nuclei-templates/code/linux/audit/strong-password-hashing.yaml

id: strong-password-hashing

info:
  name: Ensure Strong Password Hashing Algorithm is Configured
  author: Th3l0newolf
  severity: high
  description: |
    The ENCRYPT_METHOD setting in /etc/login.defs specifies the algorithm used to hash passwords.It should be set to SHA512 or yescrypt, as weaker algorithms may expose passwords to brute-force attacks.
  remediation: |
    Edit /etc/login.defs and set ENCRYPT_METHOD to either SHA512 or yescrypt.Verify with: grep -Pi -- '^\h*ENCRYPT_METHOD\h+(SHA512|yescrypt)\b' /etc/login.defs
  reference:
    - https://www.cisecurity.org/benchmark/ubuntu_linux
  metadata:
    verified: true
  tags: cis,local,cisecurity,audit,linux,ubuntu,password

self-contained: true

code:
  - engine:
      - bash

    args:
      - "-c"
      - |
        HASH_METHOD_LINE=$(grep -Pi -- '^\h*ENCRYPT_METHOD\h+(SHA512|yescrypt)\b' /etc/login.defs | head -n1)
        if [ -n "$HASH_METHOD_LINE" ]; then
          VALUE=$(echo "$HASH_METHOD_LINE" | awk '{print $2}' | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
          if [ "$VALUE" = "sha512" ] || [ "$VALUE" = "yescrypt" ]; then
            echo "[strong-password-hashing-check:Policy-Pass] [ENCRYPT_METHOD is $VALUE (valid)] [CIS_PASS]"
          else
            echo "[strong-password-hashing-check:Policy-Fail] [ENCRYPT_METHOD is $VALUE (invalid)] [CIS_FAIL]"
          fi
        else
          echo "[strong-password-hashing-check:Policy-Fail] [ENCRYPT_METHOD not set or malformed] [CIS_FAIL]"
        fi

    matchers:
      - type: word
        name: policy-pass
        words:
          - "Policy-Pass"

      - type: word
        name: policy-fail
        words:
          - "Policy-Fail"
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