Disable use of the mysql_old_password plugin

HighLevel 1Automatedmariadb

Description

The mysql_old_password plugin uses a cracked password routine with several flaws. It is present but not used by default in MariaDB. Steps should be taken to ensure that passwords will not be created with this plugin and that clients will not be able to authenticate to the MariaDB server using this plugin. Requires old_passwords OFF and secure_auth ON. Runs mariadb -NBe with the client defaults: as root on the server the unix_socket plugin usually authenticates; otherwise put an administrative account in ~/.my.cnf (mode 0600), not MYSQL_PWD (see 1.4/1.6).

How it is checked

Audit method: SQL query

sql_query

out=$(mariadb -NBe "SELECT IF(@@global.old_passwords = 0 AND @@global.secure_auth = 1, 'compliant', 'noncompliant')" 2>/dev/null) || exit 1; printf '%s\n' "$out"

Expected output: compliant

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Set old_passwords=0 and secure_auth=ON under [mariadbd] in /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf (or /etc/my.cnf.d/server.cnf), then restart MariaDB.

Properties

Operating systems: Any
Tags: mariadbdatabaseauthentication
Reference: CIS MariaDB 10.11 Benchmark v1.0.0 - 7.1 Disable use of the mysql_old_password plugin

Check this host

Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.

shell

tmaegis scan --target mariadb