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  1. Frameworks
  2. >SP 800-53
  3. >Identification And Authentication
  4. >SP800-53-IA-5(1)
SP800-53-IA-5(1)Active

Password-based Authentication

Statement

For password-based authentication: Maintain a list of commonly-used, expected, or compromised passwords and update the list frequency and when organizational passwords are suspected to have been compromised directly or indirectly; Verify, when users create or update passwords, that the passwords are not found on the list of commonly-used, expected, or compromised passwords in IA-5(1)(a); Transmit passwords only over cryptographically-protected channels; Store passwords using an approved salted key derivation function, preferably using a keyed hash; Require immediate selection of a new password upon account recovery; Allow user selection of long passwords and passphrases, including spaces and all printable characters; Employ automated tools to assist the user in selecting strong password authenticators; and Enforce the following composition and complexity rules: composition and complexity rules.

Location

Control Family
Identification and Authentication

Control Details

Identifier
SP800-53-IA-5(1)
Family
IA
Parent Control
SP800-53-IA-5

Organisation-Defined Parameters

ia-05.01_odp.01
frequency
ia-05.01_odp.02
composition and complexity rules

Supplemental Guidance

Password-based authentication applies to passwords regardless of whether they are used in single-factor or multi-factor authentication. Long passwords or passphrases are preferable over shorter passwords. Enforced composition rules provide marginal security benefits while decreasing usability. However, organizations may choose to establish certain rules for password generation (e.g., minimum character length for long passwords) under certain circumstances and can enforce this requirement in IA-5(1)(h). Account recovery can occur, for example, in situations when a password is forgotten. Cryptographically protected passwords include salted one-way cryptographic hashes of passwords. The list of commonly used, compromised, or expected passwords includes passwords obtained from previous breach corpuses, dictionary words, and repetitive or sequential characters. The list includes context-specific words, such as the name of the service, username, and derivatives thereof.

Assessment Objective

for password-based authentication, a list of commonly used, expected, or compromised passwords is maintained and updated frequency and when organizational passwords are suspected to have been compromised directly or indirectly; for password-based authentication when passwords are created or updated by users, the passwords are verified not to be found on the list of commonly used, expected, or compromised passwords in IA-05(01)(a); for password-based authentication, passwords are only transmitted over cryptographically protected channels; for password-based authentication, passwords are stored using an approved salted key derivation function, preferably using a keyed hash; for password-based authentication, immediate selection of a new password is required upon account recovery; for password-based authentication, user selection of long passwords and passphrases is allowed, including spaces and all printable characters; for password-based authentication, automated tools are employed to assist the user in selecting strong password authenticators; for password-based authentication, composition and complexity rules are enforced.

No cross-framework mappings available

← Back to Identification and Authentication
Identification and Authentication74 controls
SP800-53-IA-1Policy and ProceduresSP800-53-IA-2Identification and Authentication (Organizational Users)SP800-53-IA-2(1)Multi-factor Authentication to Privileged AccountsSP800-53-IA-2(2)Multi-factor Authentication to Non-privileged AccountsSP800-53-IA-2(3)Local Access to Privileged AccountsSP800-53-IA-2(4)Local Access to Non-privileged AccountsSP800-53-IA-2(5)Individual Authentication with Group AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-2(6)Access to Accounts —separate DeviceSP800-53-IA-2(7)Network Access to Non-privileged Accounts — Separate DeviceSP800-53-IA-2(8)Access to Accounts — Replay ResistantSP800-53-IA-2(9)Network Access to Non-privileged Accounts — Replay ResistantSP800-53-IA-2(10)Single Sign-onSP800-53-IA-2(11)Remote Access — Separate DeviceSP800-53-IA-2(12)Acceptance of PIV CredentialsSP800-53-IA-2(13)Out-of-band AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-3Device Identification and AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-3(1)Cryptographic Bidirectional AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-3(2)Cryptographic Bidirectional Network AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-3(3)Dynamic Address AllocationSP800-53-IA-3(4)Device AttestationSP800-53-IA-4Identifier ManagementSP800-53-IA-4(1)Prohibit Account Identifiers as Public IdentifiersSP800-53-IA-4(2)Supervisor AuthorizationSP800-53-IA-4(3)Multiple Forms of CertificationSP800-53-IA-4(4)Identify User StatusSP800-53-IA-4(5)Dynamic ManagementSP800-53-IA-4(6)Cross-organization ManagementSP800-53-IA-4(7)In-person RegistrationSP800-53-IA-4(8)Pairwise Pseudonymous IdentifiersSP800-53-IA-4(9)Attribute Maintenance and ProtectionSP800-53-IA-5Authenticator ManagementSP800-53-IA-5(1)Password-based AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-5(2)Public Key-based AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-5(3)In-person or Trusted External Party RegistrationSP800-53-IA-5(4)Automated Support for Password Strength DeterminationSP800-53-IA-5(5)Change Authenticators Prior to DeliverySP800-53-IA-5(6)Protection of AuthenticatorsSP800-53-IA-5(7)No Embedded Unencrypted Static AuthenticatorsSP800-53-IA-5(8)Multiple System AccountsSP800-53-IA-5(9)Federated Credential ManagementSP800-53-IA-5(10)Dynamic Credential BindingSP800-53-IA-5(11)Hardware Token-based AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-5(12)Biometric Authentication PerformanceSP800-53-IA-5(13)Expiration of Cached AuthenticatorsSP800-53-IA-5(14)Managing Content of PKI Trust StoresSP800-53-IA-5(15)GSA-approved Products and ServicesSP800-53-IA-5(16)In-person or Trusted External Party Authenticator IssuanceSP800-53-IA-5(17)Presentation Attack Detection for Biometric AuthenticatorsSP800-53-IA-5(18)Password ManagersSP800-53-IA-6Authentication FeedbackSP800-53-IA-7Cryptographic Module AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-8Identification and Authentication (Non-organizational Users)SP800-53-IA-8(1)Acceptance of PIV Credentials from Other AgenciesSP800-53-IA-8(2)Acceptance of External AuthenticatorsSP800-53-IA-8(3)Use of FICAM-approved ProductsSP800-53-IA-8(4)Use of Defined ProfilesSP800-53-IA-8(5)Acceptance of PIV-I CredentialsSP800-53-IA-8(6)DisassociabilitySP800-53-IA-9Service Identification and AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-9(1)Information ExchangeSP800-53-IA-9(2)Transmission of DecisionsSP800-53-IA-10Adaptive AuthenticationSP800-53-IA-11Re-authenticationSP800-53-IA-12Identity ProofingSP800-53-IA-12(1)Supervisor AuthorizationSP800-53-IA-12(2)Identity EvidenceSP800-53-IA-12(3)Identity Evidence Validation and VerificationSP800-53-IA-12(4)In-person Validation and VerificationSP800-53-IA-12(5)Address ConfirmationSP800-53-IA-12(6)Accept Externally-proofed IdentitiesSP800-53-IA-13Identity Providers and Authorization ServersSP800-53-IA-13(1)Protection of Cryptographic KeysSP800-53-IA-13(2)Verification of Identity Assertions and Access TokensSP800-53-IA-13(3)Token Management