Servers – Ensure Password Reuse is Limited

Support > Fixing Checks > Server

06 March, 2026

This check ensures that password reuse is limited by enforcing password history policies.

Limiting password reuse prevents users from recycling old passwords, reducing the risk of unauthorized access due to compromised credentials.

Check Details

Resource: Server
Check: Ensure password reuse is limited
Risk: Allowing password reuse increases the likelihood of attackers gaining access using previously compromised passwords.

Identify the appropriate PAM configuration file based on your system:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo nano /etc/pam.d/common-password

# RHEL/CentOS
sudo nano /etc/pam.d/system-auth

Add or modify the configuration to enforce password history using one of the following options:

# Recommended (pam_pwhistory)
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5

# Alternative (pam_unix)
password required pam_unix.so remember=5

Ensure the configuration is applied by checking the file:

grep remember /etc/pam.d/common-password
# OR
grep remember /etc/pam.d/system-auth

No service restart is typically required, but ensure users change passwords to enforce the new policy.
Perform regular audits to ensure compliance with password policies.