How to Address the “User(s) With Blank Password” Vulnerability

By | July 4, 2016

Details of the Vulnerability

THREAT:

The user ((local service account) has blank password in the shadow file, which allows to connect to the system without entering a password.

IMPACT:

An attacker may connect to the system by knowing just the username.

SOLUTION:

Set a password for the user(local service account). ( Many companies security policy does not allow an password for the user)

If still the application users need to access without a password,  The password should rather be locked:“ ie Lock the passwordless local service account.”. Setting password for local service account is against many companies security policy.

This can be easily fixed. All you need is “passwd -l user(local service account)”, and it will change the user(local service account) in /etc/shadow

 

From blank password:

user(local service account)::16555:0:99999:7:::

To locked State:

user(local service account):!!:16555:0:99999:7:::

 

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