Accounts for device management must be configured on the authentication server and not the network device itself, except for the account of last resort.

From Network Device Management Security Requirements Guide

SV-69545r3_rule Accounts for device management must be configured on the authentication server and not the network device itself, except for the account of last resort.

Vulnerability discussion

Centralized management of authentication settings increases the security of remote and nonlocal access methods. This control is particularly important protection against the insider threat. With robust centralized management, audit records for administrator account access to the organization's network devices can be more readily analyzed for trends and anomalies. The alternative method of defining administrator accounts on each device exposes the device configuration to remote access authentication attacks and system administrators with multiple authenticators for each network device.

Check content

Review the network device configuration. Determine if any user access accounts other than the account of last resort are configured locally. User access account roles should also be limited to those needed to configure authentication server services. If any User access accounts other than the account of last resort exist on the device, this is a finding. If authentication services are not configured, this is a finding.

Fix text

Remove all local accounts from the network device except for an account of last resort. Configure the device to use an authentication server for user account authentication services (e.g., AAA or LDAP).

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