AlmaLinux OS 9 SSHD must not allow blank passwords.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-269374 | ALMA-09-034120 | SV-269374r1050257_rule | CCI-000766 | medium |
| 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. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000106-GPOS-00053, SRG-OS-000108-GPOS-00055 | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Cloud Linux AlmaLinux OS 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2026-02-27 | |||
Related Frameworks
3 paths across 3 frameworks
Related Frameworks
NIST 800-531 mapping
IA-2(2)
1.00
- DISA · V1R6 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
NIST 800-1711 mapping
3.5.3
1.00
- DISA · V1R6 · 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-000766
1.00
- DISA · V1R6 · disa_xccdf · related
Details
Check Text (C-269374r1050257_chk)
Verify AlmaLinux OS 9 remote access using SSH prevents logging on with a blank password with the following command:
$ sshd -T | grep -i permitemptypasswords
permitemptypasswords no
If "PermitEmptyPasswords" is set to "yes", or the line is missing, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-73306r1048499_fix)
Configure the SSH daemon to prevent users logging in with blank passwords.
Add the following line to "/etc/ssh/sshd_config", or uncomment the line and set the value to "yes":
PermitEmptyPasswords no
Alternatively, add the setting to an include file if the line "Include /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/*.conf" is found at the top of the "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" file:
$ cat << EOF | tee /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/emptypasswords.conf
PermitEmptyPasswords no
EOF
Restart the SSH daemon for the settings to take effect:
$ systemctl restart sshd.service