STIGQter: STIG Summary: Oracle Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 1 Release: 6 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

OL 9 must ensure the password complexity module in the system-auth file is configured for three retries or less.

DISA Rule

SV-271612r1091548_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-271612

Group Title

SRG-OS-000069-GPOS-00037

Rule Version

OL09-00-001001

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

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

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure OL 9 to limit the "pwquality" retry option to "3".

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

password required pam_pwquality.so retry=3

Check Contents

Verify that OL 9 is configured to limit the "pwquality" retry option to "3".

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

$ grep pam_pwquality /etc/pam.d/system-auth
password required pam_pwquality.so retry=3

If the value of "retry" is set to "0" or greater than "3", or is missing, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-271612

Documentable

False

Rule Version

OL09-00-001001

Severity Override Guidance

Verify that OL 9 is configured to limit the "pwquality" retry option to "3".

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

$ grep pam_pwquality /etc/pam.d/system-auth
password required pam_pwquality.so retry=3

If the value of "retry" is set to "0" or greater than "3", or is missing, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5680