AlmaLinux OS 9 must configure the use of the pam_faillock.so module in the /etc/pam.d/system-auth file.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-269150 | ALMA-09-007830 | SV-269150r1050032_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-force attacks, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. If the pam_faillock.so module is not loaded, the system will not correctly lockout accounts to prevent password guessing attacks. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| CloudLinux AlmaLinux OS 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-22 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-269150r1050032_chk)
Verify the pam_faillock.so module is present in the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" file:
$ grep pam_faillock.so /etc/pam.d/system-auth
auth required pam_faillock.so preauth
auth required pam_faillock.so authfail
account required pam_faillock.so
If the pam_faillock.so module is not present in the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" file with the "preauth" line listed before pam_unix.so, this is a finding.
If the system administrator (SA) can demonstrate that the required configuration is contained in a PAM configuration file included or substacked from the system-auth file, this is not a finding.
Fix Text (F-73082r1049209_fix)
Configure AlmaLinux OS 9 to include the use of the pam_faillock.so module in the /etc/pam.d/system-auth file.
Add/modify the appropriate sections of the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" file to match the following lines, ensuring that the "preauth" line is listed before pam_unix.so.
auth required pam_faillock.so preauth
auth required pam_faillock.so authfail
account required pam_faillock.so
Note: Do not simply copy these three lines into the file; their location/order is important.