---
title: "HOST-USR-002 Accounts Without a Password"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-USR-002.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-USR-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-USR-002 Accounts Without a Password

Checks /etc/shadow for accounts whose password field is empty.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: High
- Control category: Identity and Authentication
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- CIS Controls v8: 5.2
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.AA-01
- CWE: CWE-258, CWE-521
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5
- Benchmark topic: User accounts: password fields are not empty (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

An empty password field means the account can log in with no password at all on any service that allows password logins. The score uses a local attack vector: any local user can switch to the account (su) without a password, while the SSH daemon refuses empty passwords unless PermitEmptyPasswords is yes. If HOST-SSH-003 also fails, the same account is open from the network and should be treated as Critical.

## How It Detects

Reads /etc/shadow (needs root) and lists entries whose second field is empty. Locked ('!' or '*') entries pass. Hashes are never copied into the report.

## How to Fix

For each listed user either set a password (passwd <user>) or lock the account (passwd -l <user>).

## How to Verify

```
awk -F: '$2==""' /etc/shadow  should print nothing.
```

## 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

- [shadow(5), Linux man-pages](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/shadow.5.html)

## Source Code

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

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

---

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