CIS Ubuntu Linux 20.

04
LTS Benchmark
v3.0.0 - 03-31-2025

Internal Only - General

 Terms of Use
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 Table of Contents
Terms of Use ................................................................................................................. 1
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... 2
Overview ...................................................................................................................... 11
Important Usage Information ...............................................................................................11
Key Stakeholders ................................................................................................................................. 11
Apply the Correct Version of a Benchmark ...................................................................................... 12
Exceptions ............................................................................................................................................ 12
Remediation ......................................................................................................................................... 13
Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 13
Target Technology Details ...................................................................................................14
Intended Audience................................................................................................................14
Consensus Guidance ...........................................................................................................15
Typographical Conventions .................................................................................................16
Recommendation Definitions ..................................................................................... 17
Title ........................................................................................................................................17
Assessment Status...............................................................................................................17
Automated ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Manual ................................................................................................................................................... 17
Profile ....................................................................................................................................17
Description ............................................................................................................................17
Rationale Statement .............................................................................................................17
Impact Statement ..................................................................................................................18
Audit Procedure ....................................................................................................................18
Remediation Procedure........................................................................................................18
Default Value .........................................................................................................................18
References ............................................................................................................................18
CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) ..................................................................18
Additional Information..........................................................................................................18
Profile Definitions .................................................................................................................19
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................20
Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 21
1 Initial Setup ........................................................................................................................21
1.1 Filesystem ...................................................................................................................................... 21
1.1.1 Configure Filesystem Kernel Modules ................................................................................... 22
1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available (Automated) ......................................... 23
1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available (Automated) ....................................... 27

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 1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................... 30
1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available (Automated) ........................................ 33
1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................. 36
1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available (Automated) ........................................ 39
1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available (Automated) ..................................... 42
1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................... 46
1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available (Automated) ................................. 49
1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not available (Manual) .................... 53
1.1.2 Configure Filesystem Partitions ............................................................................................. 58
1.1.2.1 Configure /tmp .................................................................................................................... 59
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition (Automated) ....................................................... 60
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition (Automated) ............................................ 63
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition (Automated) ........................................... 65
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition (Automated) .......................................... 67
1.1.2.2 Configure /dev/shm ............................................................................................................ 69
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition (Automated) ............................................... 70
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition (Automated) .................................... 72
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition (Automated) .................................... 74
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition (Automated) ................................... 76
1.1.2.3 Configure /home ................................................................................................................. 78
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home (Automated) ........................................... 79
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition (Automated) ......................................... 81
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition (Automated) ........................................ 83
1.1.2.4 Configure /var ..................................................................................................................... 85
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var (Automated) ............................................... 86
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition (Automated) ............................................. 88
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition (Automated) ............................................ 90
1.1.2.5 Configure /var/tmp .............................................................................................................. 92
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp (Automated) ........................................ 93
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated) ...................................... 95
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated) ..................................... 97
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated) .................................... 99
1.1.2.6 Configure /var/log ............................................................................................................. 101
1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log (Automated) ....................................... 102
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition (Automated) ..................................... 104
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition (Automated) .................................... 106
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition (Automated) ................................... 108
1.1.2.7 Configure /var/log/audit ................................................................................................... 110
1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit (Automated) .............................. 111
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition (Automated) ............................ 113
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition (Automated) ............................ 115
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition (Automated)........................... 117
1.2 Package Management ................................................................................................................. 119
1.2.1 Configure Package Repositories .......................................................................................... 120
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured (Manual) ................................................................ 121
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured (Manual) ............................... 123
1.2.2 Configure Package Updates ................................................................................................. 125
1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security software are installed (Manual) ... 126
1.3 Mandatory Access Control ......................................................................................................... 129
1.3.1 Configure AppArmor.............................................................................................................. 130
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are installed (Automated) ............ 131
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader configuration (Automated) ............... 133
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled (Automated) ...................................... 135
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing (Automated) .......................................... 137
1.4 Configure Bootloader .................................................................................................................. 139
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set (Automated) ........................................................... 140

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 1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured (Automated) .................................... 143
1.5 Configure Additional Process Hardening ................................................................................. 145
1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled (Automated) .......................... 146
1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted (Automated) ............................................................ 149
1.5.3 Ensure core dumps are restricted (Automated) ............................................................. 153
1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed (Automated) ................................................................... 156
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled (Automated) .................................... 158
1.6 Configure Command Line Warning Banners ............................................................................ 160
1.6.1 Ensure /etc/motd is configured (Automated) ................................................................. 161
1.6.2 Ensure /etc/issue is configured (Automated) ................................................................. 165
1.6.3 Ensure /etc/issue.net is configured (Automated) ........................................................... 167
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured (Automated) ................................................. 169
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured (Automated)................................................. 171
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured (Automated) .......................................... 173
1.7 Configure GNOME Display Manager .......................................................................................... 175
1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed (Automated) .......................................................................... 176
1.7.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured (Automated) ................................................... 178
1.7.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled (Automated) ...................................... 181
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle (Automated) ...................................... 184
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden (Automated) ..................................... 187
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is disabled (Automated) .......... 189
1.7.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable media is not overridden
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 192
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled (Automated) .................................................... 194
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden (Automated) .......................................... 197
1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled (Automated) ............................................................... 199
2 Services............................................................................................................................202
2.1 Configure Server Services .......................................................................................................... 203
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use (Automated) ....................................................... 204
2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use (Automated) .......................................... 207
2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use (Automated).............................................. 210
2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use (Automated)................................................ 213
2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use (Automated) .................................................. 215
2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use (Automated) ................................................. 217
2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use (Automated)............................................... 220
2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use (Automated) .......................... 222
2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use (Automated) .................................. 225
2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use (Automated) ............................................... 227
2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use (Automated) ............................................ 230
2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use (Automated)................................................... 233
2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use (Automated) ...................................................... 236
2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use (Automated) ................................... 238
2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use (Automated) ...................................................... 240
2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use (Automated) .............................................. 243
2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use (Automated) ................................... 246
2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use (Automated) ............................................. 249
2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use (Automated) ..................................................... 252
2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use (Automated) .................................... 255
2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only mode (Automated) ............ 257
2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a network interface (Manual) ........... 260
2.2 Configure Client Services ........................................................................................................... 263
2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed (Automated) ................................................................ 264
2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed (Automated) ............................................................... 266
2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed (Automated) ............................................................... 268
2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed (Automated) ........................................................... 270

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 2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed (Automated) ............................................................. 272
2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed (Automated) ................................................................ 274
2.3 Configure Time Synchronization ............................................................................................... 276
2.3.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use................................................................................. 277
2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use (Automated) ........................ 278
2.3.2 Configure systemd-timesyncd.............................................................................................. 282
2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized timeserver (Automated) ...... 284
2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running (Automated) .............................. 288
2.3.3 Configure chrony ................................................................................................................... 290
2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver (Automated) ....................... 291
2.3.3.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony (Automated) ............................................ 295
2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running (Automated) .................................................. 297
2.4 Job Schedulers ............................................................................................................................ 299
2.4.1 Configure cron ........................................................................................................................ 300
2.4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active (Automated) .......................................... 301
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured (Automated) .......................................... 303
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured (Automated) .................................... 305
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured (Automated) ...................................... 307
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured (Automated) ................................... 309
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured (Automated) ................................. 311
2.4.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/cron.yearly is configured (Automated) .................................... 313
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured (Automated) ............................................ 314
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured (Automated) ................................................. 316
2.4.2 Configure at ............................................................................................................................ 320
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured (Automated) .......................................................... 321
3 Network ............................................................................................................................325
3.1 Configure Network Devices ........................................................................................................ 326
3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified (Manual) ...................................................................... 327
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are not available (Automated) ............................................ 330
3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use (Automated).................................................. 333
3.2 Configure Network Kernel Modules ........................................................................................... 336
3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................. 337
3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................... 341
3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available (Automated) ................................................ 346
3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available (Automated) .............................................. 351
3.3 Configure Network Kernel Parameters ...................................................................................... 356
3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled (Automated) ............................................................... 357
3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled (Automated) .............................................. 362
3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored (Automated) .............................................. 367
3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored (Automated) ........................................... 372
3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated) ................................................... 377
3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated) ....................................... 382
3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled (Automated) ................................................... 387
3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted (Automated) ...................................... 392
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged (Automated) ..................................................... 398
3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled (Automated) ......................................................... 403
3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted (Automated) ............................. 408
4 Host Based Firewall .........................................................................................................413
4.1 Configure a single firewall utility ............................................................................................... 414
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use (Automated) ................................ 415
4.2 Configure UncomplicatedFirewall .............................................................................................. 418
4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed (Automated) .............................................................................. 419
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw (Automated) ....................................................... 421
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw (Automated) .................................. 423
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled (Automated) .................................................................. 425

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 4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured (Automated) ................................................. 428
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured (Manual) ......................................... 430
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated) ...................................... 432
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy (Automated) ..................................................... 435
4.3 Configure nftables ....................................................................................................................... 437
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed (Automated) ....................................................................... 439
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables (Automated) .................................. 441
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables (Manual) ....................................................... 443
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists (Automated) ................................................................... 445
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist (Automated) ............................................................ 447
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured (Automated) .......................................... 449
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections are configured (Manual) ........ 451
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy (Automated) .............................................. 453
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled (Automated) ........................................................... 455
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent (Automated) ...................................................... 457
4.4 Configure iptables ....................................................................................................................... 460
4.4.1 Configure iptables software .................................................................................................. 461
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed (Automated) ................................................. 462
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables (Automated) ............................................. 464
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables (Automated) .................................................... 466
4.4.2 Configure IPv4 iptables ......................................................................................................... 468
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy (Automated) ........................................... 469
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured (Automated) ....................................... 471
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections are configured (Manual) ..... 473
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated) ............................. 475
4.4.3 Configure IPv6 ip6tables ....................................................................................................... 477
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy (Automated) ......................................... 478
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured (Automated) ..................................... 481
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections are configured (Manual) ... 484
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated) ........................... 486
5 Access Control ................................................................................................................489
5.1 Configure SSH Server ................................................................................................................. 490
5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured (Automated) ............................... 492
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured (Automated)....................... 495
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured (Automated) ........................ 499
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured (Automated) ............................................................ 503
5.1.5 Ensure sshd Banner is configured (Automated) ............................................................ 506
5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured (Automated) ........................................................ 508
5.1.7 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax are configured (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 511
5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled (Automated) ............................................. 514
5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled (Automated) ...................................... 516
5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled (Automated) ................................. 518
5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled (Automated) .................................................... 520
5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured (Automated) .............................................. 522
5.1.13 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured (Automated) ........................................... 525
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured (Automated) ....................................................... 527
5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured (Automated) ......................................................... 529
5.1.16 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured (Automated) ............................................... 532
5.1.17 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured (Automated) ................................................ 534
5.1.18 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured (Automated) ................................................. 536
5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled (Automated) .................................. 538
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled (Automated) .............................................. 540
5.1.21 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled (Automated) .................................. 542
5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled (Automated) ........................................................... 544

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 5.2 Configure privilege escalation ................................................................................................... 546
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed (Automated) ............................................................................ 547
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty (Automated) .............................................................. 549
5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated) ........................................................................ 551
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege escalation (Automated) ................. 553
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not disabled globally (Automated) 555
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured (Automated) .................................... 557
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted (Automated) ....................................... 559
5.3 Pluggable Authentication Modules ............................................................................................ 561
5.3.1 Configure PAM software packages ...................................................................................... 562
5.3.1.1 Ensure latest version of pam is installed (Automated) ............................................... 563
5.3.1.2 Ensure latest version of libpam-modules is installed (Automated) ............................. 565
5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed (Automated) ........................... 567
5.3.2 Configure pam-auth-update profiles .................................................................................... 569
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled (Automated)..................................................... 570
5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled (Automated) ................................................ 572
5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled (Automated) ............................................ 575
5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled (Automated) ............................................ 578
5.3.3 Configure PAM Arguments ................................................................................................... 581
5.3.3.1 Configure pam_faillock module ...................................................................................... 582
5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured (Automated)...................... 583
5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured (Automated) ....................................... 585
5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root account (Automated) ........ 588
5.3.3.2 Configure pam_pwquality module .................................................................................. 591
5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is configured (Automated) ........ 593
5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured (Automated) ................................ 596
5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured (Manual) .............................................. 600
5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is configured (Automated) ........... 604
5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is configured (Automated) ...... 608
5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled (Automated) .................................... 612
5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced (Automated) ................................... 615
5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user (Automated) ....................... 617
5.3.3.3 Configure pam_pwhistory module ................................................................................. 620
5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured (Automated) ............................. 621
5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user (Automated) ....................... 624
5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok (Automated) .................................... 627
5.3.3.4 Configure pam_unix module ........................................................................................... 629
5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok (Automated) .......................................... 630
5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember (Automated) ................................... 633
5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing algorithm (Automated) ..... 635
5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok (Automated) ............................................. 638
5.4 User Accounts and Environment ............................................................................................... 641
5.4.1 Configure shadow password suite parameters .................................................................. 642
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured (Automated) ............................................. 643
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured (Manual) ........................................... 646
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured (Automated) ....................... 649
5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured (Automated) ..................... 651
5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured (Automated) ......................................... 654
5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past (Automated) .................... 656
5.4.2 Configure root and system accounts and environment .................................................... 658
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account (Automated) ................................................... 659
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account (Automated) ................................................... 661
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group (Automated) ............................................ 663
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled (Automated) .............................................. 665
5.4.2.5 Ensure root path integrity (Automated) ....................................................................... 667
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured (Automated) ................................................... 670

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 5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell (Automated) ....................... 672
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked (Automated) ......................... 674
5.4.3 Configure user default environment .................................................................................... 676
5.4.3.1 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells (Automated) ............................................... 677
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured (Automated) ..................................... 679
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured (Automated) .............................................. 683
6 Logging and Auditing ......................................................................................................688
6.1 Configure Integrity Checking ..................................................................................................... 689
6.1.1 Ensure AIDE is installed (Automated) ........................................................................... 690
6.1.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked (Automated) ....................................... 692
6.1.3 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect the integrity of audit tools
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 694
6.2 System Logging ........................................................................................................................... 696
6.2.1 Configure systemd-journald service .................................................................................... 697
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active (Automated) ...................................... 698
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured (Manual) .............................................. 700
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured (Manual) ............................................. 703
6.2.2 Configure journald ................................................................................................................. 707
6.2.2.1 Configure systemd-journal-remote................................................................................. 708
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed (Automated) ........................................ 709
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is configured (Manual)................... 711
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active (Automated) ....................... 713
6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use (Automated) ......................... 715
6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled (Automated) ...................................... 717
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured (Automated) ............................................... 719
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured (Automated) .................................................. 721
6.2.3 Configure rsyslog................................................................................................................... 723
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active (Automated) ........................................ 724
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated) ..................................................................... 726
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog (Automated) ........................... 728
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured (Automated) .............................. 731
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured (Manual) ........................................................... 733
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log host (Manual) .................. 736
6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a remote client (Automated) .. 738
6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured (Manual) ..................................................................... 740
6.2.4 Configure Logfiles.................................................................................................................. 742
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured (Automated) ................................. 743
6.3 System Auditing ........................................................................................................................... 748
6.3.1 Configure auditd Service ....................................................................................................... 750
6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed (Automated) .................................................... 751
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active (Automated) ......................................... 753
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is enabled (Automated) ....... 755
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured (Automated) .............................................. 757
6.3.2 Configure Data Retention ...................................................................................................... 759
6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured (Automated) ........................................... 760
6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted (Automated) .................................... 762
6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full (Automated) ............................... 764
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space (Automated) ...................... 767
6.3.3 Configure auditd Rules .......................................................................................................... 770
6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope (sudoers) is collected (Automated)771
6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged (Automated) ............................... 774
6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected (Automated) ..................... 777
6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are collected (Automated) ...... 780
6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network environment are collected
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 784

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 6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected (Automated) ................................ 788
6.3.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected (Automated) ....................... 792
6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are collected (Automated) .......... 796
6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission modification events are collected
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 800
6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected (Automated) ........................... 804
6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected (Automated) ................................ 807
6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected (Automated) ...................................... 810
6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected (Automated) .............................. 813
6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory Access Controls are collected
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 816
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the chcon command are
collected (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 819
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the setfacl command are
collected (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 822
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the chacl command are
collected (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 825
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the usermod command are
collected (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 828
6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification is collected (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 831
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable (Automated) ........................................ 835
6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same (Manual) ....................... 837
6.3.4 Configure auditd File Access ................................................................................................ 839
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured (Automated) .............................................. 840
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured (Automated) ............................................. 842
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured (Automated) ................................... 844
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured (Automated) ........................... 846
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured (Automated) .............................. 848
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured (Automated) ............................. 850
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is configured (Automated) ................... 852
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured (Automated)................................................... 854
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured (Automated) .................................................. 856
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured (Automated) ..................................... 858
7 System Maintenance .......................................................................................................860
7.1 Configure system file and directory access ............................................................................. 861
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured (Automated) ............................................. 862
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured (Automated) ........................................... 864
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured (Automated) ................................................ 866
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured (Automated)............................................... 868
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured (Automated) ............................................ 870
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured (Automated) ........................................... 872
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured (Automated) .......................................... 874
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured (Automated) ......................................... 876
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured (Automated) ................................................ 878
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured (Automated) ........................... 880
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured (Automated) ......................... 882
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a group exist (Automated) ......... 886
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed (Manual) ................................................... 889
7.2 Local User and Group Settings .................................................................................................. 892
7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed passwords (Automated) .................... 893
7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty (Automated) ................................. 896
7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group (Automated) ................................. 898
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty (Automated) ................................................................ 900
7.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist (Automated) ................................................................. 902

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 7.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist (Automated) ................................................................ 904
7.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist (Automated) ...................................................... 906
7.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist (Automated).................................................... 908
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are configured (Automated) ................. 910
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is configured (Automated) ................... 914
Appendix: Summary Table ....................................................................................... 919
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 1 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 942
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 2 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 948
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 3 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 959
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 Unmapped Recommendations................................... 970
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 1 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 971
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 2 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 978
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 3 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 989
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 Unmapped Recommendations ................................. 1000
Appendix: Change History ..................................................................................... 1001

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 Overview
All CIS Benchmarks™ (Benchmarks) focus on technical configuration settings used to
maintain and/or increase the security of the addressed technology, and they should be
used in conjunction with other essential cyber hygiene tasks like:
• Monitoring the base operating system and applications for vulnerabilities and
quickly updating with the latest security patches.
• End-point protection (Antivirus software, Endpoint Detection and Response
(EDR), etc.).
• Logging and monitoring user and system activity.

