cyberstrikeus 6.2.1 Ensure password fields are not empty (Scored)
Profile Applicability
- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation
Description
An account with an empty password field means that anybody may log in as that user without providing a password.
Rationale
All accounts must have passwords or be locked to prevent the account from being used by an unauthorized user.
Audit Procedure
Run the following command and verify that no output is returned:
cat /etc/shadow | awk -F: '($2 == "" ) { print $1 " does not have a password "}'
Expected Result
No output should be returned.
Remediation
If any accounts in the /etc/shadow file do not have a password, run the following command to lock the account until it can be determined why it does not have a password:
passwd -l <username>
Also, check to see if the account is logged in and investigate what it is being used for to determine if it needs to be forced off.
Default Value
Not applicable.
References
None
CIS Controls
16 Account Monitoring and Control - Account Monitoring and Control
Profile
- Level 1