← Back to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-281170

CAT II (Medium)

RHEL 10 must, for user account passwords, have a 180-day maximum password lifetime restriction

Rule ID

SV-281170r1273591_rule

STIG

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V1R3

CCIs

CCI-004066

Discussion

Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked; therefore, passwords need to be changed periodically. If RHEL 10 does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that RHEL 10 passwords could be compromised.

Check Content

Verify RHEL 10 enforces a 180-day maximum time period for existing user account passwords with the following commands:

$ sudo awk -F: '$5 > 180 {print $1 " " $5}' /etc/shadow

$ sudo awk -F: '$5 <= 0 {print $1 " " $5}' /etc/shadow

If any results are returned that are not associated with a system account, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure RHEL 10 to enforce a 180-day maximum password lifetime restriction on user account passwords.

Set the 180-day maximum password lifetime restriction with the following command:

$ sudo passwd -x 180 [user]