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← Back to VMware vSphere 7.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-256387

CAT III (Low)

The ESXi host Secure Shell (SSH) daemon must not allow authentication using an empty password.

Rule ID

SV-256387r959010_rule

STIG

VMware vSphere 7.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V1R4

CCIs

CCI-000366

Discussion

Configuring this setting for the SSH daemon provides additional assurance that remote logon via SSH will require a password, even in the event of misconfiguration elsewhere.

Check Content

From an ESXi shell, run the following command:

# /usr/lib/vmware/openssh/bin/sshd -T|grep permitemptypasswords

Expected result:

permitemptypasswords no

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

Fix Text

From an ESXi shell, add or correct the following line in "/etc/ssh/sshd_config":

PermitEmptyPasswords no