^a-zA-Z0-9].*){\")]" - 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/awk -F"{|}" '{if ($2 >= 1) {print "true"} else {print "false"}}' If the result is not "true", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-72469r1034553_fix)

Configure the macOS system to require that passwords contain a minimum of one special character by installing the "com.apple.mobiledevice.passwordpolicy" configuration profile.