# CIS 5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more (Scored) # # Description # =========== # The PASS_WARN_AGE parameter in /etc/login.defs allows an administrator to # notify users that their password will expire in a defined number of days. # It is recommended that the PASS_WARN_AGE parameter be set to 7 or more days. # # Rationale # ========= # Providing an advance warning that a password will be expiring gives users # time to think of a secure password. Users caught unaware may choose a simple # password or write it down where it may be discovered. # # Audit # ===== # Run the following command and verify PASS_WARN_AGE is 7 or more: # # # grep PASS_WARN_AGE /etc/login.defs # PASS_WARN_AGE 7 # # Verify all users with a password have their number of days of warning before # password expires set to 7 or more: # # # egrep ^[^:]+:[^\!*] /etc/shadow | cut -d: -f1 # # # chage --list # Number of days of warning before password expires: 7 # # Remediation # =========== # # Set the PASS_WARN_AGE parameter to 7 in /etc/login.defs : # # PASS_WARN_AGE 7 # # Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match: # # # chage --warndays 7 # # Notes # ===== # You can also check this setting in /etc/shadow directly. The 6th field # should be 7 or more for all users with a password. # parameters: linux: system: login_defs: PASS_WARN_AGE: value: 7