In the end, the Benchmarks are designed to be a key component of a comprehensive

cybersecurity program.

Important Usage Information

All Benchmarks are available free for non-commercial use from the CIS Website. They
can be used to manually assess and remediate systems and applications. In lieu of
manual assessment and remediation, there are several tools available to assist with
assessment:
• CIS Configuration Assessment Tool (CIS-CAT® Pro Assessor)
• CIS Benchmarks™ Certified 3rd Party Tooling

These tools make the hardening process much more scalable for large numbers of
systems and applications.

NOTE: Some tooling focuses only on the Benchmark Recommendations that can
be fully automated (skipping ones marked Manual). It is important that ALL
Recommendations (Automated and Manual) be addressed since all are
important for properly securing systems and are typically in scope for
audits.

Key Stakeholders
Cybersecurity is a collaborative effort, and cross functional cooperation is imperative
within an organization to discuss, test, and deploy Benchmarks in an effective and
efficient way. The Benchmarks are developed to be best practice configuration
guidelines applicable to a wide range of use cases. In some organizations, exceptions
to specific Recommendations will be needed, and this team should work to prioritize the
problematic Recommendations based on several factors like risk, time, cost, and labor.
These exceptions should be properly categorized and documented for auditing
purposes.

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 Apply the Correct Version of a Benchmark
Benchmarks are developed and tested for a specific set of products and versions and
applying an incorrect Benchmark to a system can cause the resulting pass/fail score to
be incorrect. This is due to the assessment of settings that do not apply to the target
systems. To assure the correct Benchmark is being assessed:
• Deploy the Benchmark applicable to the way settings are managed in the
environment: An example of this is the Microsoft Windows family of
Benchmarks, which have separate Benchmarks for Group Policy, Intune, and
Stand-alone systems based upon how system management is deployed.
Applying the wrong Benchmark in this case will give invalid results.

• Use the most recent version of a Benchmark: This is true for all Benchmarks,
but especially true for cloud technologies. Cloud technologies change frequently
and using an older version of a Benchmark may have invalid methods for
auditing and remediation.

Exceptions
The guidance items in the Benchmarks are called recommendations and not
requirements, and exceptions to some of them are expected and acceptable. The
Benchmarks strive to be a secure baseline, or starting point, for a specific technology,
with known issues identified during Benchmark development are documented in the
Impact section of each Recommendation. In addition, organizational, system specific
requirements, or local site policy may require changes as well, or an exception to a
Recommendation or group of Recommendations (e.g. A Benchmark could Recommend
that a Web server not be installed on the system, but if a system's primary purpose is to
function as a Webserver, there should be a documented exception to this
Recommendation for that specific server).

In the end, exceptions to some Benchmark Recommendations are common and

acceptable, and should be handled as follows:
• The reasons for the exception should be reviewed cross-functionally and be well
documented for audit purposes.
• A plan should be developed for mitigating, or eliminating, the exception in the
future, if applicable.
• If the organization decides to accept the risk of this exception (not work toward
mitigation or elimination), this should be documented for audit purposes.

It is the responsibility of the organization to determine their overall security policy, and
which settings are applicable to their unique needs based on the overall risk profile for
the organization.

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 Remediation
CIS has developed Build Kits for many technologies to assist in the automation of
hardening systems. Build Kits are designed to correspond to Benchmark's
“Remediation” section, which provides the manual remediation steps necessary to make
that Recommendation compliant to the Benchmark.

When remediating systems (changing configuration settings on

deployed systems as per the Benchmark's Recommendations),
please approach this with caution and test thoroughly.

The following is a reasonable remediation approach to follow:

• CIS Build Kits, or internally developed remediation methods should never be
applied to production systems without proper testing.
• Proper testing consists of the following:
o Understand the configuration (including installed applications) of the targeted
systems. Various parts of the organization may need different configurations
(e.g., software developers vs standard office workers).
o Read the Impact section of the given Recommendation to help determine if
there might be an issue with the targeted systems.
o Test the configuration changes with representative lab system(s). If issues
arise during testing, they can be resolved prior to deploying to any production
systems.
o When testing is complete, initially deploy to a small sub-set of production
systems and monitor closely for issues. If there are issues, they can be
resolved prior to deploying more broadly.
o When the initial deployment above is completes successfully, iteratively
deploy to additional systems and monitor closely for issues. Repeat this
process until the full deployment is complete.
Summary
Using the Benchmarks Certified tools, working as a team with key stakeholders, being
selective with exceptions, and being careful with remediation deployment, it is possible
to harden large numbers of deployed systems in a cost effective, efficient, and safe
manner.

NOTE: As previously stated, the PDF versions of the CIS Benchmarks™ are
available for free, non-commercial use on the CIS Website. All other formats
of the CIS Benchmarks™ (MS Word, Excel, and Build Kits) are available for
CIS SecureSuite® members.

CIS-CAT® Pro is also available to CIS SecureSuite® members.

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 Target Technology Details
This document provides prescriptive guidance for establishing a secure configuration
posture for Ubuntu Linux 20.04 LTS systems running on x86_64 platforms.
This guide was developed and tested against Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS
The guidance within broadly assumes that operations are being performed as the root
user and executed under the default Bash version for the applicable distribution.
Operations performed using sudo instead of the root user, or executed under another
shell, may produce unexpected results, or fail to make the intended changes to the
system. Non-root users may not be able to access certain areas of the system,
especially after remediation has been performed. It is advisable to verify root users
path integrity and the integrity of any programs being run prior to execution of
commands and scripts included in this benchmark.
The default prompt for the root user is #, and as such all-sample commands will have #
as an additional indication that it is to be executed as root.
To obtain the latest version of this guide, please visit http://workbench.cisecurity.org. If
you have questions, comments, or have identified ways to improve this guide, please
write us at [email protected].

Intended Audience
This benchmark is intended for system and application administrators, security
specialists, auditors, help desk, and platform deployment personnel who plan to
develop, deploy, assess, or secure solutions that incorporate Ubuntu Linux 20.04 LTS
on x86_64 platforms.

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 Consensus Guidance
This CIS Benchmark™ was created using a consensus review process comprised of a
global community of subject matter experts. The process combines real world
experience with data-based information to create technology specific guidance to assist
users to secure their environments. Consensus participants provide perspective from a
diverse set of backgrounds including consulting, software development, audit and
compliance, security research, operations, government, and legal.
Each CIS Benchmark undergoes two phases of consensus review. The first phase
occurs during initial Benchmark development. During this phase, subject matter experts
convene to discuss, create, and test working drafts of the Benchmark. This discussion
occurs until consensus has been reached on Benchmark recommendations. The
second phase begins after the Benchmark has been published. During this phase, all
feedback provided by the Internet community is reviewed by the consensus team for
incorporation in the Benchmark. If you are interested in participating in the consensus
process, please visit https://workbench.cisecurity.org/.

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 Typographical Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used throughout this guide:

Convention Meaning

Used for blocks of code, command, and

Stylized Monospace font script examples. Text should be interpreted
exactly as presented.

Used for inline code, commands, UI/Menu

Monospace font selections or examples. Text should be
interpreted exactly as presented.

Text set in angle brackets denote a variable

<Monospace font in brackets>
requiring substitution for a real value.

Used to reference other relevant settings,

CIS Benchmarks and/or Benchmark
Italic font
Communities. Also, used to denote the title
of a book, article, or other publication.

Additional information or caveats things like

Notes, Warnings, or Cautions (usually just
Bold font
the word itself and the rest of the text
normal).

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 Recommendation Definitions
The following defines the various components included in a CIS recommendation as
applicable. If any of the components are not applicable it will be noted, or the
component will not be included in the recommendation.

Title
Concise description for the recommendation's intended configuration.

Assessment Status
An assessment status is included for every recommendation. The assessment status
indicates whether the given recommendation can be automated or requires manual
steps to implement. Both statuses are equally important and are determined and
supported as defined below:

Automated
Represents recommendations for which assessment of a technical control can be fully
automated and validated to a pass/fail state. Recommendations will include the
necessary information to implement automation.

Manual
Represents recommendations for which assessment of a technical control cannot be
fully automated and requires all or some manual steps to validate that the configured
state is set as expected. The expected state can vary depending on the environment.

Profile
A collection of recommendations for securing a technology or a supporting platform.
Most benchmarks include at least a Level 1 and Level 2 Profile. Level 2 extends Level 1
recommendations and is not a standalone profile. The Profile Definitions section in the
benchmark provides the definitions as they pertain to the recommendations included for
the technology.

Description
Detailed information pertaining to the setting with which the recommendation is
concerned. In some cases, the description will include the recommended value.

Rationale Statement
Detailed reasoning for the recommendation to provide the user a clear and concise
understanding on the importance of the recommendation.

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 Impact Statement
Any security, functionality, or operational consequences that can result from following
the recommendation.

Audit Procedure
Systematic instructions for determining if the target system complies with the
recommendation.

Remediation Procedure
Systematic instructions for applying recommendations to the target system to bring it
into compliance according to the recommendation.

Default Value
Default value for the given setting in this recommendation, if known. If not known, either
not configured or not defined will be applied.

References
Additional documentation relative to the recommendation.

CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®)

The mapping between a recommendation and the CIS Controls is organized by CIS
Controls version, Safeguard, and Implementation Group (IG). The Benchmark in its
entirety addresses the CIS Controls safeguards of (v7) “5.1 - Establish Secure
Configurations” and (v8) '4.1 - Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process”
so individual recommendations will not be mapped to these safeguards.

Additional Information
Supplementary information that does not correspond to any other field but may be
useful to the user.

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 Profile Definitions
The following configuration profiles are defined by this Benchmark:
• Level 1 - Server

Items in this profile intend to:

o be practical and prudent;

o provide a clear security benefit; and
o not inhibit the utility of the technology beyond acceptable means.

This profile is intended for servers.

• Level 2 - Server

This profile extends the "Level 1 - Server" profile. Items in this profile exhibit one
or more of the following characteristics:

o are intended for environments or use cases where security is paramount.

o acts as defense in depth measure.
o may negatively inhibit the utility or performance of the technology.

This profile is intended for servers.

• Level 1 - Workstation

Items in this profile intend to:

o be practical and prudent;

o provide a clear security benefit; and
o not inhibit the utility of the technology beyond acceptable means.

This profile is intended for workstations.

• Level 2 - Workstation

This profile extends the "Level 1 - Workstation" profile. Items in this profile exhibit
one or more of the following characteristics:

o are intended for environments or use cases where security is paramount.

o acts as defense in depth measure.
o may negatively inhibit the utility or performance of the technology.

This profile is intended for workstations.

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 Acknowledgements
This Benchmark exemplifies the great things a community of users, vendors, and
subject matter experts can accomplish through consensus collaboration. The CIS
community thanks the entire consensus team with special recognition to the following
individuals who contributed greatly to the creation of this guide:
This benchmark is based upon previous Linux benchmarks published and would not be
possible without the contributions provided over the history of all of these benchmarks.
The CIS community thanks everyone who has contributed to the Linux benchmarks.

Contributor
Ron Colvin
Dave Billing
Dominic Pace
Koen Laevens
Mark Birch
Thomas Sjögren
James Trigg
Matthew Burket
Marcus Burghardt
Graham Eames
Robert McSulla
Chad Streck
Ryan Jaynes
Cory Sherman
Simon John
Steve Cobrin
Mike Cross

Editor
Jonathan Lewis Christopherson
Eric Pinnell
Gokhan Lus
Randie Bejar

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 Recommendations
1 Initial Setup
Items in this section are advised for all systems but may be difficult or require extensive
preparation after the initial setup of the system.

1.1 Filesystem

The file system is generally a built-in layer used to handle the data management of the
storage.

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 1.1.1 Configure Filesystem Kernel Modules

Several uncommon filesystem types are supported under Linux. Removing support for
unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the system. If a
filesystem type is not needed it should be disabled. Native Linux file systems are
designed to ensure that built-in security controls function as expected. Non-native
filesystems can lead to unexpected consequences to both the security and functionality
of the system and should be used with caution. Many filesystems are created for niche
use cases and are not maintained and supported as the operating systems are updated
and patched. Users of non-native filesystems should ensure that there is attention and
ongoing support for them, especially in light of frequent operating system changes.
Standard network connectivity and Internet access to cloud storage may make the use
of non-standard filesystem formats to directly attach heterogeneous devices much less
attractive.
Note: This should not be considered a comprehensive list of filesystems. You may wish
to consider additions to those listed here for your environment. For the current available
file system modules on the system see ls /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/fs | sort
-u
Start up scripts
Kernel modules loaded directly via insmod will ignore what is configured in the relevant
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf files. If modules are still being loaded after a reboot whilst
having the correctly configured blacklist and install command, check for insmod
entries in start up scripts such as .bashrc.
Return values
Using /bin/false as the command in disabling a particular module serves two
purposes; to convey the meaning of the entry to the user and cause a non-zero return
value. The latter can be tested for in scripts. Please note that insmod will ignore what is
configured in the relevant configuration files. The preferred way to load modules is with
modprobe.

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 1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The cramfs filesystem type is a compressed read-only Linux filesystem embedded in
small footprint systems. A cramfs image can be used without having to first
decompress the image.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.

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 Audit:
Verify the cramfs kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been
disabled.
This can be verified by performing the following:
Run the following script to determine if the cramfs kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="cramfs" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the cramfs kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the cramfs filesystem as part of the kernel opposed
to being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return
anything. This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned by the above script, verify the cramfs kernel module is not loaded
and not loadable by performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the cramfs kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'cramfs'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the cramfs kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+cramfs\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist cramfs
-AND EITHER-
install cramfs /bin/false
-OR-
install cramfs /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist cramfs
install cramfs /bin/false

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 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the cramfs kernel module.
# modprobe -r cramfs 2>/dev/null
# rmmod cramfs 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the cramfs kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install cramfs /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory

Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install cramfs /bin/false" >> cramfs.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist cramfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory

Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist cramfs" >> cramfs.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53: CM-7 a

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-7.1 (ii)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Group ID: V-230498
4. RHEL 9 STIG Group ID: V-257880

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

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 1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The freevxfs filesystem type is a free version of the Veritas type filesystem. This is the
primary filesystem type for HP-UX operating systems.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.

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 Audit:
Verify the freevxfs kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been
disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the freevxfs kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="freevxfs" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the freevxfs kernel module is not available on the system and
no further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the freevxfs filesystem as part of the kernel
opposed to being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not
return anything. This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the freevxfs kernel module is not loaded and not
loadable by performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the freevxfs kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'freevxfs'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the freevxfs kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+freevxfs\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist freevxfs
-AND-
install freevxfs /bin/false
-OR-
install freevxfs /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist freevxfs
install freevxfs /bin/false

Page 28

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the freevxfs kernel module:
# modprobe -r freevxfs 2>/dev/null
# rmmod freevxfs 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the freevxfs kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install freevxfs /bin/false in the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install freevxfs /bin/false" >> freevxfs.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist freevxfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist freevxfs" >> freevxfs.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53: CM-7 a

2. NIST SP 800-53A: CM-7.1 (ii)

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on Enterprise

v8 Assets and Software ● ●
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, such
as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are

v7 Running ● ●
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 29

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The hfs filesystem type is a hierarchical filesystem that allows you to mount Mac OS
filesystems.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.

Page 30

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the hfs kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the hfs kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="hfs" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the hfs kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.
Note: Some systems may include the hfs filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the hfs kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:
Run the following command to verify the hfs kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'hfs'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the hfs kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+hfs\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist hfs
-AND-
install hfs /bin/false
-OR-
install hfs /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist hfs
install hfs /bin/false

Page 31

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the hfs kernel module:
# modprobe -r hfs 2>/dev/null
# rmmod hfs 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the hfs kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install hfs /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/
directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install hfs /bin/false" >> hfs.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist hfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist hfs" >> hfs.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53: CM-7 a

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-7.1 (ii)

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on Enterprise

v8 Assets and Software ● ●
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, such
as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are

v7 Running ● ●
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 32

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The hfsplus filesystem type is a hierarchical filesystem designed to replace hfs that
allows you to mount Mac OS filesystems.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.

Page 33

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the hfsplus kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been
disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the hfsplus kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="hfsplus" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the hfsplus kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the hfsplus filesystem as part of the kernel opposed
to being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return
anything. This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the hfsplus kernel module is not loaded and not loadable
by performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the hfsplus kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'hfsplus'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the hfsplus kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+hfsplus\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist hfsplus
-AND-
install hfsplus /bin/false
-OR-
install hfsplus /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist hfsplus
install hfsplus /bin/false

Page 34

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following commands to unload the hfsplus kernel module:
# modprobe -r hfsplus 2>/dev/null
# rmmod hfsplus 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the hfsplus kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install hfsplus /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install hfsplus /bin/false" >> hfsplus.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist hfsplus in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist hfsplus" >> hfsplus.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7 a

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-7.1 (ii)

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on Enterprise

v8 Assets and Software ● ●
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, such
as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are

v7 Running ● ●
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 35

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The jffs2 (journaling flash filesystem 2) filesystem type is a log-structured filesystem
used in flash memory devices.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.

Page 36

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the jffs2 kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the jffs2 kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="jffs2" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the jffs2 kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the jffs2 filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the jffs2 kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the jffs2 kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'jffs2'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the jffs2 kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+jffs2\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist jffs2
-AND-
install jffs2 /bin/false
-OR-
install jffs2 /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist jffs2
install jffs2 /bin/false

Page 37

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the jffs2 kernel module:
# modprobe -r jffs2 2>/dev/null
# rmmod jffs2 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the jffs2 kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install jffs2 /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install jffs2 /bin/false" >> jffs2.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist jffs2 in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist jffs2" >> jffs2.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 38

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
overlay is a Linux filesystem that layers multiple filesystems to create a single unified
view which allows a user to "merge" several mount points into a unified filesystem.
Rationale:
The overlay has known CVE's: CVE-2023-32629, CVE-2023-2640, CVE-2023-0386.
Disabling the overlay reduces the local attack surface by removing support for
unnecessary filesystem types and mitigates potential risks associated with unauthorized
execution of setuid files, enhancing the overall system security.
Impact:
WARNING: If Container applications such as Docker, Kubernetes, Podman, Linux
Containers (LXC), etc. are in use proceed with caution and consider the impact on
containerized workloads, as disabling the overlay may severely disrupt
containerization.

