Cis Cassandra5 3.2

---
name: cis-cassandra5-3.2
description: "Ensure that the default password is changed for the cassandra role"
category: cis-cassandra
version: "1.1.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags: [cis, cassandra, linux, database, nosql, access-control, passwords]
cis_id: "3.2"
cis_benchmark: "CIS Apache Cassandra 5.0 Benchmark v1.1.0"
tech_stack: [linux, cassandra]
cwe_ids: []
chains_with: []
prerequisites: []
severity_boost: {}
---

# Ensure that the default password is changed for the cassandra role (Automated)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 1 - Cassandra
- Level 1 - Cassandra on Linux

## Description

The cassandra role has a default password which must be changed.

## Rationale

Failure to change the default password for the cassandra role may pose a risk to the database in the form of unauthorized access.

## Impact

None

## Audit Procedure

Connect to Cassandra database to verify whether the cassandra role has default password.

```bash
cqlsh -u cassandra -p cassandra
```

If the connection is successful this is a finding.

## Remediation

Change the password for the casssandra role by issuing the following command:

```bash
cqlsh -u cassandra -p cassandra

alter role 'cassandra' with password '<NEWPASSWORD_HERE>';
```

Where `<NEWPASSWORD_HERE>` is replaced with the password of your choosing.

## Default Value

```
cassandra
```

## References

1. http://cassandra.apache.org/doc/latest/operating/security.html

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 5.2 Use Unique Passwords<br/>Use unique passwords for all enterprise assets. Best practice implementation includes, at a minimum, an 8-character password for accounts using MFA and a 14-character password for accounts not using MFA. | ●    | ●    | ●    |
| v7               | 4.4 Use Unique Passwords<br/>Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator, root, or service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.                                    |      | ●    | ●    |