STIGQter: STIG Summary: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 8 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

RHEL 8 must require the maximum number of repeating characters be limited to three when passwords are changed.

DISA Rule

SV-230361r1017173_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-230361

Group Title

SRG-OS-000072-GPOS-00040

Rule Version

RHEL-08-020150

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-004066 - For password-based authentication, enforce organization-defined composition and complexity rules.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure the operating system to require the change of the number of repeating consecutive characters when passwords are changed by setting the "maxrepeat" option.

Add the following line to "/etc/security/pwquality.conf conf" (or modify the line to have the required value):

maxrepeat = 3

Remove any configurations that conflict with the above value.

Check Contents

Check for the value of the "maxrepeat" option with the following command:

$ sudo grep -r maxrepeat /etc/security/pwquality.conf*

/etc/security/pwquality.conf:maxrepeat = 3

If the value of "maxrepeat" is set to more than "3" or is commented out, this is a finding.
If conflicting results are returned, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-230361

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-08-020150

Severity Override Guidance

Check for the value of the "maxrepeat" option with the following command:

$ sudo grep -r maxrepeat /etc/security/pwquality.conf*

/etc/security/pwquality.conf:maxrepeat = 3

If the value of "maxrepeat" is set to more than "3" or is commented out, this is a finding.
If conflicting results are returned, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

2921