Windows: Password Policy Object

Description

The Windows: Password Policy Object test is used to check specific policy associated with passwords. It is important to note that these policies are specific to certain versions of Windows. As a result, the documentation for that version of Windows should be consulted for more information.

NOTE: This information is stored in the SAM or Active Directory but is encrypted or hidden so the registry_test and activedirectory57_test are of no use. If this can be figured out, then the password_policy test is not needed.

The passwordpolicy_object element is used by a passwordpolicy_test to define those objects to be evaluated based on a specified state. There is actually only one object relating to password policy and this is the system as a whole. Therefore, there are no child entities defined.

The passwordpolicy_state element specifies the various policies associated with passwords. A password policy test will reference a specific instance of this state that defines the exact settings that need to be evaluated.

Technical Details

Artifact Parameters

windows.passwordpolicyobject

Name	Type	Description
passwordpolicysetting	string	The password policy setting to be audited.

NOTE: The passwordpolicysetting parameter is governed by a constraint allowing only the following values:

Max Passwd Age
Min Passwd Age
Min Passwd Len
Password Hist Len
Password Complexity
Reversible Encryption

Supported Test Types

Equals

Not Equal

Less Than

Less Than or Equal

Greater Than

Greater Than or Equal

Test Type Parameters

equal
equals
not equal
less than
less than or equal
greater than
greater than or equal

Name	Type	Description
data_type	string	Datatype of the value.
value	string	The value included within the set of results / value to be tested.

NOTE: The data_type parameter is governed by a constraint allowing only the following values:

boolean
float
int
string
version
set

Generated Content

equal
equals
not equal
less than
less than or equal
greater than
greater than or equal

XCCDF+AE

This is what the AE check looks like, inside a Rule, in the XCCDF.

<xccdf:complex-check operator="AND">
  <xccdf:check system="https://benchmarks.cisecurity.org/ae/0.5">
    <xccdf:check-content>
      <ae:artifact_expression id="xccdf_org.cisecurity.benchmarks_ae_[SECTION-NUMBER]">
        <ae:artifact_oval_id>[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]</ae:artifact_oval_id>
        <ae:title>[ARTIFACT-TITLE]</ae:title>
        <ae:artifact type="[ARTIFACT-TYPE-NAME]">
          <ae:parameters>
            <ae:parameter dt="string" name="passwordpolicysetting">[passwordpolicysetting.value]</ae:parameter>
          </ae:parameters>
        </ae:artifact>
        <ae:test type="[TEST-TYPE-NAME]">
          <ae:parameters>
            <ae:parameter dt="string" name="value">[value.value]</ae:parameter>
            <ae:parameter dt="string" name="data_type">[data_type.value]</ae:parameter>
          </ae:parameters>
        </ae:test>
        <ae:profiles>
          <ae:profile idref="xccdf_org.cisecurity.benchmarks_profile_Level_1" />
        </ae:profiles>
      </ae:artifact_expression>
    </xccdf:check-content>
  </xccdf:check>
</xccdf:complex-check>

SCAP

XCCDF

For windows.passwordpolicyobject equals, equal, not equal, less than, less than or equal, greater than, and greater than or equal artifacts, an XCCDF Value element is generated.

<Value
  id="xccdf_org.cisecurity.benchmarks_value_[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]_var"
  operator="[operator.value]"
  type="[type.value]">
  <title>[RECOMMENDATION-TTILE]</title>
  <description>This value is used in Rule: [RECOMMENDATION-TITLE]</description>
  <value>[value.value]</value>
</Value>

For windows.passwordpolicyobject equals, equal, not equal, less than, less than or equal, greater than, and greater than or equal artifacts, the XCCDF check looks like this.

<check system="http://oval.mitre.org/XMLSchema/oval-definitions-5">
  <check-export
    export-name="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:var:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]"
    value-id="xccdf_org.cisecurity.benchmarks_value_[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]_var" />
  <check-content-ref
    href="[BENCHMARK-TITLE]-oval.xml"
    name="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:def:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]" />
</check>

OVAL

Test

<passwordpolicy_test
  xmlns="http://oval.mitre.org/XMLSchema/oval-definitions-5#windows"
  id="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:tst:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]"
  check_existence="at_least_one_exists"
  check="all"
  comment="[ARTIFACT-TITLE]"
  version="1">
  <object object_ref="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:obj:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]" />
  <state state_ref="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:ste:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]" />
</passwordpolicy_test>

Object

<passwordpolicy_object
  xmlns="http://oval.mitre.org/XMLSchema/oval-definitions-5#windows"
  id="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:obj:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]"
  comment="[ARTIFACT-TITLE]"
  version="1" />

State

<passwordpolicy_state
  xmlns="http://oval.mitre.org/XMLSchema/oval-definitions-5#windows"
  id="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:ste:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]"
  comment="[ARTIFACT-TITLE]"
  version="1">
  <[passwordpolicysetting.value]
    datatype="[datatype.value]"
    operation="[operation.value]"
    var_ref="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:var:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]" />
</passwordpolicy_state>

Variable

<external_variable
  id="oval:org.cisecurity.benchmarks.[PLATFORM]:var:[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]"
  comment="This value is used in [RECOMMENDATION-TITLE]"
  datatype="[datatype.value]"
  version="1" />

YAML

artifact-expression:
  artifact-unique-id: "[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]"
  artifact-title: "[ARTIFACT-TITLE]"
  artifact:
    type: "[ARTIFACT-TYPE-NAME]"
    parameters:
      - parameter:
          name: "passwordpolicysetting"
          dt: "string"
          value: "[passwordpolicysetting.value]"
  test:
    type: "[TEST-TYPE-NAME]"
    parameters:
      - parameter:
          name: "value"
          dt: "string"
          value: "[value.value]"
      - parameter:
          name: "data_type"
          dt: "string"
          value: "[data_type.value]"

JSON

{
  "artifact-expression": {
    "artifact-unique-id": "[ARTIFACT-OVAL-ID]",
    "artifact-title": "[ARTIFACT-TITLE]",
    "artifact": {
      "type": "[ARTIFACT-TYPE-NAME]",
      "parameters": [
        {
          "parameter": {
            "name": "passwordpolicysetting",
            "type": "string",
            "value": "[passwordpolicysetting.value]"
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    "test": {
      "type": "[TEST-TYPE-NAME]",
      "parameters": [
        {
          "parameter": {
            "name": "value",
            "type": "string",
            "value": "[value.value]"
          }
        },
        {
          "parameter": {
            "name": "data_type",
            "type": "string",
            "value": "[data_type.value]"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}