The operating system must enforce minimum password lifetime restrictions.

Passwords need to be changed at specific policy-based intervals; however, if the information system or application allows the user to immediately and continually change their password, then the password could be repeatedly changed in a short period of time, defeating the organization's policy regarding password reuse.

Solaris 11.4 introduced new password security features that allow for a more granular approach to password duration parameters. The introduction of MAXDAYS, MINDAYS, and WARNDAYS allow the /etc/default/passwd configuration file to enforce a minimum password lifetime of a single day.

The root role is required.

Check whether the minimum time period between password changes for each user account is one day or greater.

Determine the OS version to be secured. # uname -v

For Solaris 11, 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3:

# logins -ox |awk -F: '( $1 != "root" && $8 != "LK" && $8 != "NL" && $10 < "1" ) { print }'

If output is returned and the listed account is accessed via direct logon, this is a finding.

Check that /etc/default/password is configured to minimum password change time of one week.

# grep "^MINWEEKS=" /etc/default/passwd 

If the command does not report MINWEEKS=1 or more, this is a finding.

For Solaris 11.4 or newer:

# logins -ox |awk -F: '( $1 != "root" && $8 != "LK" && $8 != "NL" && $10 < "1" ) { print }'

If output is returned and the listed account is accessed via direct logon, this is a finding.

Check that /etc/default/password is configured to minimum password change time of one day. Note: It is an error to set both the WEEKS and the DAYS variant for a given MIN/MAX/WARN variable.

# grep "^MINDAYS=" /etc/default/passwd 

If the command does not report MINDAYS=1 or more, this is a finding.

# grep "^MINWEEKS=" /etc/default/passwd 

If output is returned, this is a finding.

The root role is required.

For Solaris 11, 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3:

# pfedit /etc/default/passwd file.

Locate the line containing:

MINWEEKS

Change the line to read:

MINWEEKS=1

Set the per-user minimum password change times by using the following command on each user account.

# passwd -n [number of days] [accountname]

For Solaris 11.4 or newer:

# pfedit /etc/default/passwd file. Note: It is an error to set both the WEEKS and the DAYS variant for a given MIN/MAX/WARN variable.

Search for MINDAYS. Change the line to read:

MINDAYS=1

Search for MINWEEKS. Change the line to read:

#MINWEEKS=

Set the per-user minimum password change times by using the following command on each user account.

# passwd -n [number of days] [accountname]