SV-29029r1: The computer account password is prevented from being reset. | Windows Vista Security Technical Implementation Guide

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

The computer account password is prevented from being reset.

Description

Discussion Text

As a part of Windows security, computer account passwords are changed automatically. Enabling this policy to disable automatic password changes can make the system more vulnerable to malicious access. Frequent password changes can be a significant safeguard for your system. If this policy is disabled, a new password for the computer account will be generated every week.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-000366CCE-3255-7

Additional Details

Third-Party Tools

Responsibility

System Administrator

References

DPMS Target Windows Vista DISA DPMS Target Windows Vista 1029

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:443
# The computer account password is prevented from being reset.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_1 {
  return (((Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetLogon\Parameters' -Name 'DisablePasswordChange' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'DisablePasswordChange') -eq 0)
}
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_2 {
  return (-not ($null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetLogon\Parameters' -Name 'DisablePasswordChange')))
}
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_3 {
  return ($null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetLogon\Parameters' -Name 'DisablePasswordChange'))
}
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_4 {
  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\Services\NetLogon\Parameters').GetValueKind('DisablePasswordChange').ToString()]) -eq 'reg_dword')
}
# registry_object (registry_test)
function test_5 {
  return (-not ($null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetLogon\Parameters' -Name 'DisablePasswordChange')))
}

if (((test_1 -or test_2) -and test_3 -and (test_4 -or test_5))) {
  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_vista target this check assesses.

# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.windows:def:443
$registryPath = "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetLogon\Parameters"
if (Test-Path $registryPath) {
    $registryValue = Get-ItemProperty -Path $registryPath -Name DisablePasswordChange -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($registryValue -eq $null -or $registryValue.DisablePasswordChange -eq 0) {
        Write-Output "FAIL"; exit 1
    }
}
Write-Output "PASS"; exit 0

Remediation

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> “Domain Member: Disable Machine Account Password Changes” to “Disabled”.