Page 39

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the overlay kernel module is not available on the system or has been disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the overlay kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="overlayfs" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the overlay kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the overlay filesystem as part of the kernel opposed
to being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return
anything. This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the overlay kernel module is not loaded and not loadable
by performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the overlay kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'overlay'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the overlay kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+overlay\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist overlay
-AND-
install overlay /bin/false
-OR-
install overlay /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist overlay
install overlay /bin/false

Page 40

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the overlay kernel module:
# modprobe -r overlay 2>/dev/null
# rmmod overlay 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the overlay kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install overlay /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install overlay /bin/false" >> overlay.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist overlay in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist overlay" >> overlay.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

2. https://docs.kernel.org/filesystems/overlayfs.html
3. https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Overlay_filesystem
4. https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=overlayfs

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on Enterprise Assets

v8 and Software ● ●
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, such as an unused
file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
v7 Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with validated ● ●
business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 41

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The squashfs filesystem type is a compressed read-only Linux filesystem embedded in
small footprint systems. A squashfs image can be used without having to first
decompress the image.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.
Impact:
As Snap packages utilize squashfs as a compressed filesystem, disabling squashfs
will cause Snap packages to fail.
Snap application packages of software are self-contained and work across a range of
Linux distributions. This is unlike traditional Linux package management approaches,
like APT or RPM, which require specifically adapted packages per Linux distribution on
an application update and delay therefore application deployment from developers to
their software's end-user. Snaps themselves have no dependency on any external store
("App store"), can be obtained from any source and can be therefore used for upstream
software deployment.

Page 42

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the squashfs kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been
disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the squashfs kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="squashfs" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the squashfs kernel module is not available on the system and
no further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the squashfs filesystem as part of the kernel
opposed to being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not
return anything. This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the squashfs kernel module is not loaded and not
loadable by performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the squashfs kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'squashfs'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the squashfs kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+squashfs\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist squashfs
-AND-
install squashfs /bin/false
-OR-
install squashfs /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist squashfs
install squashfs /bin/false

Note: On operating systems where squashfs is pre-build into the kernel:

• This is considered an acceptable "passing" state

Page 43

Internal Only - General

 • The kernel should not be re-compiled to remove squashfs
• This audit will return a passing state with "module: "squashfs" doesn't exist in ..."

Remediation:
Run the following commands to unload the squashfs kernel module:
# modprobe -r squashfs 2>/dev/null
# rmmod squashfs 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the squashfs kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install squashfs /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install squashfs /bin/false" >> squashfs.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist squashfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist squashfs" >> squashfs.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 44

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 45

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The udf filesystem type is the universal disk format used to implement ISO/IEC 13346
and ECMA-167 specifications. This is an open vendor filesystem type for data storage
on a broad range of media. This filesystem type is necessary to support writing DVDs
and newer optical disc formats.
Rationale:
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.
Impact:
Microsoft Azure requires the usage of udf.
udf should not be disabled on systems run on Microsoft Azure.

Page 46

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the udf kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been disabled..
Run the following script to determine if the udf kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="udf" l_mod_type="fs"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the udf kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the udf filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the udf kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the udf kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'udf'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the udf kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+udf\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist udf
-AND-
install udf /bin/false
-OR-
install udf /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist udf
install udf /bin/false

Page 47

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following commands to unload the udf kernel module:
# modprobe -r udf 2>/dev/null
# rmmod udf 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the udf kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install udf /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/
directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install udf /bin/false" >> udf.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist udf in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist udf" >> udf.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

Page 48

Internal Only - General

 1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
USB storage provides a means to transfer and store files ensuring persistence and
availability of the files independent of network connection status. Its popularity and utility
has led to USB-based malware being a simple and common means for network
infiltration and a first step to establishing a persistent threat within a networked
environment.
Rationale:
Restricting USB access on the system will decrease the physical attack surface for a
device and diminish the possible vectors to introduce malware.
Impact:
Disabling the usb-storage module will disable any usage of USB storage devices.
If requirements and local site policy allow the use of such devices, other solutions
should be configured accordingly instead. One example of a commonly used solution is
USBGuard.

Page 49

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Verify the usb-storage kernel module is not available on the system - OR - has been
disabled.

Run the following script to determine if the usb-storage kernel module is available on
the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="usb-storage" l_mod_type="drivers"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the usb-storage kernel module is not available on the system
and no further audit steps are required.

Note: Some systems may include the usb-storage filesystem as part of the kernel
opposed to being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not
return anything. This is also considered a passing state.

If anything is returned, verify the usb-storage kernel module is not loaded and not
loadable by performing the following:

Run the following command to verify the usb-storage kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep -P -- 'usb(_|-)storage'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the usb-storage kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+usb_storage\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist usb_storage
-AND-
install usb_storage /bin/false
-OR-
install usb_storage /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist usb_storage
install usb_storage /bin/false

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 Remediation:
Run the following commands to unload the usb-storage kernel module:
# modprobe -r usb-storage 2>/dev/null
# rmmod usb-storage 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the usb-storage kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install usb_storage /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install usb_storage /bin/false" >> usb-storage.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist usb_storage in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist usb_storage" >> usb-storage.conf

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-3

2. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230503
3. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230503r942936
4. Ubuntu 22.04 STIG Vul ID: V-260540
5. Ubuntu 22.04 STIG Rule ID: SV-260540r986276

Additional Information:
An alternative solution to disabling the usb-storage module may be found in USBGuard.
Use of USBGuard and construction of USB device policies should be done in alignment
with site policy.

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 10.3 Disable Autorun and Autoplay for Removable Media ● ● ●

Disable autorun and autoplay auto-execute functionality for removable media.

13.7 Manage USB Devices

v7 If USB storage devices are required, enterprise software should be used that
can configure systems to allow the use of specific devices. An inventory of such
● ●
devices should be maintained.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1052, T1052.001, T1091,

T1091.000, T1200, TA0001, TA0010 M1034
T1200.000

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 1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not
available (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Filesystem kernel modules are pieces of code that can be dynamically loaded into the
Linux kernel to extend its filesystem capabilities, or so-called base kernel, of an
operating system. Filesystem kernel modules are typically used to add support for new
hardware (as device drivers), or for adding system calls.
Rationale:
While loadable filesystem kernel modules are a convenient method of modifying the
running kernel, this can be abused by attackers on a compromised system to prevent
detection of their processes or files, allowing them to maintain control over the system.
Many rootkits make use of loadable filesystem kernel modules in this way.
Removing support for unneeded filesystem types reduces the local attack surface of the
system. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it. The following filesystem kernel
modules have known CVE's and should be made unavailable if no dependencies exist:

• afs - CVE-2022-37402
• ceph - CVE-2022-0670
• cifs - CVE-2022-29869
• exfat CVE-2022-29973
• ext CVE-2022-1184
• fat CVE-2022-22043
• fscache CVE-2022-3630
• fuse CVE-2023-0386
• gfs2 CVE-2023-3212
• nfs_common CVE-2023-6660
• nfsd CVE-2022-43945
• smbfs_common CVE-2022-2585

Impact:
This list may be quite extensive and covering all edges cases is difficult. Therefore, it's
crucial to carefully consider the implications and dependencies before making any
changes to the filesystem kernel module configurations.

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 Audit:
Run the following script to:

•Look at the filesystem kernel modules available to the currently running kernel.
•Exclude mounted filesystem kernel modules that don't currently have a CVE
•List filesystem kernel modules that are not fully disabled, or are loaded into the
kernel
Review the generated output
#! /usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); a_modprope_config=(); a_excluded=(); a_available_modules=()
a_ignore=("xfs" "vfat" "ext2" "ext3" "ext4")
a_cve_exists=("afs" "ceph" "cifs" "exfat" "ext" "fat" "fscache" "fuse" "gfs2" "nfs_common" "nfsd"
"smbfs_common")
f_module_chk()
{
l_out2=""; grep -Pq -- "\b$l_mod_name\b" <<< "${a_cve_exists[*]}" && l_out2=" <- CVE exists!"
if ! grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"$l_mod_name"'\b' <<< "${a_modprope_config[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - Kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not fully disabled $l_out2")
elif ! grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"$l_mod_name"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(false|true)\b' <<<
"${a_modprope_config[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - Kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not fully disabled $l_out2")
fi
if lsmod | grep "$l_mod_name" &> /dev/null; then # Check if the module is currently loaded
l_output2+=(" - Kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loaded" "")
fi
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_module_dir; do
a_available_modules+=("$(basename "$l_module_dir")")
done < <(find "$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/"$(uname -r)"/kernel/fs || readlink -f /lib/modules/"$(uname -
r)"/kernel/fs)" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d ! -empty -print0)
while IFS= read -r l_exclude; do
if grep -Pq -- "\b$l_exclude\b" <<< "${a_cve_exists[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - ** WARNING: kernel module: \"$l_exclude\" has a CVE and is currently mounted! **")
elif
grep -Pq -- "\b$l_exclude\b" <<< "${a_available_modules[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - Kernel module: \"$l_exclude\" is currently mounted - do NOT unload or disable")
fi
! grep -Pq -- "\b$l_exclude\b" <<< "${a_ignore[*]}" && a_ignore+=("$l_exclude")
done < <(findmnt -knD | awk '{print $2}' | sort -u)
while IFS= read -r l_config; do
a_modprope_config+=("$l_config")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P '^\h*(blacklist|install)')
for l_mod_name in "${a_available_modules[@]}"; do # Iterate over all filesystem modules
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
if grep -Pq -- "\b$l_mod_name\b" <<< "${a_ignore[*]}"; then
a_excluded+=(" - Kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
else
f_module_chk
fi
done
[ "${#a_excluded[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" \
"The following intentionally skipped" \
"${a_excluded[@]}"
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " - No unused filesystem kernel modules are enabled" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "-- Audit Result: --" " ** REVIEW the following **" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "-- Correctly set: --" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

WARNING: disabling or denylisting filesystem modules that are in use on the system
may be FATAL. It is extremely important to thoroughly review this list.

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 Remediation:
- IF - the module is available in the running kernel:

• Unload the filesystem kernel module from the kernel

• Create a file ending in .conf with install filesystem kernel modules /bin/false
in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Create a file ending in .conf with deny list filesystem kernel modules in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory

WARNING: unloading, disabling or denylisting filesystem modules that are in use on the
system maybe FATAL. It is extremely important to thoroughly review the filesystems
returned by the audit before following the remediation procedure.

Example of unloading the gfs2kernel module:

# modprobe -r gfs2 2>/dev/null
# rmmod gfs2 2>/dev/null

Example of fully disabling the gfs2 kernel module:

# printf '%s\n' "blacklist gfs2" "install gfs2 /bin/false" >> /etc/modprobe.d/gfs2.conf

Note:

• Disabling a kernel module by modifying the command above for each unused
filesystem kernel module
• The example gfs2 must be updated with the appropriate module name for the
command or example script bellow to run correctly.

Below is an example Script that can be modified to use on various filesystem

kernel modules manual remediation process:
Example Script

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=(); a_output3=(); l_dl="" # Initialize arrays and clear variables
l_mod_name="gfs2" # set module name
l_mod_type="fs" # set module type
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_fix()
{
l_dl="y" # Set to ignore duplicate checks
a_showconfig=() # Create array with modprobe output
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_name//-/_}"'\b')
if lsmod | grep "$l_mod_name" &> /dev/null; then # Check if the module is currently loaded
a_output2+=(" - unloading kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
modprobe -r "$l_mod_name" 2>/dev/null; rmmod "$l_mod_name" 2>/dev/null
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - setting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" to \"$(readlink -f /bin/false)\"")
printf '%s\n' "install $l_mod_name $(readlink -f /bin/false)" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - denylisting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
printf '%s\n' "blacklist $l_mod_name" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do # Check if the module exists on the system
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_fix
else
echo -e " - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\""
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
[ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}" || printf '%s\n' "" " - No changes
needed"
printf '%s\n' "" " - remediation of kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" complete" ""
}

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 References:

1. https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=filesystem

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

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 1.1.2 Configure Filesystem Partitions

Directories that are used for system-wide functions can be further protected by placing
them on separate partitions. This provides protection for resource exhaustion and
enables the use of mounting options that are applicable to the directory's intended use.
Users' data can be stored on separate partitions and have stricter mount options. A user
partition is a filesystem that has been established for use by the users and does not
contain software for system operations.
The recommendations in this section are easier to perform during initial system
installation. If the system is already installed, it is recommended that a full backup be
performed before repartitioning the system.
Note:
-IF- you are repartitioning a system that has already been installed (This may require
the system to be in single-user mode):

• Mount the new partition to a temporary mountpoint e.g. mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
• Copy data from the original partition to the new partition. e.g. cp -a /var/tmp/*
/mnt
• Verify that all data is present on the new partition. e.g. ls -la /mnt
• Unmount the new partition. e.g. umount /mnt
• Remove the data from the original directory that was in the old partition. e.g. rm
-Rf /var/tmp/* Otherwise it will still consume space in the old partition that will
be masked when the new filesystem is mounted.
• Mount the new partition to the desired mountpoint. e.g. mount /dev/sda2
/var/tmp
• Update /etc/fstab with the new mountpoint. e.g. /dev/sda2 /var/tmp xfs
defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

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 1.1.2.1 Configure /tmp
The /tmp directory is a world-writable directory used to store data used by the system
and user applications for a short period of time. This data should have no expectation of
surviving a reboot, as this directory is intended to be emptied after each reboot.

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 1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /tmp directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary storage by all users
and some applications.
Note: If an entry for /tmp exists in /etc/fstab it will take precedence over entries in a
systemd unit file. There is an exception to this when a system is diskless and connected
to iSCSI, entries in /etc/fstab may not take precedence over a systemd unit file.

Rationale:
Making /tmp its own file system allows an administrator to set additional mount options
such as the noexec option on the mount, making /tmp useless for an attacker to install
executable code. It would also prevent an attacker from establishing a hard link to a
system setuid program and wait for it to be updated. Once the program was updated,
the hard link would be broken, and the attacker would have his own copy of the
program. If the program happened to have a security vulnerability, the attacker could
continue to exploit the known flaw.
This can be accomplished by either mounting tmpfs to /tmp, or creating a separate
partition for /tmp.

Impact:
By design files saved to /tmp should have no expectation of surviving a reboot of the
system. tmpfs is ram based and all files stored to tmpfs will be lost when the system is
rebooted.
If files need to be persistent through a reboot, they should be saved to /var/tmp not
/tmp.
Since the /tmp directory is intended to be world-writable, there is a risk of resource
exhaustion if it is not bound to tmpfs or a separate partition.
Running out of /tmp space is a problem regardless of what kind of filesystem lies under
it, but in a configuration where /tmp is not a separate file system it will essentially have
the whole disk available, as the default installation only creates a single / partition. On
the other hand, a RAM-based /tmp (as with tmpfs) will almost certainly be much
smaller, which can lead to applications filling up the filesystem much more easily.
Another alternative is to create a dedicated partition for /tmp from a separate volume or
disk. One of the downsides of a disk-based dedicated partition is that it will be slower
than tmpfs which is RAM-based.

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 Audit:
Run the following command and verify the output shows that /tmp is mounted.
Particular requirements pertaining to mount options are covered in ensuing sections.
# findmnt -kn /tmp

Example output:
/tmp tmpfs tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec

Ensure that systemd will mount the /tmp partition at boot time.
# systemctl is-enabled tmp.mount

Example output:
generated

Verify output is not masked or disabled.

Note: By default, systemd will output generated if there is an entry in /etc/fstab for
/tmp. This just means systemd will use the entry in /etc/fstab instead of its default
unit file configuration for /tmp.

Remediation:
First ensure that systemd is correctly configured to ensure that /tmp will be mounted at
boot time.
# systemctl unmask tmp.mount

For specific configuration requirements of the /tmp mount for your environment, modify
/etc/fstab.
Example of using tmpfs with specific mount options:
tmpfs /tmp tmpfs defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,size=2G 0 0

Note: the size=2G is an example of setting a specific size for tmpfs.

Example of using a volume or disk with specific mount options. The source location of
the volume or disk will vary depending on your environment:
<device> /tmp <fstype> defaults,nodev,nosuid,noexec 0 0

References:

1. https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/APIFileSystems/
2. https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd-fstab-generator.html
3. https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/filesystems/tmpfs.txt
4. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7
5. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230295
6. RHEL 8 Rule ID: SV-30295r627750

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 Additional Information:
/tmp can be configured to use tmpfs.
tmpfs puts everything into the kernel internal caches and grows and shrinks to
accommodate the files it contains and is able to swap unneeded pages out to swap
space. It has maximum size limits which can be adjusted on the fly via mount -o
remount.
Since tmpfs lives completely in the page cache and on swap, all tmpfs pages will be
shown as "Shmem" in /proc/meminfo and "Shared" in free. Notice that these
counters also include shared memory. The most reliable way to get the count is using
df and du.
tmpfs has three mount options for sizing:

• size: The limit of allocated bytes for this tmpfs instance. The default is half of
your physical RAM without swap. If you oversize your tmpfs instances the
machine will deadlock since the OOM handler will not be able to free that
memory.
• nr_blocks: The same as size, but in blocks of PAGE_SIZE.
• nr_inodes: The maximum number of inodes for this instance. The default is half
of the number of your physical RAM pages, or (on a machine with highmem) the
number of lowmem RAM pages, whichever is the lower.

These parameters accept a suffix k, m or g and can be changed on remount. The size
parameter also accepts a suffix % to limit this tmpfs instance to that percentage of your
physical RAM. The default, when neither size nor nr_blocks is specified, is size=50%.

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data access control lists, ● ● ●
also known as access permissions, to local and remote file systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, claims, application, or
v7 database specific access control lists. These controls will enforce the principle that only authorized ● ● ●
individuals should have access to the information based on their need to access the information as a
part of their responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

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 1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /tmp filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option to ensure
that users cannot create a block or character special devices in /tmp.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /tmp, verify that the nodev option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /tmp | grep -v nodev

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /tmp.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/tmp partition.
Example:
<device> /tmp <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /tmp with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /tmp

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230511
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230511r854052

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

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 1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Since the /tmp filesystem is only intended for temporary file storage, set this option to
ensure that users cannot create setuid files in /tmp.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /tmp, verify that the nosuid option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /tmp | grep -v nosuid

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /tmp.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/tmp partition.
Example:
<device> /tmp <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /tmp with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /tmp

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230512
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230512r854053

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

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 1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The noexec mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain executable
binaries.
Rationale:
Since the /tmp filesystem is only intended for temporary file storage, set this option to
ensure that users cannot run executable binaries from /tmp.

