The Oracle Linux operating system must be configured so that when passwords are changed the number of repeating consecutive characters must not be more than three characters.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-221675 | SRG-OS-000072-GPOS-00040 | OL07-00-010180 | SV-221675r1015172_rule | 2025-02-20 | 3 |
| Description |
|---|
| Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password complexity is one of several factors that determines how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised. |
| ℹ️ Check |
|---|
| The "maxrepeat" option sets the maximum number of allowed same consecutive characters in a new password. Check for the value of the "maxrepeat" option in "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" with the following command: # grep maxrepeat /etc/security/pwquality.conf maxrepeat = 3 If the value of "maxrepeat" is set to more than "3", this is a finding. |
| ✔️ Fix |
|---|
| Configure the operating system to require the change of the number of repeating consecutive characters when passwords are changed by setting the "maxrepeat" option. Add the following line to "/etc/security/pwquality.conf conf" (or modify the line to have the required value): maxrepeat = 3 |