Rule version OL09-00-000231 · STIG v1 · 2026-08-21
If the rootpw, targetpw, or runaspw flags are defined and not disabled, by default the operating system will prompt the invoking user for the "root" user password.
Verify that OL 9 is configured to enforce the sudoers security policy to use the invoking user's password for privilege escalation with the following command:
$ sudo egrep -i '(!rootpw|!targetpw|!runaspw)' /etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.d/* | grep -v '#' /etc/sudoers:Defaults !targetpw /etc/sudoers:Defaults !rootpw /etc/sudoers:Defaults !runaspw
If no results are returned, this is a finding.
If results are returned from more than one file location, this is a finding.
If "Defaults !targetpw" is not defined, this is a finding.
If "Defaults !rootpw" is not defined, this is a finding.
If "Defaults !runaspw" is not defined, this is a finding.
Configure OL 9 to use the invoking user's password for privilege escalation when using sudo.
Define the following in the Defaults section of the /etc/sudoers file or a single configuration file in the /etc/sudoers.d/ directory:
Defaults !targetpw Defaults !rootpw Defaults !runaspw