The Ubuntu operating system must enforce a minimum 15-character password length.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-238225 | UBTU-20-010054 | SV-238225r1015148_rule | CCI-000205 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| The shorter the password, the lower the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password length is one factor of several that helps to determine strength and how long it takes to crack a password. Use of more characters in a password helps to exponentially increase the time and/or resources required to compromise the password. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-16 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-238225r1015148_chk)
Verify the pwquality configuration file enforces a minimum 15-character password length by running the following command:
$ grep -i minlen /etc/security/pwquality.conf
minlen=15
If "minlen" parameter value is not "15" or higher or is commented out, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-41394r653849_fix)
Configure the Ubuntu operating system to enforce a minimum 15-character password length.
Add or modify the "minlen" parameter value to the "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" file:
minlen=15