STIGUI
V-278038CAT II — Medium severitySV-278038r1180820_rule

Windows Server 2025 minimum password age must be configured to at least one day.

Rule version WN25-AC-000060 · STIG v1 · 2026-09-01

Discussion

Permitting passwords to be changed in immediate succession within the same day allows users to cycle passwords through their history database. This enables users to effectively negate the purpose of mandating periodic password changes.

Check

Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor.

Run gpedit.msc.

Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy.

If the value for the "Minimum password age" is set to "0" days ("Password can be changed immediately"), this is a finding.

For server core installations, run the following command:

Secedit /Export /Areas SecurityPolicy /CFG C:\Path\FileName.Txt

If "MinimumPasswordAge" equals "0" in the file, this is a finding.

Fix

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy. Set "Minimum password age" to at least "1" day.

Identifiers

Group ID
V-278038
Group title
SRG-OS-000075-GPOS-00043
Rule ID
SV-278038r1180820_rule
Check ID
C-82568r1180818_chk
Fix ID
F-82473r1180819_fix