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

RHEL 8 must ensure the password complexity module is enabled in the system-auth file.

DISA Rule

SV-251713r1017366_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-251713

Group Title

SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227

Rule Version

RHEL-08-020101

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure the operating system to use "pwquality" to enforce password complexity rules.

Add the following line to the "/etc/pam.d/system-auth" file (or modify the line to have the required value):

password requisite pam_pwquality.so

Check Contents

Verify the operating system uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules.

Check for the use of "pwquality" in the system-auth file with the following command:

$ sudo cat /etc/pam.d/system-auth | grep pam_pwquality

password requisite pam_pwquality.so

If the command does not return a line containing the value "pam_pwquality.so" as shown, or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-251713

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-08-020101

Severity Override Guidance

Verify the operating system uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules.

Check for the use of "pwquality" in the system-auth file with the following command:

$ sudo cat /etc/pam.d/system-auth | grep pam_pwquality

password requisite pam_pwquality.so

If the command does not return a line containing the value "pam_pwquality.so" as shown, or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

2921