SV-25022r1: The use of local accounts with blank passwords is not restricted to console logons only. | Windows 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Loading benchmark…

Assessment Title

Rule Text

The use of local accounts with blank passwords is not restricted to console logons only.

Description

Discussion Text

This is a Category 1 finding because no accounts with blank passwords should exist on a system. The password policy should prevent this from occurring. However, if a local account with a blank password does exist, enabling this setting will limit the account to local console logon only.

How this relates to the STIG checklist: STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-000366CCE-9418-5

Additional Details

Third-Party Tools

Responsibility

System Administrator

References

DPMS Target Windows 7 DISA DPMS Target Windows 7 1712

Checks

OVAL

oval:mil.disa.fso.windows:var:367600 ← xccdf_mil.disa.stig_value_limit_blank_password_use_var

SCC Automation Reference

The reconstructed evaluation script behind this rule's OVAL check(s) — every module a compound check combines, with this rule's own concrete values and DISA's SCC tool's real per-module mechanism curated from static teardown of SCC releases.

# Windows PowerShell
# Reconstructed from oval:mil.disa.fso.windows:def:3676
# The use of local accounts with blank passwords is not restricted to console logons only.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# Verifies 'Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console logon only' is set to 'Enabled'
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_1 {
  return (((@{String='reg_sz';ExpandString='reg_expand_sz';Binary='reg_binary';DWord='reg_dword';MultiString='reg_multi_sz';QWord='reg_qword';None='reg_none'}[(Get-Item -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Currentcontrolset\Control\Lsa').GetValueKind('Limitblankpassworduse').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword') -and (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Currentcontrolset\Control\Lsa' -Name 'Limitblankpassworduse' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'Limitblankpassworduse') -eq 1))
}

if (test_1) {
  Write-Output "PASS"
} else {
  Write-Output "FAIL"
}

Assessment Script Powered by AISyntax-verified

A standalone PowerShell script to assess this control automatically. Review before running it in your environment.

Syntax-checked as valid PowerShell. Not executed here — running it for real needs the actual windows_7 target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.windows:def:3676
$registryPath = "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa"
$registryValueName = "Limitblankpassworduse"
$expectedValue = 1

if (Test-Path $registryPath) {
    $registryValue = Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name $registryValueName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($registryValue -and $registryValue.$registryValueName -eq $expectedValue) {
        Write-Output "PASS"
        exit 0
    }
}
Write-Output "FAIL"
exit 1

Remediation

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> “Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console logon only” to “Enabled”.