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3.5.7Set password rules

A stated minimum complexity, and real change when passwords are changed.

The requirement, verbatim

NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 · 3.5.7

Enforce a minimum password complexity and change of characters when new passwords are created.

Requirement 3.5.7, practice name in the CMMC assessment guide: Password Complexity.

NIST's discussion

This requirement applies to single-factor authentication of individuals using passwords as individual or group authenticators, and in a similar manner, when passwords are used as part of multifactor authenticators. The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. To mitigate certain brute force attacks against passwords, organizations may also consider salting passwords.

NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, discussion under 3.5.7. Whitespace normalised; wording unchanged.

Assessment objectives

An assessor decides each of these separately. The requirement is met only when every objective is.

  1. [a] password complexity requirements are defined
  2. [b] password change of character requirements are defined
  3. [c] minimum password complexity requirements as defined are enforced when new passwords are created
  4. [d] minimum password change of character requirements as defined are enforced when new passwords are created

NIST SP 800-171A, determination statements for 3.5.7.

For assessors: examine, interview, test

NIST SP 800-171A names what an assessor may examine, whom they may interview, and what they may test for this requirement. Assessors select from these lists; they are not a checklist of everything you must produce.

Examine
  • Identification and authentication policy
  • password policy
  • procedures addressing authenticator management
  • system security plan
  • system configuration settings and associated documentation
  • system design documentation
  • password configurations and associated documentation
  • other relevant documents or records
Interview
  • Personnel with authenticator management responsibilities
  • personnel with information security responsibilities
  • system or network administrators
Test
  • Mechanisms supporting or implementing authenticator management capability

NIST SP 800-171A, potential assessment methods and objects for 3.5.7.

Evidence

No evidence examples are published for this requirement yet. The objectives above are what an assessor checks; evidence is whatever shows each one is true in your environment, dated and kept with your system security plan.

Scoring weight

Worth 1 point. Not meeting this requirement subtracts 1 from your 110-point SPRS score.

DoD NIST SP 800-171 Assessment Methodology v1.2.1 weighting, as carried in the Bedrock scoring table. The score starts at 110 and subtracts the weight of every requirement not met.

In Rev. 3

Rev. 2 is what your contract requires today. A standing DoD class deviation keeps Rev. 2 in force; NIST has published Rev. 3, but it is not adopted for contracts. In Rev. 3 this requirement is reworded: 03.05.07 Password Management. It gains organization-defined parameters.

See the Rev. 2 and Rev. 3 wording word by word, or start with the status page.

Where this page's facts come from
Requirement text
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.basicRequirement@rev2
Discussion
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.discussion@rev2
Practice name
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/004_reference_requirements.sql#Requirement.title@rev2 (CMMC Assessment Guide practice name)
Objectives
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/005_reference_objectives.sql#AssessmentObjective.description@rev2
Examine, interview, test
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/005_reference_objectives.sql#AssessmentObjective.description@rev2 ({examineGuidance, interviewGuidance, testGuidance})
Level
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:migrations/021_fix_level1_requirements.sql#Requirement.cmmcLevel@rev2
Weight
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:internal/cmmc/requirement_values.go#requirementValues (DoD AM v1.2.1 / eMASS L2 template v3.8)
Rev. 3 mapping
bedrock-cmmc-api@89b8e8e:docs/reference/nist-800-171-rev3/normalized/r2_r3_transition_map.json#r2_to_r3
Plain-language title and summary
editorial/CMMC Navigator.dc.html#RAW (Foxx Cyber editorial)