TOSS must not allow accounts configured with blank or null passwords.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-252966 | TOSS-04-020270 | SV-252966r991589_rule | High |
| Description |
| If an account has an empty password, anyone could log on and run commands with the privileges of that account. Accounts with empty passwords should never be used in operational environments. |
| STIG | Date |
| Tri-Lab Operating System Stack (TOSS) 4 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-08 |
Details
| Check Text (C-56419r824220_chk) |
| To verify that null passwords cannot be used, run the following command: $ sudo grep -i permitemptypasswords /etc/ssh/sshd_config PermitEmptyPasswords no If "PermitEmptyPasswords" is set to "yes", this is a finding. |
| Fix Text (F-56369r824221_fix) |
| Edit the following line in "etc/ssh/sshd_config" to prevent logons with empty passwords. PermitEmptyPasswords no The SSH daemon must be restarted for the changes to take effect. To restart the SSH daemon, run the following command: $ sudo systemctl restart sshd.service |