Ubuntu 24.04 LTS must enforce 24 hours/1 day as the minimum password lifetime. Passwords for new users must have a 24 hours/1 day minimum password lifetime restriction.

STIG ID: UBTU-24-400300  |  SRG: SRG-OS-000075-GPOS-00043 |  Severity: medium |  CCI: CCI-004065,CCI-004066 |  Vulnerability Id: V-270730

Vulnerability Discussion

Enforcing a minimum password lifetime helps to prevent repeated password changes to defeat the password reuse or history enforcement requirement. If users are allowed to immediately and continually change their password, then the password could be repeatedly changed in a short period of time to defeat the organization's policy regarding password reuse.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000075-GPOS-00043, SRG-OS-000730-GPOS-00190

Check

Verify Ubuntu 24.04 LTS enforces a 24 hours/1 day minimum password lifetime for new user accounts with the following command:

$ grep -i ^PASS_MIN_DAYS /etc/login.defs
PASS_MIN_DAYS 1

If the "PASS_MIN_DAYS" parameter value is less than "1" or is commented out, this is a finding.

Fix

Configure Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to enforce a 24 hours/1 day minimum password lifetime.

Add or modify the following line in the "/etc/login.defs" file:

PASS_MIN_DAYS 1
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