Requires that prerequisites are deployed to the policy assignment scope. For details, visit https://aka.ms/gcpol. Machines are non-compliant if Linux machines that do not have the passwd file permissions set to 0644
IF (3) Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines Microsoft.ConnectedVMwarevSphere/virtualMachines Microsoft.HybridCompute/machines
Compliance
The following 22 compliance controls are associated with this Policy definition 'Audit Linux machines that do not have the passwd file permissions set to 0644' (e6955644-301c-44b5-a4c4-528577de6861)
(A) The organization manages information system authenticators by verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator.
(B) The organization manages information system authenticators by establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the organization.
(C) The organization manages information system authenticators by ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use.
(D) The organization manages information system authenticators by establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators.
(E) The organization manages information system authenticators by changing the default content of authenticators prior to information system installation.
(F) The organization manages information system authenticators by establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators.
(G) The organization manages information system authenticators by changing/refreshing authenticators in accordance with CCCS’s ITSP.30.031.
(H) The organization manages information system authenticators by protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification.
(I) The organization manages information system authenticators by requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators.
(J) The organization manages information system authenticators by changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes.
Authenticate (or verify) the identities of those users, processes, or devices, as a prerequisite to allowing access to organizational information systems.
Shared
Microsoft and the customer share responsibilities for implementing this requirement.
Individual authenticators include the following: passwords, key cards, cryptographic devices, and one-time password devices. Initial authenticator content is the actual content of the authenticator, for example, the initial password. In contrast, the requirements about authenticator content include the minimum password length. Developers ship system components with factory default authentication credentials to allow for initial installation and configuration. Default authentication credentials are often well known, easily discoverable, and present a significant security risk.
Systems support authenticator management by organization-defined settings and restrictions for various authenticator characteristics including minimum password length, validation time window for time synchronous one-time tokens, and number of allowed rejections during the verification stage of biometric authentication. Authenticator management includes issuing and revoking, when no longer needed, authenticators for temporary access such as that required for remote maintenance. Device authenticators include certificates and passwords.
The organization manages information system authenticators by:
a. Verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator;
b. Establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the organization;
c. Ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use;
d. Establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators;
e. Changing default content of authenticators prior to information system installation;
f. Establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators;
g. Changing/refreshing authenticators [Assignment: organization-defined time period by authenticator type];
h. Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification;
i. Requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators; and
j. Changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes.
Supplemental Guidance: Individual authenticators include, for example, passwords, tokens, biometrics, PKI certificates, and key cards. Initial authenticator content is the actual content (e.g., the initial password) as opposed to requirements about authenticator content (e.g., minimum password length). In many cases, developers ship information system components with factory default authentication credentials to allow for initial installation and configuration. Default authentication credentials are often well known, easily discoverable, and present a significant security risk. The requirement to protect individual authenticators may be implemented via control PL-4 or PS-6 for authenticators in the possession of individuals and by controls AC-3, AC-6, and SC-28 for authenticators stored within organizational information systems (e.g., passwords stored in hashed or encrypted formats, files containing encrypted or hashed passwords accessible with administrator privileges). Information systems support individual authenticator management by organization-defined settings and restrictions for various authenticator characteristics including, for example, minimum password length, password composition, validation time window for time synchronous one-time tokens, and number of allowed rejections during the verification stage of biometric authentication. Specific actions that can be taken to safeguard authenticators include, for example, maintaining possession of individual authenticators, not loaning or sharing individual authenticators with others, and reporting lost, stolen, or compromised authenticators immediately. Authenticator management includes issuing and revoking, when no longer needed, authenticators for temporary access such as that required for remote maintenance. Device authenticators include, for example, certificates and passwords. Related controls: AC-2, AC-3, AC-6, CM-6, IA-2, IA-4, IA-8, PL-4, PS-5, PS-6, SC-12, SC-13, SC-17, SC-28.
References: OMB Memoranda 04-04, 11-11; FIPS Publication 201; NIST Special Publications 800-73, 800-63, 800-76, 800-78; FICAM Roadmap and Implementation Guidance
The information system, for password-based authentication:
(a) Enforces minimum password complexity of [Assignment: organization-defined requirements for case sensitivity, number of characters, mix of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters, including minimum requirements for each type];
(b) Enforces at least the following number of changed characters when new passwords are created: [Assignment: organization-defined number];
(c) Stores and transmits only encrypted representations of passwords;
(d) Enforces password minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions of [Assignment: organization- defined numbers for lifetime minimum, lifetime maximum];
(e) Prohibits password reuse for [Assignment: organization-defined number] generations; and
(f) Allows the use of a temporary password for system logons with an immediate change to a permanent password.
Supplemental Guidance: This control enhancement applies to single-factor authentication of individuals using passwords as individual or group authenticators, and in a similar manner, when passwords are part of multifactor authenticators. This control enhancement does not apply when passwords are used to unlock hardware authenticators (e.g., Personal Identity Verification cards). The implementation of such password mechanisms may not meet all of the requirements in the enhancement. Encrypted representations of passwords include, for example, encrypted versions of passwords and one-way cryptographic hashes of passwords. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. Password lifetime restrictions do not apply to temporary passwords. Related control: IA-6.
