The system must require passwords to contain at least one special character.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-216095 | SRG-OS-000266 | SOL-11.1-040100 | SV-216095r1016290_rule | 2026-02-19 | 3 |
Description
Complex passwords can reduce the likelihood of success of automated password-guessing attacks.
ℹ️ Check
Check the MINSPECIAL setting.
# grep ^MINSPECIAL /etc/default/passwd
If the MINSPECIAL setting is less than one, this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
The root role is required.
# pfedit /etc/default/passwd a
Locate the line containing:
MINSPECIAL
Change the line to read:
MINSPECIAL=1