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 maximum number of repeating characters be limited to three when passwords are changed.

DISA Rule

SV-258114r1045235_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258114

Group Title

SRG-OS-000072-GPOS-00040

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611125

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 the number of repeating consecutive characters when passwords are changed by setting the "maxrepeat" 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 "maxrepeat" parameter:

maxrepeat = 3

Check Contents

Verify that RHEL 9 requires that passwords can have a maximum of three of the same consecutive character.

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

maxrepeat = 3

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

Vulnerability Number

V-258114

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611125

Severity Override Guidance

Verify that RHEL 9 requires that passwords can have a maximum of three of the same consecutive character.

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

maxrepeat = 3

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

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5551