STIGQter: STIG Summary: Amazon Linux 2023 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 1 Release: 4 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

Amazon Linux 2023 must require the change of at least 50 percent of the total number of characters when passwords are changed.

DISA Rule

SV-274136r1120697_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-274136

Group Title

SRG-OS-000072-GPOS-00040

Rule Version

AZLX-23-002370

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

CCI-004066 - For password-based authentication, enforce organization-defined composition and complexity rules.
CCI-004064 - For password-based authentication, allow user selection of long passwords and passphrases, including spaces and all printable characters.

Weight

Fix Recommendation

Configure Amazon Linux 2023 to require the change of at least eight (with a 15 character password) 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

Remove any configurations that conflict with the above value. This value can be customized based on desired password length.

Check Contents

Verify Amazon Linux 2023 enforces password complexity by requiring that at least a change of at least eight characters when passwords are changed with the following command:

$ sudo 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-274136

Documentable

False

Rule Version

AZLX-23-002370

Severity Override Guidance

Check Content Reference

Target Key

5700