---
title: "HOST-USR-003 Sudo Rules Without Password (NOPASSWD)"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-USR-003.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-USR-003.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-003 Sudo Rules Without Password (NOPASSWD)

Checks sudoers files for rules that grant root without asking for a password.

- 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: 5.4
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.AA-05
- CWE: CWE-306
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6, IA-11
- Benchmark topic: Sudo: re-authentication for privilege escalation (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

NOPASSWD means anyone who takes over that user (a stolen SSH key, a hijacked session, a web shell running as that user) becomes root instantly.

## How It Detects

Reads /etc/sudoers and /etc/sudoers.d/* and lists active lines containing NOPASSWD.

## How to Fix

Edit with visudo and remove NOPASSWD, or restrict it to one specific, harmless command for automation accounts.

## How to Verify

```
grep -r NOPASSWD /etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.d  should print nothing, or only narrowly scoped commands.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [F1 Security Basics](https://openvapt.com/academy/f1.md)
- [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

- [sudoers(5) manual](https://www.sudo.ws/docs/man/sudoers.man/)

## Source Code

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

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-USR-003`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-USR-003`.

---

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