5.3.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more

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.

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>

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/12218

Item Details

Category: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION

References: 800-53|IA-5(1), CSCv7|4.4

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 842553b6d7c52ae4b500dcdaf5840691548d4a3543c7c787b310794a33f8fa89