Details

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

Solution

Configure the Ubuntu operating system to enforce a 60-day maximum password lifetime.

Add, or modify the following line in the ‘/etc/login.defs’ file:

PASS_MAX_DAYS 60

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_CAN_Ubuntu_16-04_LTS_V2R3_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Identification and Authentication.This control applies to the following type of system Unix.

References

• 800-53|IA-5(1)(d)
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-000199
• Rule-ID|SV-214960r610931_rule
• STIG-ID|UBTU-16-010220
• STIG-Legacy|SV-90153
• STIG-Legacy|V-75473
• Vuln-ID|V-214960

Source

• Tenable.com/audits