| name | cis-ubuntu1604-v200-5-4-3 |
| description | Ensure password reuse is limited |
| category | cis-iam |
| version | 2.0.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["cis","ubuntu","linux","ubuntu-16.04","authentication","pam"] |
| cis_id | 5.4.3 |
| cis_benchmark | CIS Ubuntu Linux 16.04 LTS Benchmark v2.0.0 |
| tech_stack | ["ubuntu","linux"] |
| cwe_ids | [] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {} |
Ensure password reuse is limited
Profile Applicability:
- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation
Assessment Status: Automated
Description
The /etc/security/opasswd file stores the users' old passwords and can be checked to ensure that users are not recycling recent passwords.
Rationale
Forcing users not to reuse their past 5 passwords make it less likely that an attacker will be able to guess the password.
Audit Procedure
Command Line
Run the following commands and ensure the remember option is '5' or more and included in all results:
grep -E '^\s*password\s+required\s+pam_pwhistory\.so\s+([^#]+\s+)?remember=([5-9]|[1-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password
Expected output:
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5
Remediation
Command Line
Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file to include the remember option and conform to site policy as shown:
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5
Additional Information
Changes only apply to accounts configured on the local system.
References
None
CIS Controls
| Controls Version | Control |
|---|
| v7 | 16 Account Monitoring and Control - Account Monitoring and Control |
Profile
- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation