AIX must prevent the use of dictionary words for passwords.
Overview
Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
V-215229 | AIX7-00-001132 | SV-215229r991587_rule | Medium |
Description |
If the operating system allows the user to select passwords based on dictionary words, then this increases the chances of password compromise by increasing the opportunity for successful guesses and brute-force attacks. |
STIG | Date |
IBM AIX 7.x Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2024-08-16 |
Details
Check Text (C-16427r294138_chk) |
From the command prompt, run the following command to check if the default "dictionlist" attribute is set: # lssec -f /etc/security/user -s default -a dictionlist The above command should yield the following output: dictionlist="/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English" If the above command shows an empty string for default "dictionlist" attribute, this is a finding. From the command prompt, run the following command to check if "dictionlist" attribute is set for all users: # lsuser -a dictionlist ALL The above command should yield the following output: root dictionlist=/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English daemon dictionlist=/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English bin dictionlist=/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English sys dictionlist=/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English If any user's "dictionlist" attribute is empty, this is a finding. |
Fix Text (F-16425r294139_fix) |
From the command prompt, run the following command to set "dictionlist" attribute for the default stanza in "/etc/security/user": # chsec -f /etc/security/user -s default -a dictionlist="/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English" From the command prompt, run the following command to set "dictionlist" attribute for users who have an empty "dictionlist" attribute: # chsec -f /etc/security/user -s [user_name] -a dictionlist="/etc/security/ice/dictionary/English" |