---
title: "HOST-PWD-002 Accounts With Obsolete Password Hashes"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-PWD-002.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-PWD-002.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# HOST-PWD-002 Accounts With Obsolete Password Hashes

Checks /etc/shadow for passwords still stored with MD5 or traditional DES crypt.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: Medium
- Control category: Identity and Authentication
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 5.2
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.AA-01
- CWE: CWE-916, CWE-328
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A02:2021
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5(1)

## Why It Matters

Old hashes survive configuration changes until the user changes the password. MD5-crypt and DES hashes can be cracked quickly with commodity hardware.

## How It Detects

Reads /etc/shadow (needs root) and inspects only the hash prefix of each password field: $1$ (MD5) or a 13-character field without a $ prefix (DES) fail. The hash itself is never copied.

## How to Fix

Configure a modern algorithm (HOST-PWD-001), then force a password change for each listed account (chage -d 0 <user>) or lock unused accounts (passwd -l <user>).

## How to Verify

```
Re-run this check; no accounts should be listed.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P7 Identity, Passwords and Privilege](https://openvapt.com/academy/p7.md)
- [P15 Access Control: Accounts, Sudo and Logins](https://openvapt.com/academy/p15.md)

## References

- [crypt(5), libxcrypt, Debian trixie manual pages (hashing methods)](https://manpages.debian.org/trixie/libcrypt-dev/crypt.5.en.html)
- [NIST SP 800-63B-4, Digital Identity Guidelines: Authentication and Authenticator Management](https://pages.nist.gov/800-63-4/sp800-63b.html)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/host/passwords.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-PWD-002`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-PWD-002`.

---

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