Requires that prerequisites are deployed to the policy assignment scope. For details, visit https://aka.ms/gcpol. Machines are non-compliant if Linux machines that have accounts without passwords
IF (3) Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines Microsoft.ConnectedVMwarevSphere/virtualMachines Microsoft.HybridCompute/machines
Compliance
The following 21 compliance controls are associated with this Policy definition 'Audit Linux machines that have accounts without passwords' (f6ec09a3-78bf-4f8f-99dc-6c77182d0f99)
(A) The organization manages information system authenticators by verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator.
(B) The organization manages information system authenticators by establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the organization.
(C) The organization manages information system authenticators by ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use.
(D) The organization manages information system authenticators by establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators.
(E) The organization manages information system authenticators by changing the default content of authenticators prior to information system installation.
(F) The organization manages information system authenticators by establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators.
(G) The organization manages information system authenticators by changing/refreshing authenticators in accordance with CCCS’s ITSP.30.031.
(H) The organization manages information system authenticators by protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification.
(I) The organization manages information system authenticators by requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators.
(J) The organization manages information system authenticators by changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes.
Authenticate (or verify) the identities of those users, processes, or devices, as a prerequisite to allowing access to organizational information systems.
Shared
Microsoft and the customer share responsibilities for implementing this requirement.
Individual authenticators include the following: passwords, key cards, cryptographic devices, and one-time password devices. Initial authenticator content is the actual content of the authenticator, for example, the initial password. In contrast, the requirements about authenticator content include the minimum password length. Developers ship system components with factory default authentication credentials to allow for initial installation and configuration. Default authentication credentials are often well known, easily discoverable, and present a significant security risk.
Systems support authenticator management by organization-defined settings and restrictions for various authenticator characteristics including minimum password length, validation time window for time synchronous one-time tokens, and number of allowed rejections during the verification stage of biometric authentication. Authenticator management includes issuing and revoking, when no longer needed, authenticators for temporary access such as that required for remote maintenance. Device authenticators include certificates and passwords.
Enforce a minimum password complexity and change of characters when new passwords are created.
Shared
Microsoft and the customer share responsibilities for implementing this requirement.
This requirement applies to single-factor authentication of individuals using passwords as individual or group authenticators, and in a similar manner, when passwords are used as part of multifactor authenticators. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. To mitigate certain brute force attacks against passwords, organizations may also consider salting passwords.
The information system enforces approved authorizations for logical access to information and system resources in accordance with applicable access control policies.
Supplemental Guidance: Access control policies (e.g., identity-based policies, role-based policies, attribute-based policies) and access enforcement mechanisms (e.g., access control lists, access control matrices, cryptography) control access between active entities or subjects (i.e., users or processes acting on behalf of users) and passive entities or objects (e.g., devices, files, records, domains) in information systems. In addition to enforcing authorized access at the information system level and recognizing that information systems can host many applications and services in support of organizational missions and business operations, access enforcement mechanisms can also be employed at the application and service level to provide increased information security. Related controls: AC-2, AC-4, AC-5, AC-6, AC-16, AC-17, AC-18, AC-19, AC-20, AC-21, AC-22, AU-9, CM-5, CM-6, CM-11, MA-3, MA-4, MA-5, PE-3.
References: None.
The information system enforces approved authorizations for logical access to information and system resources in accordance with applicable access control policies.
Supplemental Guidance: Access control policies (e.g., identity-based policies, role-based policies, attribute-based policies) and access enforcement mechanisms (e.g., access control lists, access control matrices, cryptography) control access between active entities or subjects (i.e., users or processes acting on behalf of users) and passive entities or objects (e.g., devices, files, records, domains) in information systems. In addition to enforcing authorized access at the information system level and recognizing that information systems can host many applications and services in support of organizational missions and business operations, access enforcement mechanisms can also be employed at the application and service level to provide increased information security. Related controls: AC-2, AC-4, AC-5, AC-6, AC-16, AC-17, AC-18, AC-19, AC-20, AC-21, AC-22, AU-9, CM-5, CM-6, CM-11, MA-3, MA-4, MA-5, PE-3.
