The Cisco switch must be configured to enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts, after which time it must disconnect the session.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-220480 | CISC-ND-000150 | SV-220480r960840_rule | CCI-000044 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Cisco NX OS Switch NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-19 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-220480r960840_chk)
Review the Cisco switch configuration to verify that it enforces the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts as shown in the example below:
ssh login-attempts 3
If the Cisco switch is not configured to enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts, this is a finding.
NOTE: The NX-OS switch does not lock out the account, it disconnects the session. The AAA server will lock out the user account on three failed attempts.
Fix Text (F-22184r802431_fix)
Configure the Cisco switch to enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts as shown in the example below:
SW2(config)# ssh login-attempts 3