DISA STIGS Viewer

AlmaLinux OS 9 must be configured so that interactive user account passwords are using strong password hashes.

Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-269402 ALMA-09-037640 SV-269402r1050285_rule   High
Description
Passwords must be protected at all times, and encryption is the standard method for protecting passwords. If passwords are not encrypted, they can be plainly read (i.e., clear text) and easily compromised. The system must use a strong hashing algorithm to store the password.
STIG Date
CloudLinux AlmaLinux OS 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2025-05-22

Details

Check Text (C-73433r1048582_chk)
Verify that the interactive user account passwords are using a strong password hash with the following command:

$ cut -d: -f1,2 /etc/shadow

root:$6$88upzIIyml/6UEya$QMLbF.L6gMNnIhzcxRorHgubK6jl3CHZ.MZrMkrEApOlt/MP.N.BFea.ykhPnIS.EYICo6To42koq0DCH8AjB/
bin:*
daemon:*

Password hashes "!" or "*" indicate inactive accounts not available for logon and are not evaluated.

If any interactive user password hash does not begin with "$6", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-73334r1048583_fix)
Lock all interactive user accounts not using SHA-512 hashing until the passwords can be regenerated with SHA-512.