If passwords are used for authentication, the DBMS must store only hashed, salted representations of passwords.
An XCCDF Rule
Description
<VulnDiscussion>The DoD standard for authentication is DoD-approved PKI certificates. Authentication based on User ID and Password may be used only when it is not possible to employ a PKI certificate, and requires AO approval. In such cases, database passwords stored in clear text, using reversible encryption, or using unsalted hashes would be vulnerable to unauthorized disclosure. Database passwords must always be in the form of one-way, salted hashes when stored internally or externally to the DBMS.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>
- ID
- SV-206556r879608_rule
- Severity
- High
- References
- Updated
Remediation - Manual Procedure
Develop, document, and maintain a list of DBMS database objects, database configuration files, associated scripts, applications defined within or external to the DBMS that access the database, and DBMS/user environment files/settings in the System Security Plan.
Record whether they do or do not contain DBMS passwords. If passwords are present, ensure that they are correctly hashed using one-way, salted hashing functions, and that the hashes are protected by host system security.