VCSA-70-000079 - The vCenter Server must enforce a 60-day maximum password lifetime restriction.

Information

Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords must be changed at specific intervals.

One method of minimizing this risk is to use complex passwords and periodically change them. If the application does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the system and/or application passwords could be compromised.

This requirement does not include emergency administration accounts, which are meant for access to the application in case of failure. These accounts are not required to have maximum password lifetime restrictions.

NOTE: Nessus has not performed this check. Please review the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

From the vSphere Client, go to Administration >> Single Sign On >> Configuration >> Local Accounts >> Password Policy.

Click 'Edit', enter '60' into the 'Maximum lifetime' setting, and click 'OK'.

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_VMW_vSphere_7-0_Y24M01_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION

References: 800-53|IA-5(1)(d), CAT|II, CCI|CCI-000199, Rule-ID|SV-256332r885607_rule, STIG-ID|VCSA-70-000079, Vuln-ID|V-256332

Plugin: VMware

Control ID: 317ec2d01306be132fdccb9ba4d5d175728f0e8a142a8d6402aa66fa064e5146