Impact:
Setting the noexec option on /tmp may prevent installation and/or updating of some 3rd
party software.
Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /tmp, verify that the noexec option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /tmp | grep -v noexec

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /tmp.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/tmp partition.
Example:
<device> /tmp <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /tmp with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /tmp

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 References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230513
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230513r854054

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

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 1.1.2.2 Configure /dev/shm
The /dev/shm directory is a world-writable directory that can function as shared
memory that facilitates inter process communication (IPC)

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 1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /dev/shm directory is a world-writable directory that can function as shared
memory that facilitates inter process communication (IPC).
Rationale:
Making /dev/shm its own file system allows an administrator to set additional mount
options such as the noexec option on the mount, making /dev/shm useless for an
attacker to install executable code. It would also prevent an attacker from establishing a
hard link to a system setuid program and wait for it to be updated. Once the program
was updated, the hard link would be broken and the attacker would have his own copy
of the program. If the program happened to have a security vulnerability, the attacker
could continue to exploit the known flaw.
This can be accomplished by mounting tmpfs to /dev/shm.

Impact:
Since the /dev/shm directory is intended to be world-writable, there is a risk of resource
exhaustion if it is not bound to a separate partition.
/dev/shm utilizing tmpfs can be resized using the size={size} parameter in the
relevant entry in /etc/fstab.

Audit:
- IF - /dev/shm is to be used on the system, run the following command and verify the
output shows that /dev/shm is mounted. Particular requirements pertaining to mount
options are covered in ensuing sections.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm

Example output:
/dev/shm tmpfs tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

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 Remediation:
For specific configuration requirements of the /dev/shm mount for your environment,
modify /etc/fstab.
Example:
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,size=2G 0 0

References:

1. https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/APIFileSystems/
2. https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd-fstab-generator.html
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 71

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /dev/shm filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option to
ensure that users cannot attempt to create special devices in /dev/shm partitions.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /dev/shm, verify that the nodev option is set.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm | grep -v 'nodev'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /dev/shm.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/dev/shm partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Example:
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /dev/shm with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /dev/shm

Note: It is recommended to use tmpfs as the device/filesystem type as /dev/shm is

used as shared memory space by applications.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

2. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230508
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230508r854049

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Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Some distributions mount /dev/shm through other means and require /dev/shm to be
added to /etc/fstab even though it is already being mounted on boot. Others may
configure /dev/shm in other locations and may override /etc/fstab configuration.
Consult the documentation appropriate for your distribution.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

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Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Setting this option on a file system prevents users from introducing privileged programs
onto the system and allowing non-root users to execute them.
Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /dev/shm, verify that the nosuid option is set.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm | grep -v 'nosuid'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /dev/shm.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/dev/shm partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Example:
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /dev/shm with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /dev/shm

Note: It is recommended to use tmpfs as the device/filesystem type as /dev/shm is

used as shared memory space by applications.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

2. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230509
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230509r854050

Page 74

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Some distributions mount /dev/shm through other means and require /dev/shm to be
added to /etc/fstab even though it is already being mounted on boot. Others may
configure /dev/shm in other locations and may override /etc/fstab configuration.
Consult the documentation appropriate for your distribution.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1038

Page 75

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The noexec mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain executable
binaries.
Rationale:
Setting this option on a file system prevents users from executing programs from shared
memory. This deters users from introducing potentially malicious software on the
system.
Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /dev/shm, verify that the noexec option is set.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm | grep -v 'noexec'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /dev/shm.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/dev/shm partition.
Example:
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /dev/shm with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /dev/shm

Note: It is recommended to use tmpfs as the device/filesystem type as /dev/shm is

used as shared memory space by applications.
References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230510
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230510r854051

Page 76

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

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Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.3 Configure /home
Please note that home directories can be mounted anywhere and are not necessarily
restricted to /home, nor restricted to a single location, nor is the name restricted in any
way.
Finding user home directories can be done by looking in /etc/passwd, looking over the
mounted file systems with mount or querying the relevant database with getent.
The following script can be ran to find user's home directories:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_valid_shells="^($(awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' | paste -
s -d '|' - ))$"
awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1!~/^(root|halt|sync|shutdown|nfsnobody)$/ && ($3>='"$(awk
'/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' || $3 != 65534) && $(NF) ~ pat) {print $1 " - " $6}' /etc/passwd
}

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 1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The /home directory is used to support disk storage needs of local users.

Rationale:
The default installation only creates a single / partition. Since the /home directory
contains user generated data, there is a risk of resource exhaustion. It will essentially
have the whole disk available to fill up and impact the system as a whole. In addition,
other operations on the system could fill up the disk unrelated to /home and impact all
local users.
Configuring /home as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional mount
options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limit an attacker's ability to
create exploits on the system. In the case of /home options such as
usrquota/grpquota may be considered to limit the impact that users can have on each
other with regards to disk resource exhaustion. Other options allow for specific
behavior. See man mount for exact details regarding filesystem-independent and
filesystem-specific options.
As /home contains user data, care should be taken to ensure the security and integrity
of the data and mount point.
Impact:
Resizing filesystems is a common activity in cloud-hosted servers. Separate filesystem
partitions may prevent successful resizing or may require the installation of additional
tools solely for the purpose of resizing operations. The use of these additional tools may
introduce their own security considerations.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /home is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /home

/home /dev/sdb ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,seclabel

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 Remediation:
For new installations, during installation create a custom partition setup and specify a
separate partition for /home.
For systems that were previously installed, create a new partition and configure
/etc/fstab as appropriate.

References:

1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Additional Information:
When modifying /home it is advisable to bring the system to emergency mode (so auditd
is not running), rename the existing directory, mount the new file system, and migrate
the data over before returning to multi-user mode.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1038

Page 80

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /home filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option to ensure
that users cannot create a block or character special devices in /home.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /home, verify that the nodev option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /home | grep -v nodev

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /home.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/home partition.
Example:
<device> /home <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /home with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /home

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 81

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1038

Page 82

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Since the /home filesystem is only intended for user file storage, set this option to
ensure that users cannot create setuid files in /home.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /home, verify that the nosuid option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /home | grep -v nosuid

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /home.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/home partition.
Example:
<device> /home <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /home with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /home

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 83

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 84

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.4 Configure /var
The /var directory is used by daemons and other system services to temporarily store
dynamic data. Some directories created by these processes may be world-writable.

Page 85

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 1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The /var directory is used by daemons and other system services to temporarily store
dynamic data. Some directories created by these processes may be world-writable.
Rationale:
The reasoning for mounting /var on a separate partition is as follows.
The default installation only creates a single / partition. Since the /var directory may
contain world writable files and directories, there is a risk of resource exhaustion. It will
essentially have the whole disk available to fill up and impact the system. In addition,
other operations on the system could fill up the disk unrelated to /var and cause
unintended behavior across the system as the disk is full. See man auditd.conf for
details.
Configuring /var as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional mount
options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limit an attacker's ability to
create exploits on the system. Other options allow for specific behavior. See man mount
for exact details regarding filesystem-independent and filesystem-specific options.
An example of exploiting /var may be an attacker establishing a hard-link to a system
setuid program and waiting for it to be updated. Once the program is updated, the
hard-link can be broken and the attacker would have their own copy of the program. If
the program happened to have a security vulnerability, the attacker could continue to
exploit the known flaw.
Impact:
Resizing filesystems is a common activity in cloud-hosted servers. Separate filesystem
partitions may prevent successful resizing or may require the installation of additional
tools solely for the purpose of resizing operations. The use of these additional tools may
introduce their own security considerations.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var is mounted.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var

/var /dev/sdb ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,seclabel

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Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
For new installations, during installation create a custom partition setup and specify a
separate partition for /var.
For systems that were previously installed, create a new partition and configure
/etc/fstab as appropriate.

References:

1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-244529
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-244529r902737

Additional Information:
When modifying /var it is advisable to bring the system to emergency mode (so auditd
is not running), rename the existing directory, mount the new file system, and migrate
the data over before returning to multi-user mode.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0006 M1022

Page 87

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /var filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option to ensure
that users cannot create a block or character special devices in /var.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var, verify that the nodev option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var | grep -v nodev

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var partition.
Example:
<device> /var <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 88

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

Page 89

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Since the /var filesystem is only intended for variable files such as logs, set this option
to ensure that users cannot create setuid files in /var.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var, verify that the nosuid option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var | grep -v nosuid

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var partition.
Example:
<device> /var <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 90

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 91

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.5 Configure /var/tmp
The /var/tmp directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary storage by all
users and some applications. Temporary files residing in /var/tmp are to be preserved
between reboots.

Page 92

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 1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The /var/tmp directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary storage by all
users and some applications. Temporary files residing in /var/tmp are to be preserved
between reboots.
Rationale:
The default installation only creates a single / partition. Since the /var/tmp directory is
world-writable, there is a risk of resource exhaustion. In addition, other operations on
the system could fill up the disk unrelated to /var/tmp and cause potential disruption to
daemons as the disk is full.
Configuring /var/tmp as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional
mount options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limit an attacker's ability
to create exploits on the system.
Impact:
Resizing filesystems is a common activity in cloud-hosted servers. Separate filesystem
partitions may prevent successful resizing or may require the installation of additional
tools solely for the purpose of resizing operations. The use of these additional tools may
introduce their own security considerations.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/tmp is mounted.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/tmp

/var/tmp /dev/sdb ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

Remediation:
For new installations, during installation create a custom partition setup and specify a
separate partition for /var/tmp.
For systems that were previously installed, create a new partition and configure
/etc/fstab as appropriate.

Page 93

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7
3. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-244529
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-244529r902737

Additional Information:
When modifying /var/tmp it is advisable to bring the system to emergency mode (so
auditd is not running), rename the existing directory, mount the new file system, and
migrate the data over before returning to multi-user mode.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 94

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /var/tmp filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option to
ensure that users cannot create a block or character special devices in /var/tmp.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/tmp, verify that the nodev option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/tmp | grep -v nodev

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/tmp.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/tmp partition.
Example:
<device> /var/tmp <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/tmp with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/tmp

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230520
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230520r854061

Page 95

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 96

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Since the /var/tmp filesystem is only intended for temporary file storage, set this option
to ensure that users cannot create setuid files in /var/tmp.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/tmp, verify that the nosuid option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/tmp | grep -v nosuid

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/tmp.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/tmp partition.
Example:
<device> /var/tmp <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/tmp with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/tmp

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230521
5. RHEL 8 STIG STIG ID: RHEL-08-040133

Page 97

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 98

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The noexec mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain executable
binaries.
Rationale:
Since the /var/tmp filesystem is only intended for temporary file storage, set this option
to ensure that users cannot run executable binaries from /var/tmp.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/tmp, verify that the noexec option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/tmp | grep -v noexec

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/tmp.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/tmp partition.
Example:
<device> /var/tmp <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/tmp with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/tmp

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230522
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230522r854063

Page 99

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 100

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.6 Configure /var/log
The /var/log directory is used by system services to store log data.

Page 101

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The /var/log directory is used by system services to store log data.

Rationale:
The default installation only creates a single / partition. Since the /var/log directory
contains log files which can grow quite large, there is a risk of resource exhaustion. It
will essentially have the whole disk available to fill up and impact the system as a whole.
Configuring /var/log as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional
mount options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limit an attackers ability
to create exploits on the system. Other options allow for specific behavior. See man
mount for exact details regarding filesystem-independent and filesystem-specific
options.
As /var/log contains log files, care should be taken to ensure the security and integrity
of the data and mount point.
Impact:
Resizing filesystems is a common activity in cloud-hosted servers. Separate filesystem
partitions may prevent successful resizing, or may require the installation of additional
tools solely for the purpose of resizing operations. The use of these additional tools may
introduce their own security considerations.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/log is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /var/log

/var/log /dev/sdb ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

Remediation:
For new installations, during installation create a custom partition setup and specify a
separate partition for /var/log .
For systems that were previously installed, create a new partition and configure
/etc/fstab as appropriate.

Page 102

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5:: CM-6 b CM-7
3. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230293
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230293r902720

Additional Information:
When modifying /var/log it is advisable to bring the system to emergency mode (so
auditd is not running), rename the existing directory, mount the new file system, and
migrate the data over before returning to multiuser mode.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs

v7 Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the ● ●
logs generated.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 103

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /var/log filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option to
ensure that users cannot create a block or character special devices in /var/log.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log, verify that the nodev option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/log | grep -v nodev

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/log partition.
Example:
<device> /var/log <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/log

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230514
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230514r854055

Page 104

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1038

Page 105

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Since the /var/log filesystem is only intended for log files, set this option to ensure
that users cannot create setuid files in /var/log.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log, verify that the nosuid option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/log | grep -v nosuid

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/log partition.
Example:
<device> /var/log <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/log

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230515
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230515r854056

Page 106

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 107

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The noexec mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain executable
binaries.
Rationale:
Since the /var/log filesystem is only intended for log files, set this option to ensure
that users cannot run executable binaries from /var/log.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log, verify that the noexec option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/log | grep -v noexec

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/log partition.
Example:
<device> /var/log <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/log

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230516
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230516r854057

Page 108

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 109

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.7 Configure /var/log/audit
The auditing daemon, auditd, stores log data in the /var/log/audit directory.

Page 110

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The auditing daemon, auditd, stores log data in the /var/log/audit directory.

Rationale:
The default installation only creates a single / partition. Since the /var/log/audit
directory contains the audit.log file which can grow quite large, there is a risk of
resource exhaustion. It will essentially have the whole disk available to fill up and impact
the system as a whole. In addition, other operations on the system could fill up the disk
unrelated to /var/log/audit and cause auditd to trigger its space_left_action as
the disk is full. See man auditd.conf for details.
Configuring /var/log/audit as its own file system allows an administrator to set
additional mount options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limit an
attacker's ability to create exploits on the system. Other options allow for specific
behavior. See man mount for exact details regarding filesystem-independent and
filesystem-specific options.
As /var/log/audit contains audit logs, care should be taken to ensure the security
and integrity of the data and mount point.
Impact:
Resizing filesystems is a common activity in cloud-hosted servers. Separate filesystem
partitions may prevent successful resizing or may require the installation of additional
tools solely for the purpose of resizing operations. The use of these additional tools may
introduce their own security considerations.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/log/audit is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit

/var/log/audit /dev/sdb ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

Page 111

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
For new installations, during installation create a custom partition setup and specify a
separate partition for /var/log/audit.
For systems that were previously installed, create a new partition and configure
/etc/fstab as appropriate.

References:

1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7 CM-6 b
3. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
4. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230294
5. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230294r627750

Additional Information:
When modifying /var/log/audit it is advisable to bring the system to emergency
mode (so auditd is not running), rename the existing directory, mount the new file
system, and migrate the data over before returning to multi-user mode.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs

v7 Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the ● ●
logs generated.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 112

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special devices.

Rationale:
Since the /var/log/audit filesystem is not intended to support devices, set this option
to ensure that users cannot create a block or character special devices in
/var/log/audit.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log/audit, verify that the nodev option is set.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit | grep -v nodev

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log/audit.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/log/audit partition.
Example:
<device> /var/log/audit <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log/audit with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/log/audit

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
3. STIG ID: RHEL-08-040129 | RULE ID: SV-230517r958804 | CAT II
4. STIG ID: RHEL-09-231175 | RULE ID: SV-257876r958804 | CAT II
5. STIG ID: ALMA-09-027190 | RULE ID: SV-269320r1050202 | CAT II

Page 113

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

Page 114

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The nosuid mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain setuid files.

Rationale:
Since the /var/log/audit filesystem is only intended for variable files such as logs,
set this option to ensure that users cannot create setuid files in /var/log/audit.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log/audit, verify that the nosuid option is
set.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit | grep -v nosuid

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log/audit.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/log/audit partition.
Example:
<device> /var/log/audit <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log/audit with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/log/audit

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. STIG ID: RHEL-08-040130 | RULE ID: SV-230518r958804 | CAT II
5. STIG ID: RHEL-09-231170 | RULE ID: SV-257875r958804 | CAT II

Page 115

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 116

Internal Only - General

 1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The noexec mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain executable
binaries.
Rationale:
Since the /var/log/audit filesystem is only intended for audit logs, set this option to
ensure that users cannot run executable binaries from /var/log/audit.

Audit:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log/audit, verify that the noexec option is
set.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit | grep -v noexec

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log/audit.
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for the
/var/log/audit partition.
Example:
<device> /var/log/audit <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log/audit with the configured options:
# mount -o remount /var/log/audit

References:

1. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2
3. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-7 (2)
4. STIG ID: RHEL-08-040131 | RULE ID: SV-230519r958804 | CAT II
5. STIG ID: RHEL-09-231165 | RULE ID: SV-257874r958804 | CAT II

Page 117

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

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 1.2 Package Management

Patch management procedures may vary widely between enterprises. Large enterprises
may choose to install a local updates server that can be used in place of their
distributions servers, whereas a single deployment of a system may prefer to get
updates directly. Updates can be performed automatically or manually, depending on
the site's policy for patch management. Organizations may prefer to test patches
against their environment on a non-production system before rolling out to production.
Outdated software is vulnerable to cyber criminals and hackers. Software updates help
reduce the risk to your organization. The release of software update notes often reveals
the patched exploitable entry points to the public. Public knowledge of these exploits
can make your organization more vulnerable to malicious actors attempting to gain
entry to your system's data.
Software updates often offer new and improved features and speed enhancements.
For the purpose of this benchmark, the requirement is to ensure that a patch
management process is defined and maintained, the specifics of which are left to the
organization.

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 1.2.1 Configure Package Repositories

Patch management procedures may vary widely between enterprises. Large enterprises
may choose to install a local updates server that can be used in place of their
distributions servers, whereas a single deployment of a system may prefer to get
updates directly. Updates can be performed automatically or manually, depending on
the site's policy for patch management. Organizations may prefer to test patches
against their environment on a non-production system before rolling out to production.
Outdated software is vulnerable to cyber criminals and hackers. Software updates help
reduce the risk to your organization. The release of software update notes often reveals
the patched exploitable entry points to the public. Public knowledge of these exploits
can leave your organization more vulnerable to malicious actors attempting to gain
access to your system's data.
Note: Creation of an appropriate patch management policy is left to the organization.

