RHEL 10 must ensure the password complexity module is enabled in the "system-auth" file.

Enabling Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) password complexity permits enforcement of strong passwords and consequently makes the system less prone to dictionary attacks.

Verify RHEL 10 uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules in the "system-auth" file with the following command:

$ sudo grep pam_pwquality /etc/pam.d/system-auth password required pam_pwquality.so

If the command does not return a line containing the value "pam_pwquality.so", or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

If the system administrator can demonstrate that the required configuration is contained in a PAM configuration file included or substacked from the "system-auth" file, this is not a finding.

Configure RHEL 10 to use "pwquality" to enforce password complexity rules.

Add the following line to the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" file (or modify the line to have the required value):

password required pam_pwquality.so