AlmaLinux OS 9 must enforce password complexity by requiring that at least one special character be used.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-269390 | ALMA-09-036320 | SV-269390r1050273_rule | Medium |
| Description |
| Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised. |
| STIG | Date |
| CloudLinux AlmaLinux OS 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-22 |
Details
| Check Text (C-73421r1049610_chk) |
| Verify that AlmaLinux OS 9 enforces password complexity by requiring at least one special character with the following command: $ grep -E ocredit /etc/security/pwquality.conf* /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/stig.conf:ocredit = -1 If the value of "ocredit" is a positive number, is not set, is commented out, or if conflicting results are returned, this is a finding. |
| Fix Text (F-73322r1049611_fix) |
| Configure AlmaLinux OS 9 to enforce password complexity by requiring at least one special character be used by setting the "ocredit" option. Add or update the following line in the "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" file or a configuration file in the "/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/" directory: ocredit = -1 Remove any configurations that conflict with the above value. |