The organization manages information system authenticators by:
a. Verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator;
b. Establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the organization;
c. Ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use;
d. Establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators;
e. Changing default content of authenticators prior to information system installation;
f. Establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators;
g. Changing/refreshing authenticators [Assignment: organization-defined time period by authenticator type];
h. Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification;
i. Requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators; and
j. Changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes.
Supplemental Guidance: Individual authenticators include, for example, passwords, tokens, biometrics, PKI certificates, and key cards. Initial authenticator content is the actual content (e.g., the initial password) as opposed to requirements about authenticator content (e.g., minimum password length). In many cases, developers ship information system components with factory default authentication credentials to allow for initial installation and configuration. Default authentication credentials are often well known, easily discoverable, and present a significant security risk. The requirement to protect individual authenticators may be implemented via control PL-4 or PS-6 for authenticators in the possession of individuals and by controls AC-3, AC-6, and SC-28 for authenticators stored within organizational information systems (e.g., passwords stored in hashed or encrypted formats, files containing encrypted or hashed passwords accessible with administrator privileges). Information systems support individual authenticator management by organization-defined settings and restrictions for various authenticator characteristics including, for example, minimum password length, password composition, validation time window for time synchronous one-time tokens, and number of allowed rejections during the verification stage of biometric authentication. Specific actions that can be taken to safeguard authenticators include, for example, maintaining possession of individual authenticators, not loaning or sharing individual authenticators with others, and reporting lost, stolen, or compromised authenticators immediately. Authenticator management includes issuing and revoking, when no longer needed, authenticators for temporary access such as that required for remote maintenance. Device authenticators include, for example, certificates and passwords. Related controls: AC-2, AC-3, AC-6, CM-6, IA-2, IA-4, IA-8, PL-4, PS-5, PS-6, SC-12, SC-13, SC-17, SC-28.
References: OMB Memoranda 04-04, 11-11; FIPS Publication 201; NIST Special Publications 800-73, 800-63, 800-76, 800-78; FICAM Roadmap and Implementation Guidance
The information system, for password-based authentication:
(a) Enforces minimum password complexity of [Assignment: organization-defined requirements for case sensitivity, number of characters, mix of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters, including minimum requirements for each type];
(b) Enforces at least the following number of changed characters when new passwords are created: [Assignment: organization-defined number];
(c) Stores and transmits only encrypted representations of passwords;
(d) Enforces password minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions of [Assignment: organization- defined numbers for lifetime minimum, lifetime maximum];
(e) Prohibits password reuse for [Assignment: organization-defined number] generations; and
(f) Allows the use of a temporary password for system logons with an immediate change to a permanent password.
Supplemental Guidance: This control enhancement applies to single-factor authentication of individuals using passwords as individual or group authenticators, and in a similar manner, when passwords are part of multifactor authenticators. This control enhancement does not apply when passwords are used to unlock hardware authenticators (e.g., Personal Identity Verification cards). The implementation of such password mechanisms may not meet all of the requirements in the enhancement. Encrypted representations of passwords include, for example, encrypted versions of passwords and one-way cryptographic hashes of passwords. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. Password lifetime restrictions do not apply to temporary passwords. Related control: IA-6.
The agency must manage information system authenticators by:
a. Verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator
b. Establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the agency
c. Ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use
d. Establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators
e. Changing default content of authenticators prior to information system installation
f. Establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators
g. Changing/refreshing authenticators
h. Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification
i. Requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators
j. Changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes
The information system must, for password-based authentication:
a. Enforce minimum password complexity of:
1. Eight characters
2. At least one numeric and at least one special character
3. A mixture of at least one uppercase and at least one lowercase letter
4. Storing and transmitting only encrypted representations of passwords
b. Enforce password minimum lifetime restriction of one day
c. Enforce non-privileged account passwords to be changed at least every 90 days
d. Enforce privileged account passwords to be changed at least every 60 days
e. Prohibit password reuse for 24 generations
f. Allow the use of a temporary password for system logon requiring an immediate change to a permanent password
g. Password-protect system initialization (boot) settings
Authenticate (or verify) the identities of users, processes, or devices, as a prerequisite to allowing access to organizational systems.
Shared
Microsoft and the customer share responsibilities for implementing this requirement.
Individual authenticators include the following: passwords, key cards, cryptographic devices, and one-time password devices. Initial authenticator content is the actual content of the authenticator, for example, the initial password. In contrast, the requirements about authenticator content include the minimum password length. Developers ship system components with factory default authentication credentials to allow for initial installation and configuration. Default authentication credentials are often well known, easily discoverable, and present a significant security risk. Systems support authenticator management by organization-defined settings and restrictions for various authenticator characteristics including minimum password length, validation time window for time synchronous one-time tokens, and number of allowed rejections during the verification stage of biometric authentication. Authenticator management includes issuing and revoking, when no longer needed, authenticators for temporary access such as that required for remote maintenance. Device authenticators include certificates and passwords. [SP 800-63-3] provides guidance on digital identities.
