Windows Server 2025 manually managed application account passwords must be changed at least annually or when a system administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-277990 | WN25-00-000060 | SV-277990r1182248_rule | CCI-000366 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| Setting application account passwords to expire may cause applications to stop functioning. However, not changing them on a regular basis exposes them to attack. If managed service accounts are used, this alleviates the need to manually change application account passwords. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2025 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2026-02-20 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-277990r1182248_chk)
Determine if manually managed application/service accounts exist. If none exist, this is not applicable.
If passwords for manually managed application/service accounts are not changed at least annually or when an administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization, this is a finding.
Identify manually managed application/service accounts.
To determine the date a password was last changed for domain controllers:
Open PowerShell.
Enter "Get-AdUser -Identity [application account name] -Properties PasswordLastSet | FT Name, PasswordLastSet", where [application account name] is the name of the manually managed application/service account.
If the "PasswordLastSet" date is more than one year old, this is a finding.
For member servers and stand-alone or nondomain-joined systems:
Open command prompt.
Enter 'Net User [application account name] | Find /i "Password Last Set"', where [application account name] is the name of the manually managed application/service account.
If the "Password Last Set" date is more than one year old, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-82425r1180675_fix)
Change passwords for manually managed application/service accounts at least annually or when an administrator with knowledge of the password leaves the organization.
It is recommended that system-managed service accounts be used whenever possible.