Details

By limiting the number of failed login attempts, the risk of unauthorized access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account.

Solution

From the vSphere Web Client select the ESXi Host and go to Configure >> System >> Advanced System Settings. Click Edit and select the Security.AccountUnlockTime value and configure it to 900.

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host run the following commands:

Get-VMHost | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name Security.AccountUnlockTime | Set-AdvancedSetting -Value 900

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_VMW_vSphere_6-5_Y21M10_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Access Control.This control applies to the following type of system VMware.

References

• 800-53|AC-7b.
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-002238
• Rule-ID|SV-207607r379606_rule
• STIG-ID|ESXI-65-000006
• STIG-Legacy|SV-104045
• STIG-Legacy|V-93959
• Vuln-ID|V-207607

Source

• Tenable.com/audits