OL 8 user account passwords must have a 180-day maximum password lifetime restriction.

Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords need to be changed periodically. If OL 8 does not limit the lifetime of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that OL 8 passwords could be compromised.

Verify OL 8 enforces a 180-day maximum password lifetime for new user accounts by running the following command:

$ grep PASS_MAX_DAYS /etc/login.defs

PASS_MAX_DAYS 180

If the "PASS_MAX_DAYS" parameter value is greater than "180", is not set, or is commented out, this is a finding.

Configure OL 8 to enforce a 180-day maximum password lifetime.

Modify the "/etc/login.defs" file to set the "PASS_MAX_DAYS" parameter to 180 or greater:

PASS_MAX_DAYS 180