STIGQter: STIG Summary: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 9 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

RHEL 9 must require the change of at least eight characters when passwords are changed.

DISA Rule

SV-258112r1045229_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258112

Group Title

SRG-OS-000072-GPOS-00040

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611115

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

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

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure RHEL 9 to require the change of at least eight of the total number of characters when passwords are changed by setting the "difok" option.

Add or update the following line in the "/etc/security/pwquality.conf" file or a configuration file in the "/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/" directory to contain the "difok" parameter:

difok = 8

Check Contents

Verify that RHEL 9 requires the change of at least eight of the total number of characters when passwords are changed.

$ grep difok /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

difok = 8

If the value of "difok" is set to less than "8", or is commented out, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-258112

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611115

Severity Override Guidance

Verify that RHEL 9 requires the change of at least eight of the total number of characters when passwords are changed.

$ grep difok /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

difok = 8

If the value of "difok" is set to less than "8", or is commented out, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5551