DISA STIGS Viewer

SLEM 5 shadow password suite must be configured to use a sufficient number of hashing rounds.

Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-261392 SLEM-05-611085 SV-261392r996600_rule   High
Description
The system must use a strong hashing algorithm to store the password. The system must use a sufficient number of hashing rounds to ensure the required level of entropy. Passwords need to 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.
STIG Date
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro (SLEM) 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2025-05-08

Details

Check Text (C-65121r996599_chk)
Verify SLEM 5 shadow password suite is configured to encrypt passwords using sufficient number of hashing rounds.

> egrep "^SHA_CRYPT_" /etc/login.defs
SHA_CRYPT_MIN_ROUNDS 5000
SHA_CRYPT_MAX_ROUNDS 5000

If only one of "SHA_CRYPT_MIN_ROUNDS" or "SHA_CRYPT_MAX_ROUNDS" is set, and this value is below "5000", this is a finding.

If both "SHA_CRYPT_MIN_ROUNDS" and "SHA_CRYPT_MAX_ROUNDS" are set, and the highest value for either is below "5000", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-65029r996042_fix)
Configure SLEM 5 shadow password suite is configured to encrypt passwords using sufficient number of hashing rounds.

Add or modify the following line in the "/etc/login.defs" file:

SHA_CRYPT_MIN_ROUNDS 5000