Consecutive login attempts for SSH must be limited to 3.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-216115 | SOL-11.1-040340 | SV-216115r1155803_rule | CCI-000366 | low |
| Description | ||||
| Setting the authentication login limit to a low value will disconnect the attacker and force a reconnect, which severely limits the speed of such brute-force attacks. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Solaris 11 X86 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2026-02-19 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-216115r1155803_chk)
Determine if consecutive login attempts are limited to 3, and that they are logged.
# grep "^MaxAuthTries" /etc/ssh/sshd_config
If the output of this command is not "MaxAuthTries 6" and "MaxAuthTriesLog 6" this is a finding.
Note: Solaris SSH MaxAuthTries of 6 maps to 3 actual failed attempts.
Fix Text (F-17351r1155802_fix)
The root role is required.
Modify the sshd_config file.
# pfedit /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Locate the lines containing:
MaxAuthTries
MaxAuthTriesLog
Change them to:
MaxAuthTries 6
MaxAuthTriesLog 6
Restart the SSH service.
# svcadm restart svc:/network/ssh
Note: Solaris SSH MaxAuthTries of 6 maps to 3 actual failed attempts.