Windows Server 2019 reversible password encryption must be disabled.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
high	V-205653	SRG-OS-000073-GPOS-00041	WN19-AC-000090	SV-205653r1051062_rule	2025-02-25	3

Description
Storing passwords using reversible encryption is essentially the same as storing clear-text versions of the passwords, which are easily compromised. For this reason, this policy must never be enabled.

ℹ️ Check
Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor. Run "gpedit.msc". Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy. If the value for "Store passwords using reversible encryption" is not set to "Disabled", this is a finding. For server core installations, run the following command: Secedit /Export /Areas SecurityPolicy /CFG C:\Path\FileName.Txt If "ClearTextPassword" equals "1" in the file, this is a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor. Run "gpedit.msc". Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy. If the value for "Store passwords using reversible encryption" is not set to "Disabled", this is a finding. For server core installations, run the following command: Secedit /Export /Areas SecurityPolicy /CFG C:\Path\FileName.Txt If "ClearTextPassword" equals "1" in the file, this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy >> "Store passwords using reversible encryption" to "Disabled".