Linux distributions
CIS-UBUNTU-5.2.10
Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled
HighLevel 1Automatedlinux
Description
The PermitEmptyPasswords parameter specifies if the SSH server allows login to accounts with empty password strings.
How it is checked
Audit method: Shell command
shell
sshd -T 2>/dev/null | grep -i '^permitemptypasswords'- Expected output
permitemptypasswords no
How it is fixed
Fix method: File edit
- File
/etc/ssh/sshd_config- Replacement line
PermitEmptyPasswords no
Properties
- Operating systems
- ubuntu-22.04, ubuntu-24.04, rocky-9
- Tags
- sshserver
- Reference
- CIS Ubuntu Linux / Rocky Linux Benchmarks - Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled (verify section number for your release)
Check this host
Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.
shell
tmaegis scan --target linux