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 1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Most package managers implement GPG key signing to verify package integrity during
installation.
Rationale:
It is important to ensure that updates are obtained from a valid source to protect against
spoofing that could lead to the inadvertent installation of malware on the system.
Audit:
Verify GPG keys are configured correctly for your package manager:
# apt-key list

Note:
• apt-key list is deprecated. Manage keyring files in trusted.gpg.d instead
(see apt-key(8)).
• With the deprecation of apt-key it is recommended to use the Signed-By option
in sources.list to require a repository to pass apt-secure(8) verification with a
certain set of keys rather than all trusted keys apt has configured.
- OR -

1. Run the following script and verify GPG keys are configured correctly for your
package manager:
#! /usr/bin/env bash

{
for file in /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/*.{gpg,asc} /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*.{gpg,asc} ; do
if [ -f "$file" ]; then
echo -e "File: $file"
gpg --list-packets "$file" 2>/dev/null | awk '/keyid/ && !seen[$NF]++ {print "keyid:", $NF}'
gpg --list-packets "$file" 2>/dev/null | awk '/Signed-By:/ {print "signed-by:", $NF}'
echo -e
fi
done
}

2. REVIEW and VERIFY to ensure that GPG keys are configured correctly for your
package manager IAW site policy.

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 Remediation:
Update your package manager GPG keys in accordance with site policy.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-2

2. https://manpages.debian.org/stretch/apt/sources.list.5.en.html

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

7.3 Perform Automated Operating System Patch

v8 Management
Perform operating system updates on enterprise assets through automated
● ● ●
patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.

7.4 Perform Automated Application Patch Management

v8 Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch ● ● ●
management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.

3.4 Deploy Automated Operating System Patch

Management Tools
v7 Deploy automated software update tools in order to ensure that the operating ● ● ●
systems are running the most recent security updates provided by the software
vendor.

3.5 Deploy Automated Software Patch Management

Tools
v7 Deploy automated software update tools in order to ensure that third-party ● ● ●
software on all systems is running the most recent security updates provided by
the software vendor.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1195, T1195.001,
TA0001 M1051
T1195.002

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 1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Systems need to have package manager repositories configured to ensure they receive
the latest patches and updates.
Rationale:
If a system's package repositories are misconfigured important patches may not be
identified or a rogue repository could introduce compromised software.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify package repositories are configured correctly:
# apt-cache policy

Remediation:
Configure your package manager repositories according to site policy.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-2

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

7.3 Perform Automated Operating System Patch

v8 Management
Perform operating system updates on enterprise assets through automated
● ● ●
patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.

7.4 Perform Automated Application Patch Management

v8 Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch ● ● ●
management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.

3.4 Deploy Automated Operating System Patch

Management Tools
v7 Deploy automated software update tools in order to ensure that the operating ● ● ●
systems are running the most recent security updates provided by the software
vendor.

3.5 Deploy Automated Software Patch Management

Tools
v7 Deploy automated software update tools in order to ensure that third-party ● ● ●
software on all systems is running the most recent security updates provided by
the software vendor.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1195, T1195.001,
TA0001 M1051
T1195.002

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 1.2.2 Configure Package Updates

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 1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security software
are installed (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Periodically patches are released for included software either due to security flaws or to
include additional functionality.
Rationale:
Newer patches may contain security enhancements that would not be available through
the latest full update. As a result, it is recommended that the latest software patches be
used to take advantage of the latest functionality. As with any software installation,
organizations need to determine if a given update meets their requirements and verify
the compatibility and supportability of any additional software against the update
revision that is selected.
Audit:
Verify there are no updates or patches to install:
# apt update
# apt -s upgrade

Remediation:
Run the following commands to update all packages following local site policy guidance
on applying updates and patches:
Run the following command to update the system with the available patches and
updates:
# apt update

Run one of the following commands to apply the updates and patches:
# apt upgrade

- OR -
# apt dist-upgrade

Note: When running the command apt dist-upgrade that apt has a "smart" conflict
resolution system, and it will attempt to upgrade the most important packages at the
expense of less important ones if necessary. So, dist-upgrade command may remove
some packages.

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-2

Additional Information:
Site policy may mandate a testing period before installation onto production systems for
available updates.

• upgrade - is used to install the newest versions of all packages currently installed
on the system from the sources enumerated in /etc/apt/sources.list. Packages
currently installed with new versions available are retrieved and upgraded; under
no circumstances are currently installed packages removed, or packages not
already installed retrieved and installed. New versions of currently installed
packages that cannot be upgraded without changing the install status of another
package will be left at their current version. An update must be performed first so
that apt knows that new versions of packages are available.
• dist-upgrade - in addition to performing the function of upgrade, also intelligently
handles changing dependencies with new versions of packages; apt has a
"smart" conflict resolution system, and it will attempt to upgrade the most
important packages at the expense of less important ones if necessary. So, dist-
upgrade command may remove some packages. The /etc/apt/sources.list file
contains a list of locations from which to retrieve desired package files. See also
apt_preferences(5) for a mechanism for overriding the general settings for
individual packages.

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

7.3 Perform Automated Operating System Patch

v8 Management
Perform operating system updates on enterprise assets through automated
● ● ●
patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.

7.4 Perform Automated Application Patch Management

v8 Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch ● ● ●
management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.

3.4 Deploy Automated Operating System Patch

Management Tools
v7 Deploy automated software update tools in order to ensure that the operating ● ● ●
systems are running the most recent security updates provided by the software
vendor.

3.5 Deploy Automated Software Patch Management

Tools
v7 Deploy automated software update tools in order to ensure that third-party ● ● ●
software on all systems is running the most recent security updates provided by
the software vendor.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1195, T1195.001 TA0005 M1051

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 1.3 Mandatory Access Control

Mandatory Access Control (MAC) provides an additional layer of access restrictions to

processes on top of the base Discretionary Access Controls. By restricting how
processes can access files and resources on a system the potential impact from
vulnerabilities in the processes can be reduced.
Impact: Mandatory Access Control limits the capabilities of applications and daemons
on a system, while this can prevent unauthorized access the configuration of MAC can
be complex and difficult to implement correctly preventing legitimate access from
occurring.

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 1.3.1 Configure AppArmor

AppArmor provides a Mandatory Access Control (MAC) system that greatly augments
the default Discretionary Access Control (DAC) model. Under AppArmor MAC rules are
applied by file paths instead of by security contexts as in other MAC systems. As such it
does not require support in the filesystem and can be applied to network mounted
filesystems for example. AppArmor security policies define what system resources
applications can access and what privileges they can do so with. This automatically
limits the damage that the software can do to files accessible by the calling user. The
user does not need to take any action to gain this benefit. For an action to occur, both
the traditional DAC permissions must be satisfied as well as the AppArmor MAC rules.
The action will not be allowed if either one of these models does not permit the action.
In this way, AppArmor rules can only make a system's permissions more restrictive and
secure.
References:

1. AppArmor Documentation: http://wiki.apparmor.net/index.php/Documentation

2. Ubuntu AppArmor Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AppArmor

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 1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
AppArmor provides Mandatory Access Controls.
Rationale:
Without a Mandatory Access Control system installed only the default Discretionary
Access Control system will be available.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that apparmor is installed:
# dpkg-query -s apparmor &>/dev/null && echo "apparmor is installed"

apparmor is installed

Run the following command to verify that apparmor-utils is installed:

# dpkg-query -s apparmor-utils &>/dev/null && echo "apparmor-utils is installed"

apparmor-utils is installed

Run the following command to verify apparmor is the latest version:

# apt list --upgradable 2>&1 | grep -P '^apparmor\b'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify apparmor-utils is the latest version:
# apt list --upgradable 2>&1 | grep -P '^apparmor-utils\b'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to install the latest versions of apparmor and apparmor-
utils:
# apt install apparmor apparmor-utils

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1565,

TA0003 M1026
T1565.001, T1565.003

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 1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
configuration (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Configure AppArmor to be enabled at boot time and verify that it has not been
overwritten by the bootloader boot parameters.
Note: This recommendation is designed around the grub bootloader, if LILO or another
bootloader is in use in your environment enact equivalent settings.
Rationale:
AppArmor must be enabled at boot time in your bootloader configuration to ensure that
the controls it provides are not overridden.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that all linux lines have the apparmor=1
parameter set:
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "apparmor=1"

Nothing should be returned.

Run the following command to verify that all linux lines have the security=apparmor
parameter set:
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "security=apparmor"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/grub and add the apparmor=1 and security=apparmor
parameters to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX= line
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="apparmor=1 security=apparmor"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1565,

TA0003 M1026
T1565.001, T1565.003

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 1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
AppArmor profiles define what resources applications are able to access.
Rationale:
Security configuration requirements vary from site to site. Some sites may mandate a
policy that is stricter than the default policy, which is perfectly acceptable. This item is
intended to ensure that any policies that exist on the system are activated.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that profiles are loaded, and are in either enforce
or complain mode:
# apparmor_status | grep profiles

Review output and ensure that profiles are loaded, and in either enforce or complain
mode:
37 profiles are loaded.
35 profiles are in enforce mode.
2 profiles are in complain mode.
4 processes have profiles defined.

Run the following command and verify no processes are unconfined

# apparmor_status | grep processes

Review the output and ensure no processes are unconfined:

4 processes have profiles defined.
4 processes are in enforce mode.
0 processes are in complain mode.
0 processes are unconfined but have a profile defined.

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 Remediation:
Run the following command to set all profiles to enforce mode:
# aa-enforce /etc/apparmor.d/*

- OR -
Run the following command to set all profiles to complain mode:
# aa-complain /etc/apparmor.d/*

Note: Any unconfined processes may need to have a profile created or activated for
them and then be restarted
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1497 TA0005

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 1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
AppArmor profiles define what resources applications are able to access.
Rationale:
Security configuration requirements vary from site to site. Some sites may mandate a
policy that is stricter than the default policy, which is perfectly acceptable. This item is
intended to ensure that any policies that exist on the system are activated.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify that profiles are loaded and are not in complain
mode:
# apparmor_status | grep profiles

Review output and ensure that profiles are loaded, and in enforce mode:
34 profiles are loaded.
34 profiles are in enforce mode.
0 profiles are in complain mode.
2 processes have profiles defined.

Run the following command and verify that no processes are unconfined:
apparmor_status | grep processes

Review the output and ensure no processes are unconfined:

2 processes have profiles defined.
2 processes are in enforce mode.
0 processes are in complain mode.
0 processes are unconfined but have a profile defined.

Remediation:
Run the following command to set all profiles to enforce mode:
# aa-enforce /etc/apparmor.d/*

Note: Any unconfined processes may need to have a profile created or activated for
them and then be restarted
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3

Page 137

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1565,

TA0005 M1048
T1565.001, T1565.003

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 1.4 Configure Bootloader

The recommendations in this section focus on securing the bootloader and settings
involved in the boot process directly.

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 1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Setting the boot loader password will require that anyone rebooting the system must
enter a password before being able to set command line boot parameters
Rationale:
Requiring a boot password upon execution of the boot loader will prevent an
unauthorized user from entering boot parameters or changing the boot partition. This
prevents users from weakening security (e.g. turning off AppArmor at boot time).
Impact:
If password protection is enabled, only the designated superuser can edit a GRUB 2
menu item by pressing "e" or access the GRUB 2 command line by pressing "c"
If GRUB 2 is set up to boot automatically to a password-protected menu entry the user
has no option to back out of the password prompt to select another menu entry. Holding
the SHIFT key will not display the menu in this case. The user must enter the correct
username and password. If unable to do so, the configuration files will have to be edited
via a LiveCD or other means to fix the problem
You can add --unrestricted to the menu entries to allow the system to boot without
entering a password. A password will still be required to edit menu items.
More Information: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Passwords
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# grep "^set superusers" /boot/grub/grub.cfg

set superusers="<username>"
# awk -F. '/^\s*password/ {print $1"."$2"."$3}' /boot/grub/grub.cfg

password_pbkdf2 <username> grub.pbkdf2.sha512

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 Remediation:
Create an encrypted password with grub-mkpasswd-pbkdf2:
# grub-mkpasswd-pbkdf2 --iteration-count=600000 --salt=64

Enter password: <password>

Reenter password: <password>
PBKDF2 hash of your password is <encrypted-password>

Add the following into a custom /etc/grub.d configuration file:

set superusers="<username>"
password_pbkdf2 <username> <encrypted-password>

The superuser/user information and password should not be contained in the

/etc/grub.d/00_header file as this file could be overwritten in a package update.
If there is a requirement to be able to boot/reboot without entering the password, edit
/etc/grub.d/10_linux and add --unrestricted to the line CLASS=
Example:
CLASS="--class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os --unrestricted"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

Default Value:
This recommendation is designed around the grub bootloader, if LILO or another
bootloader is in use in your environment enact equivalent settings.
Replace /boot/grub/grub.cfg with the appropriate grub configuration file for your
environment.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: AC-3.1

Additional Information:
Changes to /etc/grub.d/10_linux may be overwritten during updates to the grub-
common package. You should review any changes to this file before rebooting otherwise
the system may unexpectedly prompt for a password on the next boot.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

Page 141

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 Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1542, T1542.000 TA0003 M1046

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 1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The grub configuration file contains information on boot settings and passwords for
unlocking boot options.
Rationale:
Setting the permissions to read and write for root only prevents non-root users from
seeing the boot parameters or changing them. Non-root users who read the boot
parameters may be able to identify weaknesses in security upon boot and be able to
exploit them.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is
0600 or more restrictive.
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Access: (0600/-rw-------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set permissions on your grub configuration:
# chown root:root /boot/grub/grub.cfg
# chmod u-x,go-rwx /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3

Additional Information:
This recommendation is designed around the grub bootloader, if LILO or another
bootloader is in use in your environment enact equivalent settings.
Replace /boot/grub/grub.cfg with the appropriate grub configuration file for your
environment

Page 143

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1542, T1542.000 TA0005, TA0007 M1022

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 1.5 Configure Additional Process Hardening

Page 145

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 1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Address space layout randomization (ASLR) is an exploit mitigation technique which
randomly arranges the address space of key data areas of a process.
Rationale:
Randomly placing virtual memory regions will make it difficult to write memory page
exploits as the memory placement will be consistently shifting.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• kernel.randomize_va_space is set to 2

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); a_parlist=(kernel.randomize_va_space=2)
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-
sysctl)"
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check
running configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-
config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
f_kernel_parameter_chk
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:"
"${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

Example:
# printf "\n%s\n" "kernel.randomize_va_space = 2" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-kernel_sysctl.conf

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameter:

# sysctl -w kernel.randomize_va_space=2

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2
References:

1. CCI-000366: The organization implements the security configuration settings

2. NIST SP 800-53: CM-6
3. NIST SP 800-53A: CM-6.1 (iv)
4. NIST SP 800-53: SI-16
5. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010448 | Rule ID: SV-238369r958928 | CAT II
6. STIG ID: UBTU-22-213020 | Rule ID: SV-260474r958928 | CAT II

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

10.5 Enable Anti-Exploitation Features

v8 Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where possible, such as
Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple®
● ●
System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper™.

8.3 Enable Operating System Anti-Exploitation Features/ Deploy Anti-

Exploit Technologies
v7 Enable anti-exploitation features such as Data Execution Prevention (DEP) or Address Space ● ●
Layout Randomization (ASLR) that are available in an operating system or deploy appropriate toolkits
that can be configured to apply protection to a broader set of applications and executables.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1068, T1068.000 TA0002 M1050

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 1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The ptrace() system call provides a means by which one process (the "tracer") may
observe and control the execution of another process (the "tracee"), and examine and
change the tracee's memory and registers.
The sysctl settings (writable only with CAP_SYS_PTRACE) are:

• 0 - classic ptrace permissions: a process can PTRACE_ATTACH to any other

process running under the same uid, as long as it is dumpable (i.e. did not
transition uids, start privileged, or have called prctl(PR_SET_DUMPABLE...)
already). Similarly, PTRACE_TRACEME is unchanged.
• 1 - restricted ptrace: a process must have a predefined relationship with the
inferior it wants to call PTRACE_ATTACH on. By default, this relationship is that
of only its descendants when the above classic criteria is also met. To change
the relationship, an inferior can call prctl(PR_SET_PTRACER, debugger, ...) to
declare an allowed debugger PID to call PTRACE_ATTACH on the inferior.
Using PTRACE_TRACEME is unchanged.
• 2 - admin-only attach: only processes with CAP_SYS_PTRACE may use ptrace
with PTRACE_ATTACH, or through children calling PTRACE_TRACEME.
• 3 - no attach: no processes may use ptrace with PTRACE_ATTACH nor via
PTRACE_TRACEME. Once set, this sysctl value cannot be changed.

Rationale:
If one application is compromised, it would be possible for an attacker to attach to other
running processes (e.g. Bash, Firefox, SSH sessions, GPG agent, etc) to extract
additional credentials and continue to expand the scope of their attack.
Enabling restricted mode will limit the ability of a compromised process to
PTRACE_ATTACH on other processes running under the same user. With restricted
mode, ptrace will continue to work with root user.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• kernel.yama.ptrace_scope is set to a value of: 1, 2, or 3

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 Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); a_parlist=("kernel.yama.ptrace_scope=(1|2|3)")
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
f_kernel_parameter_chk
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the kernel.yama.ptrace_scope parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in
/etc/sysctl.d/ ending in .conf to a value of 1, 2, or 3:
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 1
- OR -
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 2
- OR -
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 3

Example:
# printf "\n%s\n" "kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 1" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-kernel_sysctl.conf

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameter:

# sysctl -w kernel.yama.ptrace_scope=1

Note:

• If a value of 2 or 3 is preferred, or required by local site policy, replace the 1 with

the desired value of 2 or 3 in the example above
• If this setting appears in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten

Default Value:
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 0
References:

1. https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/security/Yama.txt
2. https://github.com/raj3shp/termspy
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6

Additional Information:
Ptrace is very rarely used by regular applications and is mostly used by debuggers such
as gdb and strace.

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1055, T1055.008 TA0005 M1040

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 1.5.3 Ensure core dumps are restricted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
A core dump is the memory of an executable program. It is generally used to determine
why a program aborted. It can also be used to glean confidential information from a core
file. The system provides the ability to set a soft limit for core dumps, but this can be
overridden by the user.
Rationale:
Setting a hard limit on core dumps prevents users from overriding the soft variable. If
core dumps are required, consider setting limits for user groups (see limits.conf(5)
). In addition, setting the fs.suid_dumpable variable to 0 will prevent setuid programs
from dumping core.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output matches:
# grep -Ps -- '^\h*\*\h+hard\h+core\h+0\b' /etc/security/limits.conf /etc/security/limits.d/*

* hard core 0

Run the following script to verify fs.suid_dumpable = 0:

Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• fs.suid_dumpable is set to 0

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); a_parlist=("fs.suid_dumpable=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
f_kernel_parameter_chk
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Run the following command to check if systemd-coredump is installed:
# systemctl list-unit-files | grep coredump

If anything is returned systemd-coredump is installed

- IF - systemd-coredump is installed, then run the following command and verify output
matches:
# grep -Psi -- '^\s*Storage\s*=\s*none\s*$' /etc/systemd/coredump.conf

Storage=none
# grep -Psi -- '^\s*ProcessSizeMax\s*=\s*0' /etc/systemd/coredump.conf

ProcessSizeMax=0

Remediation:
Add the following line to /etc/security/limits.conf or a
/etc/security/limits.d/* file:
* hard core 0

Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending

in .conf:

• fs.suid_dumpable = 0

Example:
# printf "\n%s" "fs.suid_dumpable = 0" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-fs_sysctl.conf

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameter:

# sysctl -w fs.suid_dumpable=0

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
- IF - systemd-coredump is installed:
edit /etc/systemd/coredump.conf and add/modify the following lines:
Storage=none
ProcessSizeMax=0

Run the command:

systemctl daemon-reload

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000 TA0007 M1057

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 1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
prelink is a program that modifies ELF shared libraries and ELF dynamically linked
binaries in such a way that the time needed for the dynamic linker to perform relocations
at startup significantly decreases.
Rationale:
The prelinking feature can interfere with the operation of AIDE, because it changes
binaries. Prelinking can also increase the vulnerability of the system if a malicious user
is able to compromise a common library such as libc.
Audit:
Verify prelink is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s prelink &>/dev/null && echo "prelink is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command to restore binaries to normal:
# prelink -ua

Uninstall prelink using the appropriate package manager or manual installation:

# apt purge prelink

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-1, CM-3

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 3.14 Log Sensitive Data Access ●

Log sensitive data access, including modification and disposal.

14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to

Sensitive Data
v7 Enforce detailed audit logging for access to sensitive data or changes to ●
sensitive data (utilizing tools such as File Integrity Monitoring or Security
Information and Event Monitoring).

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1055, T1055.009, T1065,

TA0002 M1050
T1065.001

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 1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The Apport Error Reporting Service automatically generates crash reports for
debugging
Rationale:
Apport collects potentially sensitive data, such as core dumps, stack traces, and log
files. They can contain passwords, credit card numbers, serial numbers, and other
private material.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the Apport Error Reporting Service is not
enabled:
# dpkg-query -s apport &> /dev/null && grep -Psi -- '^\h*enabled\h*=\h*[^0]\b' /etc/default/apport

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify that the apport service is not active:
# systemctl is-active apport.service | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/apport and add or edit the enabled parameter to equal 0:
enabled=0

Run the following commands to stop and mask the apport service
# systemctl stop apport.service
# systemctl mask apport.service

- OR -
Run the following command to remove the apport package:
# apt purge apport

Default Value:
enabled=1

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

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 1.6 Configure Command Line Warning Banners

Presenting a warning message prior to the normal user login may assist in the
prosecution of trespassers on the computer system. Changing some of these login
banners also has the side effect of hiding OS version information and other detailed
system information from attackers attempting to target specific exploits at a system.
Guidelines published by the US Department of Defense require that warning messages
include at least the name of the organization that owns the system, the fact that the
system is subject to monitoring and that such monitoring is in compliance with local
statutes, and that use of the system implies consent to such monitoring. It is important
that the organization's legal counsel review the content of all messages before any
system modifications are made, as these warning messages are inherently site-specific.
More information (including citations of relevant case law) can be found at
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/
The /etc/motd, /etc/issue, and /etc/issue.net files govern warning banners for
standard command line logins for both local and remote users.
Note: The text provided in the remediation actions for these items is intended as an
example only. Please edit to include the specific text for your organization as approved
by your legal department.

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 1.6.1 Ensure /etc/motd is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The contents of the /etc/motd file are displayed to users after login and function as a
message of the day for authenticated users.
Unix-based systems have typically displayed information about the OS release and
patch level upon logging in to the system. This information can be useful to developers
who are developing software for a particular OS platform. If mingetty(8) supports the
following options, they display operating system information: \m - machine architecture
\r - operating system release \s - operating system name \v - operating system
version
Rationale:
Warning messages inform users who are attempting to login to the system of their legal
status regarding the system and must include the name of the organization that owns
the system and any monitoring policies that are in place. Displaying OS and patch level
information in login banners also has the side effect of providing detailed system
information to attackers attempting to target specific exploits of a system. Authorized
users can easily get this information by running the " uname -a " command once they
have logged in.

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify MOTD files do not contain system information:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_files=()
for l_file in /etc/motd{,.d/*}; do
if grep -Psqi -- "(\\\v|\\\r|\\\m|\\\s|\b$(grep ^ID= /etc/os-release | cut -d= -f2 | sed -e 's/"//g')\b)"
"$l_file"; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - File: \"$l_file\" includes system information"
else
a_files+=("$l_file")
fi
done
if [ "${#a_files[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e "\n- ** Please review the following files and verify their contents follow local site policy
**\n"
printf '%s\n' "${a_files[@]}"
elif [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "- ** No MOTD files with any size were found. Please verify this conforms to local site policy **
-"
fi
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
l_output=" - No MOTD files include system information"
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
fi
}

Review any files returned and verify that they follow local site policy

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 Remediation:
Edit the file found in /etc/motd.d/* with the appropriate contents according to your
site policy, remove any instances of \m , \r , \s , \v or references to the OS platform
- OR -
- IF - the motd is not used, this file can be removed.
Run the following command to remove the motd file:
# rm /etc/motd

Run the following script and review and/or update all returned files' contents to:

• Remove all system information (\v, \r; \m, \s)

• Remove any refence to the operating system
• Ensure contents follow local site policy
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_files=()
for l_file in /etc/motd{,.d/*}; do
if grep -Psqi -- "(\\\v|\\\r|\\\m|\\\s|\b$(grep ^ID= /etc/os-release | cut -d= -f2 | sed -e 's/"//g')\b)"
"$l_file"; then
echo -e "\n - File: \"$l_file\" includes system information. Edit this file to remove these entries"
else
a_files+=("$l_file")
fi
done
if [ "${#a_files[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e "\n- ** Please review the following files and verify their contents follow local site policy
**\n"
printf '%s\n' "${a_files[@]}"
fi
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-1, CM-3

Page 163

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1082, T1082.000, T1592,

TA0007
T1592.004

Page 164

Internal Only - General

 1.6.2 Ensure /etc/issue is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The contents of the /etc/issue file are displayed to users prior to login for local
terminals.
Unix-based systems have typically displayed information about the OS release and
patch level upon logging in to the system. This information can be useful to developers
who are developing software for a particular OS platform. If mingetty(8) supports the
following options, they display operating system information: \m - machine architecture
\r - operating system release \s - operating system name \v - operating system
version - or the operating system's name
Rationale:
Warning messages inform users who are attempting to login to the system of their legal
status regarding the system and must include the name of the organization that owns
the system and any monitoring policies that are in place. Displaying OS and patch level
information in login banners also has the side effect of providing detailed system
information to attackers attempting to target specific exploits of a system. Authorized
users can easily get this information by running the " uname -a " command once they
have logged in.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the contents match site policy:
# cat /etc/issue

Run the following command and verify no results are returned:

# grep -E -i "(\\\v|\\\r|\\\m|\\\s|$(grep '^ID=' /etc/os-release | cut -d= -f2 | sed -e 's/"//g'))" /etc/issue

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/issue file with the appropriate contents according to your site policy,
remove any instances of \m , \r , \s , \v or references to the OS platform
Example:
# echo "Authorized users only. All activity may be monitored and reported." > /etc/issue

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-1, CM-3

Page 165

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1082, T1082.000, T1592,

TA0007
T1592.004

Page 166

Internal Only - General

 1.6.3 Ensure /etc/issue.net is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The contents of the /etc/issue.net file are displayed to users prior to login for remote
connections from configured services.
Unix-based systems have typically displayed information about the OS release and
patch level upon logging in to the system. This information can be useful to developers
who are developing software for a particular OS platform. If mingetty(8) supports the
following options, they display operating system information: \m - machine architecture
\r - operating system release \s - operating system name \v - operating system
version
Rationale:
Warning messages inform users who are attempting to login to the system of their legal
status regarding the system and must include the name of the organization that owns
the system and any monitoring policies that are in place. Displaying OS and patch level
information in login banners also has the side effect of providing detailed system
information to attackers attempting to target specific exploits of a system. Authorized
users can easily get this information by running the " uname -a " command once they
have logged in.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the contents match site policy:
# cat /etc/issue.net

Run the following command and verify no results are returned:

# grep -E -i "(\\\v|\\\r|\\\m|\\\s|$(grep '^ID=' /etc/os-release | cut -d= -f2 | sed -e 's/"//g'))"
/etc/issue.net

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/issue.net file with the appropriate contents according to your site policy,
remove any instances of \m , \r , \s , \v or references to the OS platform
Example:
# echo "Authorized users only. All activity may be monitored and reported." > /etc/issue.net

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-1, CM-3

Page 167

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1018, T1018.000, T1082,

T1082.000, T1592, TA0007
T1592.004

Page 168

Internal Only - General

 1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The contents of the /etc/motd file are displayed to users after login and function as a
message of the day for authenticated users.
Rationale:
- IF - the /etc/motd file does not have the correct access configured, it could be
modified by unauthorized users with incorrect or misleading information.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that if /etc/motd exists, Access is 644 or more
restrictive, Uid and Gid are both 0/root:
# [ -e /etc/motd ] && stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: { %g/ %G)' /etc/motd

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

-- OR --
Nothing is returned

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set mode, owner, and group on /etc/motd:
# chown root:root $(readlink -e /etc/motd)
# chmod u-x,go-wx $(readlink -e /etc/motd)

- OR -
Run the following command to remove the /etc/motd file:
# rm /etc/motd

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 169

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 170

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 1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The contents of the /etc/issue file are displayed to users prior to login for local
terminals.
Rationale:
- IF - the /etc/issue file does not have the correct access configured, it could be
modified by unauthorized users with incorrect or misleading information.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify Access is 644 or more restrictive and Uid and
Gid are both 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: { %g/ %G)' /etc/issue

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: { 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set mode, owner, and group on /etc/issue:
# chown root:root $(readlink -e /etc/issue)
# chmod u-x,go-wx $(readlink -e /etc/issue)

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 171

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 172

Internal Only - General

 1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The contents of the /etc/issue.net file are displayed to users prior to login for remote
connections from configured services.
Rationale:
- IF - the /etc/issue.net file does not have the correct access configured, it could be
modified by unauthorized users with incorrect or misleading information.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify Access is 644 or more restrictive and Uid and
Gid are both 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: { %g/ %G)' /etc/issue.net

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set mode, owner, and group on /etc/issue.net:
# chown root:root $(readlink -e /etc/issue.net)
# chmod u-x,go-wx $(readlink -e /etc/issue.net)

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 173

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 174

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 1.7 Configure GNOME Display Manager

The GNOME Display Manager (GDM) is a program that manages graphical display
servers and handles graphical user logins.
This subsection requires user profiles to already exist on the system. A profile is a list of
configuration databases.
Sample profile:
user-db:user
system-db:local
system-db:site

Configuring a single user and multiple system databases allows for layering of
preferences. Settings from the user database file take precedence over the settings in
the local database file, and the local database file in turn takes precedence over the site
database file.
Note:

• - IF - GDM is not installed on the system, this section can be skipped

• The Remediation Procedure commands in this section MUST be done from a
command window on a graphical desktop or an error will be returned.

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 1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
Description:
The GNOME Display Manager (GDM) is a program that manages graphical display
servers and handles graphical user logins.
Rationale:
If a Graphical User Interface (GUI) is not required, it should be removed to reduce the
attack surface of the system.
Impact:
Removing the GNOME Display manager will remove the Graphical User Interface (GUI)
from the system.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify gdm3 is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s gdm3 &>/dev/null && echo "gdm3 is installed"

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following commands to uninstall gdm3 and remove unused dependencies:
# apt purge gdm3
# apt autoremove gdm3

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-11

Page 176

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1543, T1543.002 TA0002 M1033

Page 177

Internal Only - General

 1.7.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
GDM is the GNOME Display Manager which handles graphical login for GNOME based
systems.
Rationale:
Warning messages inform users who are attempting to login to the system of their legal
status regarding the system and must include the name of the organization that owns
the system and any monitoring policies that are in place.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a user profile exists:
# grep -Psi "user-db|system-db" /etc/dconf/profile/*/*

/etc/dconf/profile/gdm:user-db:user
/etc/dconf/profile/gdm:system-db:local

Run the following commands to verify that the text banner on the login screen is
enabled and set:
# gsettings get org.gnome.login-screen banner-message-enable
true
# gsettings get org.gnome.login-screen banner-message-text
'Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored and reported'

Page 178

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
- IF - A user profile is already created run the following commands to set and enable the
text banner message on the login screen:
# gsettings set org.gnome.login-screen banner-message-text 'Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored
and reported'
# gsettings set org.gnome.login-screen banner-message-enable true

Note:

• banner-message-text may be set in accordance with local site policy

• gsettings commands in this section MUST be done from a command window
on a graphical desktop or an error will be returned.
• The system must be restarted after all gsettings configurations have been set
in order for CIS-CAT Assessor to appropriately assess.

- OR/IF - A user profile does not exist:

1. Create or edit the gdm profile in the /etc/dconf/profile/gdm with the following
lines:
user-db:user
system-db:gdm
file-db:/usr/share/gdm/greeter-dconf-defaults

Note: gdm is the name of a dconf database.

2. Create a gdm keyfile for machine-wide settings in /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d/01-

banner-message:

[org/gnome/login-screen]
banner-message-enable=true
banner-message-text='Type the banner message here.'

3. Update the system databases

# dconf update

Note:

• Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.
• There is no character limit for the banner message. gnome-shell autodetects
longer stretches of text and enters two column mode.
• The banner message cannot be read from an external file.

Default Value:
disabled

Page 179

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 References:

1. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-banner.html.en
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Additional Information:
Additional options and sections may appear in the /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d/01-banner-
message file.
If a different GUI login service is in use, consult your documentation and apply an
equivalent banner.
MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
T1078.002, T1078.003,
TA0007 M1028
T1087, T1087.001,
T1087.002

Page 180

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 1.7.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
GDM is the GNOME Display Manager which handles graphical login for GNOME based
systems.
The disable-user-list option controls if a list of users is displayed on the login
screen
Rationale:
Displaying the user list eliminates half of the Userid/Password equation that an
unauthorized person would need to log on.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a user profile exists:
# grep -Psi "user-db|system-db" /etc/dconf/profile/*/*

/etc/dconf/profile/local:user-db:user
/etc/dconf/profile/local:system-db:local

Run the following command and to verify that the disable-user-list option is
enabled:
# gsettings get org.gnome.login-screen disable-user-list
true

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 Remediation:
- IF - A user profile exists run the following command to enable the disable-user-
list:
# gsettings set org.gnome.login-screen disable-user-list true

Note:

• gsettings commands in this section MUST be done from a command window

on a graphical desktop or an error will be returned.
• The system must be restarted after all gsettings configurations have been set
in order for CIS-CAT Assessor to appropriately assess.

- OR/IF - A user profile does not exist:

1. Create or edit the gdm profile in /etc/dconf/profile/gdm with the following

lines:
user-db:user
system-db:gdm
file-db:/usr/share/gdm/greeter-dconf-defaults

Note: gdm is the name of a dconf database.

2. Create a gdm keyfile for machine-wide settings in /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d/00-

login-screen:

[org/gnome/login-screen]
# Do not show the user list
disable-user-list=true

3. Update the system databases:

# dconf update

Note: When the user profile is created or changed, the user will need to log out and log
in again before the changes will be applied.
Default Value:
false
References:

1. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-
disable.html.en
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 182

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
If a different GUI login service is in use and required on the system, consult your
documentation to disable displaying the user list
MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
T1078.002, T1078.003,
TA0007 M1028
T1087, T1087.001,
T1087.002

Page 183

Internal Only - General

 1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
GNOME Desktop Manager can make the screen lock automatically whenever the user
is idle for some amount of time.
Rationale:
Setting a lock-out value reduces the window of opportunity for unauthorized user access
to another user's session that has been left unattended.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a user profile exists:
# grep -Psi "user-db|system-db" /etc/dconf/profile/*/*

/etc/dconf/profile/local:user-db:user
/etc/dconf/profile/local:system-db:local

Run the following commands to verify that the screen locks when the user is idle:
# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-delay
uint32 5
# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay
uint32 900
# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-enabled
true

Notes:

• lock-delay=uint32 {n} - should be 5 seconds or less and follow local site

policy
• idle-delay=uint32 {n} - Should be 900 seconds (15 minutes) or less, not 0
(disabled) and follow local site policy
• lock-enabled - must be set to true for screen locks to lock when the user is
idle

Page 184

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
- IF - A user profile is already created run the following commands to enable screen
locks when the user is idle:
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-delay 5
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 900
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-enabled true

Note:

• gsettings commands in this section MUST be done from a command window

on a graphical desktop or an error will be returned.
• The system must be restarted after all gsettings configurations have been set
in order for CIS-CAT Assessor to appropriately assess.

- OR/IF- A user profile does not exist:

1. Create or edit the user profile in the /etc/dconf/profile/ and verify it includes
the following:
user-db:user
system-db:{NAME_OF_DCONF_DATABASE}

Note: local is the name of a dconf database used in the examples.

2. Create the directory /etc/dconf/db/local.d/ if it doesn't already exist:

3. Create the key file /etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-screensaver to provide
information for the local database:

Example key file:

# Specify the dconf path
[org/gnome/desktop/session]

# Number of seconds of inactivity before the screen goes blank

# Set to 0 seconds if you want to deactivate the screensaver.
idle-delay=uint32 180

# Specify the dconf path

[org/gnome/desktop/screensaver]

# Number of seconds after the screen is blank before locking the screen
lock-delay=uint32 0

# Ensure screen locks after inactivity

lock-enabled=true

Note: You must include the uint32 along with the integer key values as shown.

4. Run the following command to update the system databases:

# dconf update

5. Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.

Page 185

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/desktop-
lockscreen.html.en

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.3 Configure Automatic Session Locking on Enterprise

Assets
v8 Configure automatic session locking on enterprise assets after a defined period ● ● ●
of inactivity. For general purpose operating systems, the period must not exceed
15 minutes. For mobile end-user devices, the period must not exceed 2 minutes.

v7 16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity ● ● ●

Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1461 TA0027 M1012

Page 186

Internal Only - General

 1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
GNOME Desktop Manager can lock down specific settings by using the lockdown mode
in dconf to prevent users from changing specific settings.
To lock down a dconf key or subpath, create a locks subdirectory in the keyfile directory.
The files inside this directory contain a list of keys or subpaths to lock. Just as with the
keyfiles, you may add any number of files to this directory.
Rationale:
Setting a lock-out value reduces the window of opportunity for unauthorized user access
to another user's session that has been left unattended.
Without locking down the system settings, user settings take precedence over the
system settings.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that the screen lock cannot be overridden:
# grep -Psi "idle-delay|lock-delay|lock-enabled" /etc/dconf/db/*/locks/*

/org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay
/org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-delay
/org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-enabled

Page 187

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:

1. To prevent the user from overriding these settings, create the file
/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-screensaver with the following content:

# Lock desktop screensaver settings

/org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay
/org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-delay
/org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-enabled

2. Update the system databases:

# dconf update

Note:

• A user profile must exist in order to apply locks. If a user profile does not exist
review the remediation steps in the previous recommendation.
• Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.

References:

1. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/desktop-
lockscreen.html.en
2. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/dconf-lockdown.html.en
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-11

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.3 Configure Automatic Session Locking on Enterprise

Assets
v8 Configure automatic session locking on enterprise assets after a defined period ● ● ●
of inactivity. For general purpose operating systems, the period must not exceed
15 minutes. For mobile end-user devices, the period must not exceed 2 minutes.

v7 16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity ● ● ●

Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1456 TA0027 M1001

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 1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
By default GNOME automatically mounts removable media when inserted as a
convenience to the user.
Rationale:
With automounting enabled anyone with physical access could attach a USB drive or
disc and have its contents available in system even if they lacked permissions to mount
it themselves.
Impact:
The use of portable hard drives is very common for workstation users. If your
organization allows the use of portable storage or media on workstations and physical
access controls to workstations is considered adequate there is little value add in
turning off automounting.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a user profile exists:
# grep -Psi "user-db|system-db" /etc/dconf/profile/*/*

/etc/dconf/profile/local:user-db:user
/etc/dconf/profile/local:system-db:local

Run the following commands to verify automatic mounting is disabled:

# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount
false
# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount-open
false

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 Remediation:
- IF - A user profile exists run the following commands to ensure automatic mounting is
disabled:
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount false
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount-open false

Note:

• gsettings commands in this section MUST be done from a command window

on a graphical desktop or an error will be returned.
• The system must be restarted after all gsettings configurations have been set
in order for CIS-CAT Assessor to appropriately assess.

- OR/IF - A user profile does not exist:

1. Create a file /etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-media-automount with following

content:
[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]
automount=false
automount-open=false

2. After creating the file, apply the changes using below command :
# dconf update

Note: Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.
References:

1. https://access.redhat.com/solutions/20107
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

10.3 Disable Autorun and Autoplay for Removable

v8 Media
Disable autorun and autoplay auto-execute functionality for removable
● ● ●
media.

v7 8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content ● ● ●

Configure devices to not auto-run content from removable media.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1091, T1091.000 TA0008 M1042

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 1.7.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable
media is not overridden (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
By default GNOME automatically mounts removable media when inserted as a
convenience to the user.
By using the lockdown mode in dconf, you can prevent users from changing specific
settings. To lock down a dconf key or subpath, create a locks subdirectory in the keyfile
directory. The files inside this directory contain a list of keys or subpaths to lock. Just as
with the keyfiles, you may add any number of files to this directory.
Rationale:
With automounting enabled anyone with physical access could attach a USB drive or
disc and have its contents available in system even if they lacked permissions to mount
it themselves.
Impact:
The use of portable hard drives is very common for workstation users
Audit:
Run the following command to verify automount=false and automount-open=false is
correctly configured to ensure automatic mounting of removable media is not
overridden:
# grep -Psi "automount" /etc/dconf/db/*/locks/*

/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-media-automount:automount=false
/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-media-automount:automount-open=false

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 Remediation:

1. To prevent the user from overriding these settings, create the file
/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-media-automount with the following
content:
[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]
automount=false
automount-open=false

2. Update the systems databases:

# dconf update

Note:

• A user profile must exist in order to apply locks. If a user profile does not exist
review the remediation steps in the previous recommendation.
• Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.

References:

1. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/dconf-lockdown.html.en
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5
3. https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/gsettings.1.html
4. https://access.redhat.com/solutions/20107

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1091, T1091.000 TA0001, TA0008 M1042

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 1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The autorun-never setting allows the GNOME Desktop Display Manager to disable
autorun through GDM.
Rationale:
Malware on removable media may taking advantage of Autorun features when the
media is inserted into a system and execute.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a user profile exists:
# grep -Psi "user-db|system-db" /etc/dconf/profile/*/*

/etc/dconf/profile/local:user-db:user
/etc/dconf/profile/local:system-db:local

Run the following command to verify that autorun-never is set to true for GDM:
# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.media-handling autorun-never
true

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 Remediation:
- IF - A user profile exist run the following command to set autorun-never to true for
GDM users:
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling autorun-never true

Note:

• gsettings commands in this section MUST be done from a command window

on a graphical desktop or an error will be returned.
• The system must be restarted after all gsettings configurations have been set
in order for CIS-CAT Assessor to appropriately assess.

- OR/IF - A user profile does not exist:

1. create the file /etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-media-autorun with the

following content:
[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]
autorun-never=true

2. Update the systems databases:

# dconf update

Note: Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.
Default Value:
false
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 195

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

10.3 Disable Autorun and Autoplay for Removable

v8 Media
Disable autorun and autoplay auto-execute functionality for removable
● ● ●
media.

v7 8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content ● ● ●

Configure devices to not auto-run content from removable media.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1091, T1091.000 TA0001, TA0008 M1042

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 1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The autorun-never setting allows the GNOME Desktop Display Manager to disable
autorun through GDM.
By using the lockdown mode in dconf, you can prevent users from changing specific
settings.
To lock down a dconf key or subpath, create a locks subdirectory in the keyfile directory.
The files inside this directory contain a list of keys or subpaths to lock. Just as with the
keyfiles, you may add any number of files to this directory.
Rationale:
Malware on removable media may taking advantage of Autorun features when the
media is inserted into a system and execute.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that autorun-never=true cannot be overridden:
# grep -Psi "autorun-never" /etc/dconf/db/*/locks/*

/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-media-autorun:autorun-never=true

Remediation:

1. To prevent the user from overriding these settings, create the file
/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-media-autorun with the following content:

[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]
autorun-never=true

2. Update the systems databases:

# dconf update

Note:

• A user profile must exist in order to apply locks. If a user profile does not exist
review the remediation steps in the previous recommendation.
• Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

10.3 Disable Autorun and Autoplay for Removable

v8 Media
Disable autorun and autoplay auto-execute functionality for removable
● ● ●
media.

v7 8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content ● ● ●

Configure devices to not auto-run content from removable media.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1091, T1091.000 TA0001, TA0008 M1028

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 1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
X Display Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP) is designed to provide authenticated
access to display management services for remote displays
Rationale:
XDMCP is inherently insecure.

• XDMCP is not a ciphered protocol. This may allow an attacker to capture

keystrokes entered by a user
• XDMCP is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. This may allow an attacker to
steal the credentials of legitimate users by impersonating the XDMCP server.

Audit:
Run the following script and verify the output:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
while IFS= read -r l_file; do
awk '/\[xdmcp\]/{ f = 1;next } /\[/{ f = 0 } f {if (/^\s*Enable\s*=\s*true/) print "The file:
\"'"$l_file"'\" includes: \"" $0 "\" in the \"[xdmcp]\" block"}' "$l_file"
done < <(grep -Psil -- '^\h*\[xdmcp\]' /etc/{gdm3,gdm}/{custom,daemon}.conf)
}

Nothing should be returned

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 Remediation:
Edit all files returned by the audit and remove or comment out the Enable=true line in
the [xdmcp] block:
Example file:
# GDM configuration storage
#
# See /usr/share/gdm/gdm.schemas for a list of available options.

[daemon]
# Uncomment the line below to force the login screen to use Xorg
#WaylandEnable=false

# Enabling automatic login

# AutomaticLoginEnable = true
# AutomaticLogin = user1

# Enabling timed login

# TimedLoginEnable = true
# TimedLogin = user1
# TimedLoginDelay = 10

[security]

[xdmcp]
# Enable=true <- **This line should be removed or commented out**

[chooser]

[debug]
# Uncomment the line below to turn on debugging
# More verbose logs
# Additionally lets the X server dump core if it crashes
# Enable=true

Default Value:
false
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1056,

T1056.001, T1557, TA0002 M1050
T1557.000

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 2 Services
While applying system updates and patches helps correct known vulnerabilities, one of
the best ways to protect the system against as yet unreported vulnerabilities is to
disable all services that are not required for normal system operation. This prevents the
exploitation of vulnerabilities discovered at a later date. If a service is not enabled, it
cannot be exploited. The actions in this section of the document provide guidance on
some services which can be safely disabled and under which circumstances, greatly
reducing the number of possible threats to the resulting system. Additionally, some
services which should remain enabled but with secure configuration are covered as well
as insecure service clients.

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 2.1 Configure Server Services

This section describes services that are installed on systems that specifically need to
run these services. If any of these services are not required, it is recommended that the
package be removed.
- IF - the package is required for a dependency:

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy
• Stop and mask the service and/or socket to reduce the potential attack surface

The following commands can be used to stop and mask the service and socket:
# systemctl stop <service_name>.socket <service_name>.service
# systemctl mask <service_name>.socket <service_name>.service

Note: This should not be considered a comprehensive list of services not required for
normal system operation. You may wish to consider additions to those listed here for
your environment

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 2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
autofs allows automatic mounting of devices, typically including CD/DVDs and USB
drives.
Rationale:
With automounting enabled anyone with physical access could attach a USB drive or
disc and have its contents available in the filesystem even if they lacked permissions to
mount it themselves.
Impact:
The use of portable hard drives is very common for workstation users. If your
organization allows the use of portable storage or media on workstations and physical
access controls to workstations is considered adequate there is little value add in
turning off automounting.
There may be packages that are dependent on the autofs package. If the autofs
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the autofs package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the autofs.service leaving the
autofs package installed.

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 Audit:
As a preference autofs should not be installed unless other packages depend on it.
Run the following command to verify autofs is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s autofs &>/dev/null && echo "autofs is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify autofs.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled autofs.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the autofs.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active autofs.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop autofs.service and remove the autofs
package:
# systemctl stop autofs.service
# apt purge autofs

- OR -
- IF - the autofs package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask autofs.service:
# systemctl stop autofs.service
# systemctl mask autofs.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-3, MP-7

2. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230502
3. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230502r627750

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 Additional Information:
This control should align with the tolerance of the use of portable drives and optical
media in the organization. On a server, requiring an admin to manually mount media
can be part of defense-in-depth to reduce the risk of unapproved software or information
being introduced or proprietary software or information being exfiltrated. If admins
commonly use flash drives and Server access has sufficient physical controls, requiring
manual mounting may not increase security.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

10.3 Disable Autorun and Autoplay for Removable

v8 Media
Disable autorun and autoplay auto-execute functionality for removable
● ● ●
media.

v7 8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content ● ● ●

Configure devices to not auto-run content from removable media.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1203,

T1203.000, T1211,
T1211.000, T1212,
T1212.000

Page 206

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 2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Avahi is a free zeroconf implementation, including a system for multicast DNS/DNS-SD
service discovery. Avahi allows programs to publish and discover services and hosts
running on a local network with no specific configuration. For example, a user can plug
a computer into a network and Avahi automatically finds printers to print to, files to look
at and people to talk to, as well as network services running on the machine.
Rationale:
Automatic discovery of network services is not normally required for system
functionality. It is recommended to remove this package to reduce the potential attack
surface.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the avahi package. If the avahi
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the avahi package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the avahi-daemon.socket and
avahi-daemon.service leaving the avahi package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify avahi-daemon is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s avahi-daemon &>/dev/null && echo "avahi-daemon is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the avahi package is required as a dependency:
Run the following command to verify avahi-daemon.socket and avahi-
daemon.service are not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled avahi-daemon.socket avahi-daemon.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify avahi-daemon.socket and avahi-

daemon.service are not active:
# systemctl is-active avahi-daemon.socket avahi-daemon.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop avahi-daemon.socket and avahi-
daemon.service, and remove the avahi-daemon package:
# systemctl stop avahi-daemon.socket avahi-daemon.service
# apt purge avahi-daemon

- OR -
- IF - the avahi-daemon package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the avahi-daemon.socket and avahi-
daemon.service:
# systemctl stop avahi-daemon.socket avahi-daemon.service
# systemctl mask avahi-daemon.socket avahi-daemon.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4

Page 208

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 209

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 2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a service that allows machines to
be dynamically assigned IP addresses. There are two versions of the DHCP protocol
DHCPv4 and DHCPv6. At startup the server may be started for one or the other via the -4
or -6 arguments.

Rationale:
Unless a system is specifically set up to act as a DHCP server, it is recommended that
this package be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the isc-dhcp-server package. If the
isc-dhcp-server package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as
well. Before removing the isc-dhcp-server package, review any dependent packages
to determine if they are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the isc-dhcp-server.service
and isc-dhcp-server6.service leaving the isc-dhcp-server package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following commands to verify isc-dhcp-server is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s isc-dhcp-server &>/dev/null && echo "isc-dhcp-server is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify isc-dhcp-server.service and isc-dhcp-
server6.service are not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled isc-dhcp-server.service isc-dhcp-server6.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify isc-dhcp-server.service and isc-dhcp-

server6.service are not active:
# systemctl is-active isc-dhcp-server.service isc-dhcp-server6.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop isc-dhcp-server.service and isc-dhcp-
server6.service and remove the isc-dhcp-server package:
# systemctl stop isc-dhcp-server.service isc-dhcp-server6.service
# apt purge isc-dhcp-server

- OR -
- IF - the isc-dhcp-server package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask isc-dhcp-server.service and isc-
dhcp-server6.service:
# systemctl stop isc-dhcp-server.service isc-dhcp-server6.service
# systemctl mask isc-dhcp-server isc-dhcp-server6.service

References:

1. More detailed documentation on DHCP is available at

http://www.isc.org/software/dhcp.
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 211

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical naming system that maps names to
IP addresses for computers, services and other resources connected to a network.
Note: bind9 is the package and bind.service is the alias for named.service.

Rationale:
Unless a system is specifically designated to act as a DNS server, it is recommended
that the package be deleted to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the bind9 package. If the bind9
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the bind9 package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask named.service leaving the
bind9 package installed.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify bind9 is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s bind9 &>/dev/null && echo "bind9 is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify named.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled named.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the named.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active named.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy
• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

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 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop named.service and remove the bind9 package:
# systemctl stop named.service
# apt purge bind9

- OR -
- IF - the bind9 package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask bind9.service:
# systemctl stop named.service
# systemctl mask named.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
dnsmasq is a lightweight tool that provides DNS caching, DNS forwarding and DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) services.
Rationale:
Unless a system is specifically designated to act as a DNS caching, DNS forwarding
and/or DHCP server, it is recommended that the package be removed to reduce the
potential attack surface.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the dnsmasq package. If the dnsmasq
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the dnsmasq package, review any dependent packages to determine if they
are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the dnsmasq.service leaving
the dnsmasq package installed.

Audit:
Run one of the following commands to verify dnsmasq is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s dnsmasq &>/dev/null && echo "dnsmasq is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify dnsmasq.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled dnsmasq.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the dnsmasq.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active dnsmasq.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy
• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

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 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop dnsmasq.service and remove dnsmasq package:
# systemctl stop dnsmasq.service
# apt purge dnsmasq

- OR -
- IF - the dnsmasq package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the dnsmasq.service:
# systemctl stop dnsmasq.service
# systemctl mask dnsmasq.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 216

Internal Only - General

 2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) provides networked computers with the ability to
transfer files.
Rationale:
FTP does not protect the confidentiality of data or authentication credentials. It is
recommended SFTP be used if file transfer is required. Unless there is a need to run
the system as a FTP server (for example, to allow anonymous downloads), it is
recommended that the package be deleted to reduce the potential attack surface.
Note: Other ftp server packages may exist. They should also be audited, if not required
and authorized by local site policy
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the vsftpd package. If the vsftpd
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the vsftpd package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the vsftpd.service leaving the
vsftpd package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify vsftpd is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s vsftpd &>/dev/null && echo "vsftpd is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify vsftpd service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled vsftpd.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the vsftpd service is not active:
# systemctl is-active vsftpd.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• Other ftp server packages may exist. They should also be audited, if not required
and authorized by local site policy
• If the package is required for a dependency:
o Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy
o Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site
policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop vsftpd.service and remove the vsftpd
package:
# systemctl stop vsftpd.service
# apt purge vsftpd

- OR -
- IF - the vsftpd package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the vsftpd.service:
# systemctl stop vsftpd.service
# systemctl mask vsftpd.service

Note: Other ftp server packages may exist. If not required and authorized by local site
policy, they should also be removed. If the package is required for a dependency, the
service should be stopped and masked.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

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 Additional Information:
Additional FTP servers also exist and should be audited.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 219

Internal Only - General

 2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) was introduced as a replacement for
NIS/YP. It is a service that provides a method for looking up information from a central
database.
Rationale:
If the system will not need to act as an LDAP server, it is recommended that the
software be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the slapd package. If the slapd
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the slapd package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the slapd.service leaving the
slapd package installed.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify slapd is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s slapd &>/dev/null && echo "slapd is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify slapd.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled slapd.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify slapd.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active slapd.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy
• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Page 220

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 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop slapd.service and remove the slapd package:
# systemctl stop slapd.service
# apt purge slapd

- OR -
- IF - the slapd package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask slapd.service:
# systemctl stop slapd.service
# systemctl mask slapd.service

References:

1. For more detailed documentation on OpenLDAP, go to the project homepage at

http://www.openldap.org.
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 221

Internal Only - General

 2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d are an open source IMAP and POP3 server for
Linux based systems.
Rationale:
Unless POP3 and/or IMAP servers are to be provided by this system, it is
recommended that the package be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Note: Several IMAP/POP3 servers exist and can use other service names. These
should also be audited and the packages removed if not required.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on dovecot-imapd and/or dovecot-pop3d
packages. If dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d packages are removed, these
dependent packages will be removed as well. Before removing dovecot-imapd and/or
dovecot-pop3d packages, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask dovecot.socket and
dovecot.service leaving dovecot-imapd and/or dovecot-pop3d packages installed.

