cyberstrikeus 5.4.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less (Scored)
Profile Applicability
- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation
Description
User accounts that have been inactive for over a given period of time can be automatically disabled. It is recommended that accounts that are inactive for 30 days after password expiration be disabled.
Rationale
Inactive accounts pose a threat to system security since the users are not logging in to notice failed login attempts or other anomalies.
Audit Procedure
Run the following command and verify INACTIVE is 30 or less:
useradd -D | grep INACTIVE
Verify all users with a password have Password inactive no more than 30 days after password expires:
egrep ^[^:]+:[^\!*] /etc/shadow | cut -d: -f1
chage --list <user>
Expected Result
INACTIVE=30
Password inactive : <date>
Remediation
Run the following command to set the default password inactivity period to 30 days:
useradd -D -f 30
Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match:
chage --inactive 30 <user>
Default Value
INACTIVE=-1 (disabled)
References
- CIS Controls: 16 - Account Monitoring and Control
Profile
- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation