Set PAM''s Password Hashing Algorithm
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feel free to reach out to us!Description
The PAM system service can be configured to only store encrypted representations of passwords.
In “/etc/pam.d/common-password”, the password
section of the file controls which
PAM modules to execute during a password change.
Set the pam_unix.so
module in the password
section to include the option
sha512
and no other hashing
algorithms as shown below:
password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so sha512
other arguments...
This will help ensure that new passwords for local users will be stored using the
sha512 algorithm.
Rationale
Passwords need to be protected at all times, and encryption is the standard method for
protecting passwords. If passwords are not encrypted, they can be plainly read
(i.e., clear text) and easily compromised. Passwords that are encrypted with a weak algorithm
are no more protected than if they are kept in plain text.
This setting ensures user and group account administration utilities are configured to store
only encrypted representations of passwords. Additionally, the crypt_style
configuration option in /etc/libuser.conf
ensures the use of a strong hashing
algorithm that makes password cracking attacks more difficult.
Shell script
The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.
#!/bin/bash
# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}\n' 'libpam-runtime' 2>/dev/null | grep -q installed; then
var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam='sha512'
PAM_FILE_PATH="/etc/pam.d/common-password"
# Can't use macro bash_ensure_pam_module_configuration because the control
# contains special characters and is not static ([success=N default=ignore)
if ! grep -qP "^\s*password\s+.*\s+pam_unix.so\s+.*\b$var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam\b" "$PAM_FILE_PATH"; then
sed -i -E --follow-symlinks "/\s*password\s+.*\s+pam_unix.so.*/ s/$/ $var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam/" "$PAM_FILE_PATH"
fi
# Ensure only the correct hashing algorithm option is used.
declare -a HASHING_ALGORITHMS_OPTIONS=("sha512" "yescrypt" "gost_yescrypt" "blowfish" "sha256" "md5" "bigcrypt")
for hash_option in "${HASHING_ALGORITHMS_OPTIONS[@]}"; do
if [ "$hash_option" != "$var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam" ]; then
if grep -qP "^\s*password\s+.*\s+pam_unix.so\s+.*\b$hash_option\b" "$PAM_FILE_PATH"; then
if [ -e "$PAM_FILE_PATH" ] ; then
PAM_FILE_PATH="$PAM_FILE_PATH"
if [ -f /usr/bin/authselect ]; then
if ! authselect check; then
echo "
authselect integrity check failed. Remediation aborted!
This remediation could not be applied because an authselect profile was not selected or the selected profile is not intact.
It is not recommended to manually edit the PAM files when authselect tool is available.
In cases where the default authselect profile does not cover a specific demand, a custom authselect profile is recommended."
exit 1
fi
CURRENT_PROFILE=$(authselect current -r | awk '{ print $1 }')
# If not already in use, a custom profile is created preserving the enabled features.
if [[ ! $CURRENT_PROFILE == custom/* ]]; then
ENABLED_FEATURES=$(authselect current | tail -n+3 | awk '{ print $2 }')
authselect create-profile hardening -b $CURRENT_PROFILE
CURRENT_PROFILE="custom/hardening"
authselect apply-changes -b --backup=before-hardening-custom-profile
authselect select $CURRENT_PROFILE
for feature in $ENABLED_FEATURES; do
authselect enable-feature $feature;
done
authselect apply-changes -b --backup=after-hardening-custom-profile
fi
PAM_FILE_NAME=$(basename "$PAM_FILE_PATH")
PAM_FILE_PATH="/etc/authselect/$CURRENT_PROFILE/$PAM_FILE_NAME"
authselect apply-changes -b
fi
if grep -qP "^\s*password\s+.*\s+pam_unix.so\s.*\b$hash_option\b" "$PAM_FILE_PATH"; then
sed -i -E --follow-symlinks "s/(.*password.*.*.*pam_unix.so.*)\s$hash_option=?[[:alnum:]]*(.*)/\1\2/g" "$PAM_FILE_PATH"
fi
if [ -f /usr/bin/authselect ]; then
authselect apply-changes -b
fi
else
echo "$PAM_FILE_PATH was not found" >&2
fi
fi
fi
done
else
>&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
Ansible playbook
The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.
- name: Gather the package facts
package_facts:
manager: auto
tags:
- CJIS-5.6.2.2
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-22-611055
- NIST-800-171-3.13.11
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(1)(c)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(c)
- PCI-DSS-Req-8.2.1
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3.2
- configure_strategy
- low_complexity
- medium_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth
- name: XCCDF Value var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam # promote to variable
set_fact:
var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam: !!str sha512
tags:
- always
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if /etc/pam.d/system-auth file
is present
ansible.builtin.stat:
path: /etc/pam.d/system-auth
register: result_pam_file_present
when: '"libpam-runtime" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- CJIS-5.6.2.2
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-22-611055
- NIST-800-171-3.13.11
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(1)(c)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(c)
- PCI-DSS-Req-8.2.1
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3.2
- configure_strategy
- low_complexity
- medium_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check the proper remediation for the
system
block:
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define the PAM file to be edited
as a local fact
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
pam_file_path: /etc/pam.d/system-auth
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if system relies on authselect
tool
ansible.builtin.stat:
path: /usr/bin/authselect
register: result_authselect_present
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect custom profile
is used if authselect is present
block:
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check integrity of authselect current
profile
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect check
register: result_authselect_check_cmd
changed_when: false
failed_when: false
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Informative message based on the
authselect integrity check result
ansible.builtin.assert:
that:
- result_authselect_check_cmd.rc == 0
fail_msg:
- authselect integrity check failed. Remediation aborted!
- This remediation could not be applied because an authselect profile was
not selected or the selected profile is not intact.
- It is not recommended to manually edit the PAM files when authselect tool
is available.
- In cases where the default authselect profile does not cover a specific
demand, a custom authselect profile is recommended.
success_msg:
- authselect integrity check passed
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Get authselect current profile
ansible.builtin.shell:
cmd: authselect current -r | awk '{ print $1 }'
register: result_authselect_profile
changed_when: false
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define the current authselect profile
as a local fact
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
authselect_current_profile: '{{ result_authselect_profile.stdout }}'
authselect_custom_profile: '{{ result_authselect_profile.stdout }}'
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_authselect_profile.stdout is match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define the new authselect custom
profile as a local fact
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
authselect_current_profile: '{{ result_authselect_profile.stdout }}'
authselect_custom_profile: custom/hardening
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_authselect_profile.stdout is not match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Get authselect current features
to also enable them in the custom profile
ansible.builtin.shell:
cmd: authselect current | tail -n+3 | awk '{ print $2 }'
register: result_authselect_features
changed_when: false
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if any custom profile with
the same name was already created
ansible.builtin.stat:
path: /etc/authselect/{{ authselect_custom_profile }}
register: result_authselect_custom_profile_present
changed_when: false
when:
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Create an authselect custom profile
based on the current profile
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect create-profile hardening -b {{ authselect_current_profile
}}
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- not result_authselect_custom_profile_present.stat.exists
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b --backup=before-hardening-custom-profile
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- authselect_custom_profile is not match(authselect_current_profile)
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure the authselect custom profile
is selected
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect select {{ authselect_custom_profile }}
register: result_pam_authselect_select_profile
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- authselect_custom_profile is not match(authselect_current_profile)
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Restore the authselect features
in the custom profile
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect enable-feature {{ item }}
loop: '{{ result_authselect_features.stdout_lines }}'
register: result_pam_authselect_restore_features
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_authselect_features is not skipped
- result_pam_authselect_select_profile is not skipped
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b --backup=after-hardening-custom-profile
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_pam_authselect_restore_features is not skipped
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Change the PAM file to be edited
according to the custom authselect profile
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
pam_file_path: /etc/authselect/{{ authselect_custom_profile }}/{{ pam_file_path
| basename }}
when:
- result_authselect_present.stat.exists
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define a fact for control already
