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>

Additional Information:

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/3399

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT, SYSTEM AND SERVICES ACQUISITION

References: 800-53|CM-2, 800-53|CM-6, 800-53|CM-7, 800-53|CM-7(1), 800-53|CM-9, 800-53|SA-3, 800-53|SA-8, 800-53|SA-10, CSCv6|16, CSCv7|4.4, CSCv7|16

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 184c86904b2fd0a5de2a7f1a892cfeb09c08b265f8ffdedad69f9e8627e54cc1