The Ubuntu operating system must not allow accounts configured with blank or null passwords.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-251504 | UBTU-20-010463 | SV-251504r1082230_rule | CCI-000366 | high |
| Description | ||||
| If an account has an empty password, anyone could log on and run commands with the privileges of that account. Accounts with empty passwords should never be used in operational environments. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-16 | |||
Related Frameworks
4 paths across 3 frameworks
Related Frameworks
NIST 800-531 mapping
CM-6
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
NIST 800-1712 mappings
3.4.1
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
- NIST · Rev 2 (Feb 2020, errata Jan 2021) · nist_800_171_app_d · equivalent
3.4.2
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
- NIST · Rev 2 (Feb 2020, errata Jan 2021) · nist_800_171_app_d · equivalent
CCI1 mapping
CCI-000366
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
Details
Check Text (C-251504r1082230_chk)
Verify null passwords cannot be used. Run the following command:
$ grep nullok /etc/pam.d/common-auth /etc/pam.d/common-password
If this produces any output, it may be possible to log on with accounts with empty passwords.
If null passwords can be used, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-54893r1082229_fix)
If an account is configured for password authentication but does not have an assigned password, it may be possible to log on to the account without authenticating.
Remove any instances of the "nullok" option in "/etc/pam.d/common-auth" and "/etc/pam.d/common-password".