The organization manages information system authenticators by:
a. Verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, or device receiving the authenticator;
b. Establishing initial authenticator content for authenticators defined by the organization;
c. Ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use;
d. Establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost/compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators;
e. Changing default content of authenticators prior to information system installation;
f. Establishing minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions and reuse conditions for authenticators;
g. Changing/refreshing authenticators [Assignment: organization-defined time period by authenticator type];
h. Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification;
i. Requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific security safeguards to protect authenticators; and
j. Changing authenticators for group/role accounts when membership to those accounts changes.
Supplemental Guidance: Individual authenticators include, for example, passwords, tokens, biometrics, PKI certificates, and key cards. Initial authenticator content is the actual content (e.g., the initial password) as opposed to requirements about authenticator content (e.g., minimum password length). In many cases, developers ship information system components with factory default authentication credentials to allow for initial installation and configuration. Default authentication credentials are often well known, easily discoverable, and present a significant security risk. The requirement to protect individual authenticators may be implemented via control PL-4 or PS-6 for authenticators in the possession of individuals and by controls AC-3, AC-6, and SC-28 for authenticators stored within organizational information systems (e.g., passwords stored in hashed or encrypted formats, files containing encrypted or hashed passwords accessible with administrator privileges). Information systems support individual authenticator management by organization-defined settings and restrictions for various authenticator characteristics including, for example, minimum password length, password composition, validation time window for time synchronous one-time tokens, and number of allowed rejections during the verification stage of biometric authentication. Specific actions that can be taken to safeguard authenticators include, for example, maintaining possession of individual authenticators, not loaning or sharing individual authenticators with others, and reporting lost, stolen, or compromised authenticators immediately. Authenticator management includes issuing and revoking, when no longer needed, authenticators for temporary access such as that required for remote maintenance. Device authenticators include, for example, certificates and passwords. Related controls: AC-2, AC-3, AC-6, CM-6, IA-2, IA-4, IA-8, PL-4, PS-5, PS-6, SC-12, SC-13, SC-17, SC-28.
References: OMB Memoranda 04-04, 11-11; FIPS Publication 201; NIST Special Publications 800-73, 800-63, 800-76, 800-78; FICAM Roadmap and Implementation Guidance
The information system, for password-based authentication:
(a) Enforces minimum password complexity of [Assignment: organization-defined requirements for case sensitivity, number of characters, mix of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters, including minimum requirements for each type];
(b) Enforces at least the following number of changed characters when new passwords are created: [Assignment: organization-defined number];
(c) Stores and transmits only encrypted representations of passwords;
(d) Enforces password minimum and maximum lifetime restrictions of [Assignment: organization- defined numbers for lifetime minimum, lifetime maximum];
(e) Prohibits password reuse for [Assignment: organization-defined number] generations; and
(f) Allows the use of a temporary password for system logons with an immediate change to a permanent password.
Supplemental Guidance: This control enhancement applies to single-factor authentication of individuals using passwords as individual or group authenticators, and in a similar manner, when passwords are part of multifactor authenticators. This control enhancement does not apply when passwords are used to unlock hardware authenticators (e.g., Personal Identity Verification cards). The implementation of such password mechanisms may not meet all of the requirements in the enhancement. Encrypted representations of passwords include, for example, encrypted versions of passwords and one-way cryptographic hashes of passwords. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. Password lifetime restrictions do not apply to temporary passwords. Related control: IA-6.
Manage system authenticators by:
a. Verifying, as part of the initial authenticator distribution, the identity of the individual, group, role, service, or device receiving the authenticator;
b. Establishing initial authenticator content for any authenticators issued by the organization;
c. Ensuring that authenticators have sufficient strength of mechanism for their intended use;
d. Establishing and implementing administrative procedures for initial authenticator distribution, for lost or compromised or damaged authenticators, and for revoking authenticators;
e. Changing default authenticators prior to first use;
f. Changing or refreshing authenticators [Assignment: organization-defined time period by authenticator type] or when [Assignment: organization-defined events] occur;
g. Protecting authenticator content from unauthorized disclosure and modification;
h. Requiring individuals to take, and having devices implement, specific controls to protect authenticators; and
i. Changing authenticators for group or role accounts when membership to those accounts changes.
For password-based authentication:
(a) Maintain a list of commonly-used, expected, or compromised passwords and update the list [Assignment: organization-defined frequency] and when organizational passwords are suspected to have been compromised directly or indirectly;
(b) Verify, when users create or update passwords, that the passwords are not found on the list of commonly-used, expected, or compromised passwords in IA-5(1)(a);
(c) Transmit passwords only over cryptographically-protected channels;
(d) Store passwords using an approved salted key derivation function, preferably using a keyed hash;
(e) Require immediate selection of a new password upon account recovery;
(f) Allow user selection of long passwords and passphrases, including spaces and all printable characters;
(g) Employ automated tools to assist the user in selecting strong password authenticators; and
(h) Enforce the following composition and complexity rules: [Assignment: organization-defined composition and complexity rules].