The vPostgres database must use "md5" for authentication.

The DoW standard for authentication is DoW-approved public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates.

Authentication based on user ID and password may be used only when it is not possible to employ a PKI certificate, and requires authorizing official approval.

In such cases, database passwords stored in clear text, using reversible encryption or unsalted hashes, would be vulnerable to unauthorized disclosure. Database passwords must always be in the form of one-way, salted hashes when stored internally or externally to the database management system (DBMS).

At the command prompt, run the following command:

# /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -A -t -c "SHOW password_encryption;"

Expected result:

md5

If the output does not match the expected result, this is a finding.

At the command prompt, run the following commands:

# /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -c "ALTER SYSTEM SET password_encryption TO 'md5';"

# /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -c "SELECT pg_reload_conf();"