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WN25-SH-000040 Windows Server 2025 OpenSSH must not allow blank passwords.

DISA STIG library V1R4
All changes in this version
first version loaded CAT I

Maps to IA-2(2) via CCI-000766

Title

Windows Server 2025 OpenSSH must not allow blank passwords.

Control

If OpenSSH is not installed on the system, this requirement is not applicable. Verify system remote access using OpenSSH prevents logging on with a blank password with the following command: C:\ > Get-Content "$env:ProgramData\ssh\sshd_config" | Select-String -Pattern '^\s*PermitEmptyPasswords' PermitEmptyPasswords no If the "PermitEmptyPasswords" keyword is set to "yes", is missing, or is commented out, this is a finding.

Discussion

If an account has an empty password, anyone could log on and run commands with the privileges of that account. Accounts with empty passwords must never be used in operational environments. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000106-GPOS-00053, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00229, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00228

Related controls

CCI-000766

Fix

To configure the system, add or modify the following line in the "$env:ProgramData/ssh/sshd_config" file: PermitEmptyPasswords no Restart the OpenSSH service for the settings to take effect.