filtered in case filters are used
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
pam_module_control: sufficient
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if expected PAM module line
is present in {{ pam_file_path }}
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
regexp: ^\s*password\s+{{ pam_module_control | regex_escape() }}\s+pam_unix.so\s*.*
state: absent
check_mode: true
changed_when: false
register: result_pam_line_present
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Include or update the PAM module
line in {{ pam_file_path }}
block:
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if required PAM module line
is present in {{ pam_file_path }} with different control
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
regexp: ^\s*password\s+.*\s+pam_unix.so\s*
state: absent
check_mode: true
changed_when: false
register: result_pam_line_other_control_present
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure the correct control for
the required PAM module line in {{ pam_file_path }}
ansible.builtin.replace:
dest: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
regexp: ^(\s*password\s+).*(\bpam_unix.so.*)
replace: \1{{ pam_module_control }} \2
register: result_pam_module_edit
when:
- result_pam_line_other_control_present.found == 1
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure the required PAM module
line is included in {{ pam_file_path }}
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
dest: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
line: password {{ pam_module_control }} pam_unix.so
register: result_pam_module_add
when:
- result_pam_line_other_control_present.found == 0 or result_pam_line_other_control_present.found
> 1
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b
when:
- result_authselect_present is defined
- result_authselect_present.stat.exists
- |-
(result_pam_module_add is defined and result_pam_module_add.changed)
or (result_pam_module_edit is defined and result_pam_module_edit.changed)
when:
- result_pam_line_present.found is defined
- result_pam_line_present.found == 0
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define a fact for control already
filtered in case filters are used
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
pam_module_control: sufficient
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if the required PAM module
option is present in {{ pam_file_path }}
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
regexp: ^\s*password\s+{{ pam_module_control | regex_escape() }}\s+pam_unix.so\s*.*\s{{
var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam }}\b
state: absent
check_mode: true
changed_when: false
register: result_pam_module_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_option_present
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure the "{{ var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam
}}" PAM option for "pam_unix.so" is included in {{ pam_file_path }}
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
backrefs: true
regexp: ^(\s*password\s+{{ pam_module_control | regex_escape() }}\s+pam_unix.so.*)
line: \1 {{ var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam }}
state: present
register: result_pam_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_add
when:
- result_pam_module_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_option_present.found
== 0
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b
when:
- result_authselect_present.stat.exists
- |-
(result_pam_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_add is defined and result_pam_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_add.changed)
or (result_pam_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_edit is defined and result_pam_set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth_edit.changed)
when:
- '"libpam-runtime" in ansible_facts.packages'
- result_pam_file_present.stat.exists
tags:
- CJIS-5.6.2.2
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-22-611055
- NIST-800-171-3.13.11
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(1)(c)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(c)
- PCI-DSS-Req-8.2.1
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3.2
- configure_strategy
- low_complexity
- medium_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if /etc/pam.d/system-auth File
is Present
ansible.builtin.stat:
path: /etc/pam.d/system-auth
register: result_pam_file_present
when: '"libpam-runtime" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- CJIS-5.6.2.2
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-22-611055
- NIST-800-171-3.13.11
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(1)(c)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(c)
- PCI-DSS-Req-8.2.1
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3.2
- configure_strategy
- low_complexity
- medium_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check The Proper Remediation For The
System
block:
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define the PAM file to be edited
as a local fact
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
pam_file_path: /etc/pam.d/system-auth
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if system relies on authselect
tool
ansible.builtin.stat:
path: /usr/bin/authselect
register: result_authselect_present
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect custom profile
is used if authselect is present
block:
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check integrity of authselect current
profile
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect check
register: result_authselect_check_cmd
changed_when: false
failed_when: false
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Informative message based on the
authselect integrity check result
ansible.builtin.assert:
that:
- result_authselect_check_cmd.rc == 0
fail_msg:
- authselect integrity check failed. Remediation aborted!
- This remediation could not be applied because an authselect profile was
not selected or the selected profile is not intact.
- It is not recommended to manually edit the PAM files when authselect tool
is available.
