1.75 SOL-11.1-040030

Information

The operating system must enforce minimum password lifetime restrictions.

GROUP ID: V-216323
RULE ID: SV-216323r1016269

Passwords need to be changed at specific policy-based intervals; however, if the information system or application allows the user to immediately and continually change their password, then the password could be repeatedly changed in a short period of time, defeating the organization's policy regarding password reuse.

Solaris 11.4 introduced new password security features that allow for a more granular approach to password duration parameters. The introduction of MAXDAYS, MINDAYS, and WARNDAYS allow the /etc/default/passwd configuration file to enforce a minimum password lifetime of a single day.

Solution

The root role is required.

For Solaris 11, 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3:

# pfedit /etc/default/passwd file.

Locate the line containing:

MINWEEKS

Change the line to read:

MINWEEKS=1

Set the per-user minimum password change times by using the following command on each user account.

# passwd -n [number of days] [accountname]

For Solaris 11.4 or newer:

# pfedit /etc/default/passwd file.

Note: It is an error to set both the WEEKS and the DAYS variant for a given MIN/MAX/WARN variable.

Search for MINDAYS. Change the line to read:

MINDAYS=1

Search for MINWEEKS. Change the line to read:

#MINWEEKS=

Set the per-user minimum password change times by using the following command on each user account.

# passwd -n [number of days] [accountname]

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/23765