5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more - users

Information

The PASS_WARN_AGE parameter in /etc/login.defs allows an administrator to notify users that their password will expire in a defined number of days. It is recommended that the PASS_WARN_AGE parameter be set to 7 or more days.
Rationale:
Providing an advance warning that a password will be expiring gives users time to think of a secure password. Users caught unaware may choose a simple password or write it down where it may be discovered.

Solution

Set the PASS_WARN_AGE parameter to 7 in /etc/login.defs:
PASS_WARN_AGE 7
Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match:
# chage --warndays 7 <user>
Notes:
You can also check this setting in /etc/shadow directly. The 6th field should be 7 or more for all users with a password.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/2429

Item Details

Category: ACCESS CONTROL

References: 800-53|AC-9(3), CSCv6|16, CSCv7|4.4, CSCv7|16

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: efc7bb9aa15e3c85608387f9ce6316afa1febc13e733972cd363527c61eba24b