References: None.
The agency must manage information system authenticators by:
a. Verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator
b. Establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the agency
c. Ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use
d. Establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators
e. Changing default content of authenticators prior to information system installation
f. Establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators
g. Changing/refreshing authenticators
h. Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification
i. Requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators
j. Changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes
The information system must, for password-based authentication:
a. Enforce minimum password complexity of:
1. Eight characters
2. At least one numeric and at least one special character
3. A mixture of at least one uppercase and at least one lowercase letter
4. Storing and transmitting only encrypted representations of passwords
b. Enforce password minimum lifetime restriction of one day
c. Enforce non-privileged account passwords to be changed at least every 90 days
d. Enforce privileged account passwords to be changed at least every 60 days
e. Prohibit password reuse for 24 generations
f. Allow the use of a temporary password for system logon requiring an immediate change to a permanent password
g. Password-protect system initialization (boot) settings
Limit system access to authorized users, processes acting on behalf of authorized users, and devices (including other systems).
Shared
Microsoft and the customer share responsibilities for implementing this requirement.
Access control policies (e.g., identity- or role-based policies, control matrices, and cryptography) control access between active entities or subjects (i.e., users or processes acting on behalf of users) and passive entities or objects (e.g., devices, files, records, and domains) in systems. Access enforcement mechanisms can be employed at the application and service level to provide increased information security. Other systems include systems internal and external to the organization. This requirement focuses on account management for systems and applications. The definition of and enforcement of access authorizations, other than those determined by account type (e.g., privileged verses non-privileged) are addressed in requirement 3.1.2.
The information system enforces approved authorizations for logical access to information and system resources in accordance with applicable access control policies.
Supplemental Guidance: Access control policies (e.g., identity-based policies, role-based policies, attribute-based policies) and access enforcement mechanisms (e.g., access control lists, access control matrices, cryptography) control access between active entities or subjects (i.e., users or processes acting on behalf of users) and passive entities or objects (e.g., devices, files, records, domains) in information systems. In addition to enforcing authorized access at the information system level and recognizing that information systems can host many applications and services in support of organizational missions and business operations, access enforcement mechanisms can also be employed at the application and service level to provide increased information security. Related controls: AC-2, AC-4, AC-5, AC-6, AC-16, AC-17, AC-18, AC-19, AC-20, AC-21, AC-22, AU-9, CM-5, CM-6, CM-11, MA-3, MA-4, MA-5, PE-3.
References: None.
Agencies SHOULD implement a password policy enforcing either:
a minimum password length of 16 characters with no complexity requirement; or
-a minimum password length of ten characters, consisting of atleast three of the following character sets:
- lowercase characters (a-z);
- uppercase characters (A-Z);
- digits (0-9); and
- punctuation and special characters.
Passwords are the primary authentication mechanism for almost all information systems and are fundamental part of access and authentication processes and mechanisms. While there are some limitations in the use of passwords, they remain the most cost effective means available with current technology.
Passwords are subject to three principal groups of risks:
Intentional password sharing;
Password theft, loss or compromise; and
Password guessing and cracking.
Associated with these risk groups are four principal methods of attacking passwords:
Interactive attempts including password guessing, brute force attacks or some knowledge of the user or agency.
Obtaining the password through social engineering or phishing.
Compromising the password through oversight, observation, use of keyloggers, cameras etc.
Cracking through network traffic interception, misconfiguration, malware, data capture etc. For example a simple eight-letter password can today be brute-forced in minutes by software freely available on the Internet.
Password controls are designed to manage these risks and attack methods using the controls specified in this section. For example, passwords with at least ten characters utilising upper and lower case, numbers and special characters have a much greater resistance to brute force attacks. When use in combination with controls such as password history and regular password change, passwords can present high resistance to known attack methods.
Ensure passwords are sufficiently resistant against common password attacks by implementing and enforcing an effective password policy.
Shared
n/a
All application and operating system accounts enforce passwords with appropriate parameters such as length, complexity, validity, and the number of failed login attempts. Similarly, personal tokens and mobile devices enforce passwords or a Personal Identification Number (PIN) with appropriate parameters.