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V-258231

CAT II (Medium)

RHEL 9 must employ FIPS 140-3 approved cryptographic hashing algorithms for all stored passwords.

Rule ID

SV-258231r1069375_rule

STIG

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V2R8

CCIs

CCI-004062 CCI-000803 CCI-000196

Discussion

The system must use a strong hashing algorithm to store the password. Passwords need to be protected at all times, and encryption is the standard method for protecting passwords. If passwords are not encrypted, they can be plainly read (i.e., clear text) and easily compromised. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000073-GPOS-00041, SRG-OS-000120-GPOS-00061

Check Content

Verify the interactive user account passwords are using a strong password hash with the following command:

$ sudo cut -d: -f2 /etc/shadow

$6$kcOnRq/5$NUEYPuyL.wghQwWssXRcLRFiiru7f5JPV6GaJhNC2aK5F3PZpE/BCCtwrxRc/AInKMNX3CdMw11m9STiql12f/ 

Password hashes "!" or "*" indicate inactive accounts not available for logon and are not evaluated.

If any interactive user password hash does not begin with "$6$", this is a finding.

Fix Text

Lock all interactive user accounts not using SHA-512 hashing until the passwords can be regenerated with SHA-512.