AlmaLinux OS 9 must require the change of at least four character classes when passwords are changed.

Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.

Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Verify the value of the "minclass" option in "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" with the following command:

$  grep -ir minclass /etc/security/pwquality.conf*

/etc/security/pwquality.conf:# minclass = 0 /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/stig.conf:minclass = 4

If the value of "minclass" is set to less than "4", or is commented out, this is a finding.

Configure AlmaLinux OS 9 to require the change of at least four character classes when passwords are changed by setting the "minclass" option.

Add the following line to "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" (or modify the line to have the required value):

minclass = 4