Ensure IAM Password Policy Requires Minimum Length of 14 Rule
This rule ensures that IAM password policy mandates a minimum length of 14 characters or greater.
| Rule | Ensure IAM password policy requires a minimum length of 14 or greater |
| Framework | NIST 800-53 Revision 5 |
| Severity | ✔ Critical |
IAM Password Policy
Description
The IAM (Identity and Access Management) password policy is designed to enforce strict security measures for user passwords within an AWS environment. One such measure is the minimum length requirement for passwords.
Policy Requirement
The policy requires all IAM users' passwords to have a minimum length of 14 characters or greater. This ensures that passwords are more resistant to brute-force attacks and increases the overall security of the AWS infrastructure.
Troubleshooting
If any IAM user's password does not meet the minimum length requirement, an error will occur when attempting to create or update the user's password. The error message will indicate that the password length is insufficient.
Remediation Steps
To enforce the minimum password length requirement in IAM, follow these steps:
- 1.Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the IAM service.
- 2.In the left-hand menu, click on "Account settings."
- 3.Under the "Password policy" section, click on "Edit."
- 4.In the "Minimum password length" section, enter "14" or a higher value.
- 5.Optionally, configure other password requirements such as requiring uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- 6.Once done, click on "Apply password policy."
Command Line Interface (CLI) Commands
To enforce the minimum password length requirement using the AWS CLI, use the following command:
aws iam update-account-password-policy --minimum-password-length 14
This command updates the account password policy with the specified minimum password length.
Conclusion
Implementing a minimum password length of 14 characters or greater within the IAM password policy aligns with the NIST 800-53 Revision 5 guidelines. By following the provided steps or using the provided CLI command, you can enhance the security of your AWS infrastructure and protect against unauthorized access.