OL 9 must ensure the password complexity module is enabled in the password-auth file.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-271614 | OL09-00-001010 | SV-271614r1091554_rule | CCI-004066 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| Enabling PAM password complexity permits enforcement of strong passwords and consequently makes the system less prone to dictionary attacks. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000069-GPOS-00037, SRG-OS-000070-GPOS-00038 | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Oracle Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-08 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-271614r1091554_chk)
Verify that OL 9 uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules in the password-auth file with the following command:
$ grep pam_pwquality /etc/pam.d/password-auth | grep pam_pwquality
password required pam_pwquality.so
If the command does not return a line containing the value "pam_pwquality.so", or the line is commented out, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-75571r1091553_fix)
Configure OL 9 to use "pwquality" to enforce password complexity rules.
Add the following line to the "/etc/pam.d/password-auth" file (or modify the line to have the required value):
password required pam_pwquality.so