The system must require at least eight characters be changed between the old and new passwords during a password change.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-216326 | SRG-OS-000072 | SOL-11.1-040060 | SV-216326r1016271_rule | 2026-02-19 | 3 |
Description
To ensure password changes are effective in their goals, the system must ensure old and new passwords have significant differences. Without significant changes, new passwords may be easily guessed based on the value of a previously compromised password.
ℹ️ Check
Check /etc/default/passwd to verify the MINDIFF setting.
# grep ^MINDIFF /etc/default/passwd
If the setting is not present, or is less than 8, this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
The root role is required.
# pfedit /etc/default/passwd
Search for MINDIFF. Change the line to read:
MINDIFF=8