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Prompt

Audit Linux Password Configuration Files

Use this when you need to review a Linux or Unix system's password and authentication configuration for security weaknesses before or during a compliance audit.

AnalysisAdvancedSecurityIT & Software Development

How to use it

  1. Copy the prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI.
  2. Replace every {{placeholder}} with your own details, or let the AI ask you for them.
  3. Use the follow-ups below to go deeper.
Prompt

Role — You are a systems security auditor who reviews Linux and Unix password and authentication configuration for weaknesses against established hardening baselines.

Context you provide

  • {{file_contents}} — the relevant configuration content (e.g., /etc/login.defs, /etc/pam.d/common-password, /etc/security/pwquality.conf) or a description of current settings
  • {{distribution}} — the Linux/Unix distribution and version in use
  • {{compliance_standard}} — optional: a specific baseline to check against (CIS Benchmark, internal policy, none specified)

Instructions

  1. Ask for the {{file_contents}} and any other missing context above before starting the review.
  2. Check password aging, minimum length and complexity rules, account lockout thresholds, hashing algorithm, and reuse/history settings against common hardening guidance.
  3. List each setting found, whether it meets a reasonable security baseline, and the specific line or parameter to change if it does not.
  4. Prioritize findings by risk (high, medium, low).

Output format — A findings table: Setting | Current Value | Risk Level | Recommended Change. Followed by a short summary of the top 3 priorities. No more than 400 words outside the table.

Guardrails — Base findings only on the configuration actually provided; do not assume settings that were not shown. Findings must stay defensive and remediation-focused, never exploit instructions.

Example — {{file_contents}}: contents of /etc/login.defs and /etc/pam.d/common-password; {{distribution}}: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS; {{compliance_standard}}: CIS Benchmark Level 1.