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← Back to Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-238235

CAT III (Low)

The Ubuntu operating system must automatically lock an account until the locked account is released by an administrator when three unsuccessful logon attempts have been made.

Rule ID

SV-238235r1069092_rule

STIG

Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V2R4

CCIs

CCI-000044CCI-002238

Discussion

By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000329-GPOS-00128, SRG-OS-000021-GPOS-00005

Check Content

Verify the Ubuntu operating system utilizes the "pam_faillock" module with the following command:
$ grep faillock /etc/pam.d/common-auth 

auth     [default=die]  pam_faillock.so authfail
auth     sufficient     pam_faillock.so authsucc

If the pam_faillock.so module is not present in the "/etc/pam.d/common-auth" file, this is a finding.

Verify the pam_faillock module is configured to use the following options:
$ sudo egrep 'silent|audit|deny|fail_interval|unlock_time' /etc/security/faillock.conf

audit
silent
deny = 3
fail_interval = 900
unlock_time = 0

If the "silent" keyword is missing or commented out, this is a finding.
If the "audit" keyword is missing or commented out, this is a finding.
If the "deny" keyword is missing, commented out, or set to a value greater than "3", this is a finding.
If the "fail_interval" keyword is missing, commented out, or set to a value greater than "900", this is a finding.
If the "unlock_time" keyword is missing, commented out, or not set to "0", this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure the Ubuntu operating system to utilize the "pam_faillock" module. 

Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-auth file. 

Add the following lines below the "auth" definition for pam_unix.so:
auth     [default=die]  pam_faillock.so authfail
auth     sufficient     pam_faillock.so authsucc

Configure the "pam_faillock" module to use the following options:

Edit the /etc/security/faillock.conf file and add/update the following keywords and values:
audit
silent
deny = 3
fail_interval = 900
unlock_time = 0