- In cases where the default authselect profile does not cover a specific
demand, a custom authselect profile is recommended.
success_msg:
- authselect integrity check passed
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Get authselect current profile
ansible.builtin.shell:
cmd: authselect current -r | awk '{ print $1 }'
register: result_authselect_profile
changed_when: false
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define the current authselect profile
as a local fact
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
authselect_current_profile: '{{ result_authselect_profile.stdout }}'
authselect_custom_profile: '{{ result_authselect_profile.stdout }}'
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_authselect_profile.stdout is match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Define the new authselect custom
profile as a local fact
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
authselect_current_profile: '{{ result_authselect_profile.stdout }}'
authselect_custom_profile: custom/hardening
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_authselect_profile.stdout is not match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Get authselect current features
to also enable them in the custom profile
ansible.builtin.shell:
cmd: authselect current | tail -n+3 | awk '{ print $2 }'
register: result_authselect_features
changed_when: false
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Check if any custom profile with
the same name was already created
ansible.builtin.stat:
path: /etc/authselect/{{ authselect_custom_profile }}
register: result_authselect_custom_profile_present
changed_when: false
when:
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Create an authselect custom profile
based on the current profile
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect create-profile hardening -b {{ authselect_current_profile
}}
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- not result_authselect_custom_profile_present.stat.exists
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b --backup=before-hardening-custom-profile
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- authselect_custom_profile is not match(authselect_current_profile)
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure the authselect custom profile
is selected
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect select {{ authselect_custom_profile }}
register: result_pam_authselect_select_profile
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- authselect_current_profile is not match("custom/")
- authselect_custom_profile is not match(authselect_current_profile)
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Restore the authselect features
in the custom profile
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect enable-feature {{ item }}
loop: '{{ result_authselect_features.stdout_lines }}'
register: result_pam_authselect_restore_features
when:
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_authselect_features is not skipped
- result_pam_authselect_select_profile is not skipped
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b --backup=after-hardening-custom-profile
when:
- result_authselect_check_cmd is success
- result_authselect_profile is not skipped
- result_pam_authselect_restore_features is not skipped
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Change the PAM file to be edited
according to the custom authselect profile
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
pam_file_path: /etc/authselect/{{ authselect_custom_profile }}/{{ pam_file_path
| basename }}
when:
- result_authselect_present.stat.exists
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure That Only the Correct Hashing
Algorithm Option For pam_unix.so Is Used in /etc/pam.d/system-auth
ansible.builtin.replace:
dest: '{{ pam_file_path }}'
regexp: (^\s*password.*pam_unix\.so.*)\b{{ item }}\b\s*(.*)
replace: \1\2
when: item != var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam
loop:
- sha512
- yescrypt
- gost_yescrypt
- blowfish
- sha256
- md5
- bigcrypt
register: result_pam_hashing_options_removal
- name: Set PAM's Password Hashing Algorithm - Ensure authselect changes are applied
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: authselect apply-changes -b
when:
- result_authselect_present.stat.exists
- result_pam_hashing_options_removal is changed
when:
- '"libpam-runtime" in ansible_facts.packages'
- result_pam_file_present.stat.exists
tags:
- CJIS-5.6.2.2
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-22-611055
- NIST-800-171-3.13.11
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(1)(c)
- NIST-800-53-IA-5(c)
- PCI-DSS-Req-8.2.1
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3
- PCI-DSSv4-8.3.2
- configure_strategy
- low_complexity
- medium_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- set_password_hashing_algorithm_systemauth
Warning
The hashing algorithms to be used with pam_unix.so are defined with independent module
options. There are at least 7 possible algorithms and likely more algorithms will be
introduced along the time. Due the the number of options and its possible combinations,
the use of multiple hashing algorithm options may bring unexpected behaviors to the
system. For this reason the check will pass only when one hashing algorithm option is
defined and is aligned to the “var_password_hashing_algorithm_pam” variable. The
remediation will ensure the correct option and remove any other extra hashing algorithm
option.