DISA STIGS Viewer

The macOS system must restrict maximum password lifetime to 60 days.

Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-268536 APPL-15-003008 SV-268536r1038967_rule   Medium
Description
The macOS must be configured to enforce a maximum password lifetime limit of at least 60 days. This rule ensures that users are forced to change their passwords frequently enough to prevent malicious users from gaining and maintaining access to the system. NOTE: The guidance for password-based authentication in NIST 800-53 (Rev 5) and NIST 800-63B states that complexity rules should be organizationally defined. The values defined are based on common complexity values, but each organization may define its own password complexity rules.
STIG Date
Apple macOS 15 (Sequoia) Security Technical Implementation Guide 2025-05-05

Details

Check Text (C-72566r1034546_chk)
Verify the macOS system is configured to restrict maximum password lifetime to 60 days with the following command:

/usr/bin/pwpolicy -getaccountpolicies 2> /dev/null | /usr/bin/tail +2 | /usr/bin/xmllint --xpath '//dict/key[text()="policyAttributeExpiresEveryNDays"]/following-sibling::*[1]/text()' -

If the result is not "60" or less, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-72467r1034547_fix)
Configure the macOS system to restrict maximum password lifetime to 60 days by installing the "com.apple.mobiledevice.passwordpolicy" configuration profile.