AlmaLinux OS 9 must enforce password complexity rules for the root account.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-269388 | ALMA-09-036100 | SV-269388r1050271_rule | CCI-004066 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| CloudLinux AlmaLinux OS 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-22 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-269388r1050271_chk)
Verify that AlmaLinux OS 9 enforces password complexity rules for the root account.
Check if root user is required to use complex passwords with the following command:
$ grep enforce_for_root /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf
/etc/security/pwquality.conf:# enforce_for_root
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/stig.conf:enforce_for_root
If "enforce_for_root" is commented or missing, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-73320r1049605_fix)
Configure AlmaLinux OS 9 to enforce password complexity on the root account.
Add or update the following line in /etc/security/pwquality.conf:
enforce_for_root
Note: Unlike most Linux tools, pam_pwquality does not override its defaults with those in a drop-in file, so edit /etc/security/pwquality.conf and not use a file in /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ or comment out the setting in /etc/security/pwquality.conf if using a drop-in file.