STIGQter: STIG Summary: Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 2 Benchmark Date: 04 May 2021:

Windows Server 2016 must have the built-in Windows password complexity policy enabled.

DISA Rule

SV-224873r569186_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-224873

Group Title

SRG-OS-000069-GPOS-00037

Rule Version

WN16-AC-000080

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-000192 - The information system enforces password complexity by the minimum number of upper case characters used.
• CCI-000193 - The information system enforces password complexity by the minimum number of lower case characters used.
• CCI-000194 - The information system enforces password complexity by the minimum number of numeric characters used.
• CCI-001619 - The information system enforces password complexity by the minimum number of special characters used.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy >> "Password must meet complexity requirements" to "Enabled".

Check Contents

Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor.

Run "gpedit.msc".

Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy.

If the value for "Password must meet complexity requirements" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding.

For server core installations, run the following command:

Secedit /Export /Areas SecurityPolicy /CFG C:\Path\FileName.Txt

If "PasswordComplexity" equals "0" in the file, this is a finding.

Note: If an external password filter is in use that enforces all four character types and requires this setting to be set to "Disabled", this would not be considered a finding. If this setting does not affect the use of an external password filter, it must be enabled for fallback purposes.

Vulnerability Number

V-224873

Documentable

False

Rule Version

WN16-AC-000080

Severity Override Guidance

Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor.

Run "gpedit.msc".

Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Account Policies >> Password Policy.

If the value for "Password must meet complexity requirements" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding.

For server core installations, run the following command:

Secedit /Export /Areas SecurityPolicy /CFG C:\Path\FileName.Txt

If "PasswordComplexity" equals "0" in the file, this is a finding.

Note: If an external password filter is in use that enforces all four character types and requires this setting to be set to "Disabled", this would not be considered a finding. If this setting does not affect the use of an external password filter, it must be enabled for fallback purposes.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

4205

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