STIGQter: STIG Summary: VMware vSphere 8.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 4 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

The ESXi host must prohibit password reuse for a minimum of five generations.

DISA Rule

SV-258735r1003559_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258735

Group Title

SRG-OS-000077-VMM-000440

Rule Version

ESXI-80-000043

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

CCI-004061 - For password-based authentication, verify when users create or update passwords, that the passwords are not found on the list of commonly-used, expected, or compromised passwords in IA-5 (1) (a).

Weight

Fix Recommendation

From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Advanced System Settings.

Click "Edit". Select the "Security.PasswordHistory" value and configure it to "5".

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name Security.PasswordHistory | Set-AdvancedSetting -Value 5

Check Contents

From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Advanced System Settings.

Select the "Security.PasswordHistory" value and verify it is set to "5" or greater.

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name Security.PasswordHistory

If the "Security.PasswordHistory" setting is set to a value other than 5 or greater, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-258735

Documentable

False

Rule Version

ESXI-80-000043

Severity Override Guidance

Check Content Reference

Target Key

5562