Page 222

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d are not
installed:
# dpkg-query -s dovecot-imapd &>/dev/null && echo "dovecot-imapd is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

# dpkg-query -s dovecot-pop3d &>/dev/null && echo "dovecot-pop3d is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - a package is installed and is required for dependencies:
Run the following commands to verify dovecot.socket and dovecot.service are not
enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled dovecot.socket dovecot.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify dovecot.socket and dovecot.service are not
active:
# systemctl is-active dovecot.socket dovecot.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to remove dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d:
Run the following commands to stop dovecot.socket and dovecot.service, and
remove the dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d packages:
# systemctl stop dovecot.socket dovecot.service
# apt purge dovecot-imapd dovecot-pop3d

- OR -
- IF - a package is installed and is required for dependencies:
Run the following commands to stop and mask dovecot.socket and
dovecot.service:
# systemctl stop dovecot.socket dovecot.service
# systemctl mask dovecot.socket dovecot.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

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Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Several IMAP/POP3 servers exist and can use other service names. courier-imap
and cyrus-imap are example services that provide a mail server. These and other
services should also be audited.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 224

Internal Only - General

 2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The Network File System (NFS) is one of the first and most widely distributed file
systems in the UNIX environment. It provides the ability for systems to mount file
systems of other servers through the network.
Rationale:
If the system does not export NFS shares, it is recommended that the nfs-kernel-
server package be removed to reduce the remote attack surface.

Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the nfs-kernel-server package. If the
nfs-kernel-server package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed
as well. Before removing the nfs-kernel-server package, review any dependent
packages to determine if they are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the nfs-server.service
leaving the nfs-kernel-server package installed.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify nfs-kernel-server is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s nfs-kernel-server &>/dev/null && echo "nfs-kernel-server is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify that the nfs-server.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled nfs-server.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the nfs-server.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active nfs-server.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy
• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Page 225

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 Remediation:
Run the following command to stop nfs-server.service and remove nfs-kernel-
server package:
# systemctl stop nfs-server.service
# apt purge nfs-kernel-server

- OR -
- IF - the nfs-kernel-server package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the nfs-server.service:
# systemctl stop nfs-server.service
# systemctl mask nfs-server.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000, T1039,

T1039.000, T1083,
T1083.000, T1135, TA0008 M1042
T1135.000, T1210,
T1210.000

Page 226

Internal Only - General

 2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Network Information Service (NIS) (formally known as Yellow Pages) is a client-
server directory service protocol for distributing system configuration files. The NIS
server is a collection of programs that allow for the distribution of configuration files. The
NIS client (ypbind) was used to bind a machine to an NIS server and receive the
distributed configuration files.
Rationale:
ypserv.service is inherently an insecure system that has been vulnerable to DOS
attacks, buffer overflows and has poor authentication for querying NIS maps. NIS
generally has been replaced by such protocols as Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP). It is recommended that ypserv.service be removed and other, more
secure services be used
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the ypserv package. If the ypserv
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the ypserv package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the ypserv.service leaving the
ypserv package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify ypserv is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s ypserv &>/dev/null && echo "ypserv is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify ypserv.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled ypserv.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify ypserv.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active ypserv.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop ypserv.service and remove ypserv package:
# systemctl stop ypserv.service
# apt purge ypserv

- OR -
- IF - the ypserv package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask ypserv.service:
# systemctl stop ypserv.service
# systemctl mask ypserv.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 228

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 229

Internal Only - General

 2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The Common Unix Print System (CUPS) provides the ability to print to both local and
network printers. A system running CUPS can also accept print jobs from remote
systems and print them to local printers. It also provides a web based remote
administration capability.
Rationale:
If the system does not need to print jobs or accept print jobs from other systems, it is
recommended that CUPS be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
Removing the cups package, or disabling cups.socket and/or cups.service will
prevent printing from the system, a common task for workstation systems.
There may be packages that are dependent on the cups package. If the cups package
is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before removing the
cups package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are required on the
system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask cups.socket and
cups.service leaving the cups package installed.

Page 230

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify cups is not Installed:
# dpkg-query -s cups &>/dev/null && echo "cups is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the cups package is required as a dependency:
Run the following command to verify the cups.socket and cups.service are not
enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled cups.socket cups.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the cups.socket and cups.service are not
active:
# systemctl is-active cups.socket cups.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop cups.socket and cups.service, and remove the
cups package:
# systemctl stop cups.socket cups.service
# apt purge cups

- OR -
- IF - the cups package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the cups.socket and cups.service:
# systemctl stop cups.socket cups.service
# systemctl mask cups.socket cups.service

References:

1. http://www.cups.org
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 231

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 232

Internal Only - General

 2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rpcbind utility maps RPC services to the ports on which they listen. RPC
processes notify rpcbind when they start, registering the ports they are listening on and
the RPC program numbers they expect to serve. The client system then contacts
rpcbind on the server with a particular RPC program number. The rpcbind.service
redirects the client to the proper port number so it can communicate with the requested
service.
Portmapper is an RPC service, which always listens on tcp and udp 111, and is used to
map other RPC services (such as nfs, nlockmgr, quotad, mountd, etc.) to their
corresponding port number on the server. When a remote host makes an RPC call to
that server, it first consults with portmap to determine where the RPC server is listening.
Rationale:
A small request (~82 bytes via UDP) sent to the Portmapper generates a large
response (7x to 28x amplification), which makes it a suitable tool for DDoS attacks. If
rpcbind is not required, it is recommended to remove rpcbind package to reduce the
potential attack surface.
Impact:
Many of the libvirt packages used by Enterprise Linux virtualization, and the nfs-utils
package used for The Network File System (NFS), are dependent on the rpcbind
package. If the rpcbind package is removed, these dependent packages will be
removed as well. Before removing the rpcbind package, review any dependent
packages to determine if they are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the rpcbind.socket and
rpcbind.service leaving the rpcbind package installed.

Page 233

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify rpcbind package is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s rpcbind &>/dev/null && echo "rpcbind is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the rpcbind package is required as a dependency:
Run the following command to verify rpcbind.socket and rpcbind.service are not
enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled rpcbind.socket rpcbind.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify rpcbind.socket and rpcbind.service are not
active:
# systemctl is-active rpcbind.socket rpcbind.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop rpcbind.socket and rpcbind.service, and
remove the rpcbind package:
# systemctl stop rpcbind.socket rpcbind.service
# apt purge rpcbind

- OR -
- IF - the rpcbind package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the rpcbind.socket and
rpcbind.service:
# systemctl stop rpcbind.socket rpcbind.service
# systemctl mask rpcbind.socket rpcbind.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

Page 234

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1498,
TA0008 M1042
T1498.002, T1543,
T1543.002

Page 235

Internal Only - General

 2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rsync service can be used to synchronize files between systems over network
links.
Rationale:
rsync.service presents a security risk as the rsync protocol is unencrypted.
The rsync package should be removed to reduce the attack area of the system.

Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the rsync package. If the rsync
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the rsync package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask rsync.service leaving the
rsync package installed.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify rsync is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s rsync &>/dev/null && echo "rsync is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the rsync package is required as a dependency:
Run the following command to verify rsync.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled rsync.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify rsync.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active rsync.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Page 236

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop rsync.service, and remove the rsync package:
# systemctl stop rsync.service
# apt purge rsync

- OR -
- IF - the rsync package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask rsync.service:
# systemctl stop rsync.service
# systemctl mask rsync.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1105, T1105.000, T1203,

T1203.000, T1210,
T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002, T1570,
T1570.000

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 2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The Samba daemon allows system administrators to configure their Linux systems to
share file systems and directories with Windows desktops. Samba will advertise the file
systems and directories via the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. Windows
desktop users will be able to mount these directories and file systems as letter drives on
their systems.
Rationale:
If there is no need to mount directories and file systems to Windows systems, then this
service should be deleted to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the samba package. If the samba
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the samba package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the smbd.service leaving the
samba package installed.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify samba is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s samba &>/dev/null && echo "samba is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify smbd.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled smbd.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the smbd.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active smbd.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

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 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop smbd.service and remove samba package:
# systemctl stop smbd.service
# apt purge samba

- OR -
- IF - the samba package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the smbd.service:
# systemctl stop smbd.service
# systemctl mask smbd.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000, T1039,

T1039.000, T1083,
T1083.000, T1135,
T1135.000, T1203, TA0008
T1203.000, T1210,
T1210.000, T1543,
T1543.002

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 2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a widely used protocol for monitoring
the health and welfare of network equipment, computer equipment and devices like
UPSs.
Net-SNMP is a suite of applications used to implement SNMPv1 (RFC 1157), SNMPv2
(RFCs 1901-1908), and SNMPv3 (RFCs 3411-3418) using both IPv4 and IPv6.
Support for SNMPv2 classic (a.k.a. "SNMPv2 historic" - RFCs 1441-1452) was dropped
with the 4.0 release of the UCD-snmp package.
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) server is used to listen for SNMP
commands from an SNMP management system, execute the commands or collect the
information and then send results back to the requesting system.
Rationale:
The SNMP server can communicate using SNMPv1, which transmits data in the clear
and does not require authentication to execute commands. SNMPv3 replaces the
simple/clear text password sharing used in SNMPv2 with more securely encoded
parameters. If the the SNMP service is not required, the snmpd package should be
removed to reduce the attack surface of the system.
Note: If SNMP is required:

• The server should be configured for SNMP v3 only. User Authentication and
Message Encryption should be configured.
• If SNMP v2 is absolutely necessary, modify the community strings' values.

Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the snmpd package. If the snmpd
package is removed, these packages will be removed as well.
Before removing the snmpd package, review any dependent packages to determine if
they are required on the system. If a dependent package is required, stop and mask the
snmpd.service leaving the snmpd package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify snmpd is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s snmpd &>/dev/null && echo "snmpd is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify the snmpd.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled snmpd.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the snmpd.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active snmpd.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop snmpd.service and remove the snmpd package:
# systemctl stop snmpd.service
# apt purge snmpd

- OR - If the package is required for dependencies:

Run the following commands to stop and mask the snmpd.service:
# systemctl stop snmpd.service
# systemctl mask snmpd.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

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Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a simple protocol for exchanging files between
two TCP/IP machines. TFTP servers allow connections from a TFTP Client for sending
and receiving files.
Rationale:
Unless there is a need to run the system as a TFTP server, it is recommended that the
package be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
TFTP does not have built-in encryption, access control or authentication. This makes it
very easy for an attacker to exploit TFTP to gain access to files
Impact:
TFTP is often used to provide files for network booting such as for PXE based
installation of servers.
There may be packages that are dependent on the tftpd-hpa package. If the tftpd-
hpa package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the tftpd-hpa package, review any dependent packages to determine if they
are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask tftpd-hpa.service leaving the
tftpd-hpa package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify tftpd-hpa is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s tftpd-hpa &>/dev/null && echo "tftpd-hpa is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify tftpd-hpa.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled tftpd-hpa.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the tftpd-hpa.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active tftpd-hpa.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop tftpd-hpa.service, and remove the tftpd-hpa
package:
# systemctl stop tftpd-hpa.service
# apt purge tftpd-hpa

- OR -
- IF - the tftpd-hpa package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask tftpd-hpa.service:
# systemctl stop tftpd-hpa.service
# systemctl mask tftpd-hpa.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
squid - OR - squid-openssl is a standard proxy server used in many distributions and
environments.
Rationale:
Unless a system is specifically set up to act as a proxy server, it is recommended that
the squid package be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Note: Several HTTP proxy servers exist. These should be checked and removed unless
required.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the squid - OR - squid-openssl
package. If the squid - OR - squid-openssl package is removed, these dependent
packages will be removed as well. Before removing the squid package, review any
dependent packages to determine if they are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the squid.service leaving the
squid - OR - squid-openssl package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify squid is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s squid &>/dev/null && echo "squid is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Run the following command to verify squid-openssl is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s squid-openssl &>/dev/null && echo "squid is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the package is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify squid.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled squid.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the squid.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active squid.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop squid.service and remove the squid and
squid-openssl packages:
# systemctl stop squid.service
# apt purge squid squid-openssl

- OR - If the squid package is required as a dependency:

Run the following commands to stop and mask the squid.service:
# systemctl stop squid.service
# systemctl mask squid.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Additional Information:
Several HTTP proxy servers exist. These and other services should be checked

Page 247

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Web servers provide the ability to host web site content.
Rationale:
Unless there is a local site approved requirement to run a web server service on the
system, web server packages should be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
Removal of web server packages will remove that ability for the server to host web
services.
- IF - the web server package is required for a dependency, any related service or
socket should be stopped and masked.
Note: If the remediation steps to mask a service are followed and that package is not
installed on the system, the service and/or socket will still be masked. If the package is
installed due to an approved requirement to host a web server, the associated service
and/or socket would need to be unmasked before it could be enabled and/or started.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify apache2 is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s apache2 &>/dev/null && echo "apache2 is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Run the following command to verify nginx is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s nginx &>/dev/null && echo "nginx is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - a package is installed and is required for dependencies:
Run the following command to verify apache2.socket, apache2.service, and
nginx.service are not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled apache2.socket apache2.service nginx.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify apache2.socket, apache2.service, and

nginx.service are not active:
# systemctl is-active apache2.socket apache2.service nginx.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• Other web server packages may exist. They should also be audited, if not
required and authorized by local site policy
• If the package is required for a dependency:
o Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy
o Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site
policy

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 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop httpd.socket, httpd.service, and
nginx.service, and remove apache2 and nginx packages:
# systemctl stop apache2.socket apache2.service nginx.service
# apt purge apache2 nginx

- OR -
- IF - a package is installed and is required for dependencies:
Run the following commands to stop and mask apache2.socket, apache2.service,
and nginx.service:
# systemctl stop apache2.socket apache2.service nginx.service
# systemctl mask apache2.socket apache2.service nginx.service

Note: Other web server packages may exist. If not required and authorized by local site
policy, they should also be removed. If the package is required for a dependency, the
service and socket should be stopped and masked.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Additional Information:
Several httpd servers exist and can use other service names. apache2 and nginx are
example services that provide an HTTP server. These and other services should also
be audited
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on Enterprise Assets

v8 and Software ● ●
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, such as an unused
file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
v7 Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with validated ● ●
business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

TA0008 M1042
T1210.000, T1543, T1543.002

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 2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The eXtended InterNET Daemon (xinetd) is an open source super daemon that
replaced the original inetd daemon. The xinetd daemon listens for well known
services and dispatches the appropriate daemon to properly respond to service
requests.
Rationale:
If there are no xinetd services required, it is recommended that the package be
removed to reduce the attack surface are of the system.
Note: If an xinetd service or services are required, ensure that any xinetd service not
required is stopped and masked
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the xinetd package. If the xinetd
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the xinetd package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
-IF- a dependent package is required: stop and mask xinetd.service leaving the xinetd
package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify the xinetd package is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s xinetd &>/dev/null && echo "xinetd is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

-OR-
-IF- the xinetd package is required as a dependency:
Run the following command to verify xinetd.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled xinetd.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify xinetd.service is not active:

# systemctl is-active xinetd.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop xinetd.service, and remove the xinetd
package:
# systemctl stop xinetd.service
# apt purge xinetd

-OR-
-IF- the xinetd package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask the xinetd.service:
# systemctl stop xinetd.service
# systemctl mask xinetd.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 253

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
Description:
The X Window System provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) where users can have
multiple windows in which to run programs and various add on. The X Windows system
is typically used on workstations where users login, but not on servers where users
typically do not login.
Rationale:
Unless your organization specifically requires graphical login access via X Windows,
remove it to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
If a Graphical Desktop Manager (GDM) is in use on the system, there may be a
dependency on the xorg-x11-server-common package. If the GDM is required and
approved by local site policy, the package should not be removed.
Many Linux systems run applications which require a Java runtime. Some Linux Java
packages have a dependency on specific X Windows xorg-x11-fonts. One workaround
to avoid this dependency is to use the "headless" Java packages for your specific Java
runtime.
Audit:
- IF - a Graphical Desktop Manager or X-Windows server is not required and approved
by local site policy:
Run the following command to Verify X Windows Server is not installed.
# dpkg-query -s xserver-common &>/dev/null && echo "xserver-common is installed"

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
- IF - a Graphical Desktop Manager or X-Windows server is not required and approved
by local site policy:
Run the following command to remove the X Windows Server package:
# apt purge xserver-common

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-11

Page 255

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

2.6 Address unapproved software

v7 Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is ● ● ●
updated in a timely manner

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only
mode (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Mail Transfer Agents (MTA), such as sendmail and Postfix, are used to listen for
incoming mail and transfer the messages to the appropriate user or mail server. If the
system is not intended to be a mail server, it is recommended that the MTA be
configured to only process local mail.
Rationale:
The software for all Mail Transfer Agents is complex and most have a long history of
security issues. While it is important to ensure that the system can process local mail
messages, it is not necessary to have the MTA's daemon listening on a port unless the
server is intended to be a mail server that receives and processes mail from other
systems.

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify that the MTA is not listening on any non-loopback
address ( 127.0.0.1 or ::1 )
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); a_port_list=("25" "465" "587")
for l_port_number in "${a_port_list[@]}"; do
if ss -plntu | grep -P -- ':'"$l_port_number"'\b' | grep -Pvq --
'\h+(127\.0\.0\.1|\[?::1\]?):'"$l_port_number"'\b'; then
a_output2+=(" - Port \"$l_port_number\" is listening on a non-loopback network interface")
else
a_output+=(" - Port \"$l_port_number\" is not listening on a non-loopback network interface")
fi
done
if command -v postconf &> /dev/null; then
l_interfaces="$(postconf -n inet_interfaces)"
elif command -v exim &> /dev/null; then
l_interfaces="$(exim -bP local_interfaces)"
elif command -v sendmail &> /dev/null; then
l_interfaces="$(grep -i "O DaemonPortOptions=" /etc/mail/sendmail.cf | grep -oP '(?<=Addr=)[^,+]+' | grep
-v '^127\.0\.0\.1$')"
fi
if [ -n "$l_interfaces" ]; then
if grep -Pqi '\ball\b' <<< "$l_interfaces"; then
a_output2+=(" - MTA is bound to all network interfaces")
elif ! grep -Pqi '(inet_interfaces\h*=\h*)?(0\.0\.0\.0|::1|loopback-only)' <<< "$l_interfaces"; then
a_output2+=(" - MTA is bound to a network interface" " \"$l_interfaces\"")
else
a_output+=(" - MTA is not bound to a non loopback network interface" " \"$l_interfaces\"")
fi
else
a_output+=(" - MTA not detected or in use")
fi
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " * Reasons for audit failure *" "${a_output2[@]}" ""
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

Remediation:
Edit /etc/postfix/main.cf and add the following line to the RECEIVING MAIL
section. If the line already exists, change it to look like the line below:
inet_interfaces = loopback-only

Run the following command to restart postfix:

# systemctl restart postfix

Note:

• This recommendation is designed around the postfix mail server.

• Depending on your environment you may have an alternative MTA installed such
as exim4 or sendmail. If this is the case consult the documentation for your
installed MTA to configure the recommended state.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 258

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1018, T1018.000, T1210,

TA0008 M1042
T1210.000

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 2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a network
interface (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
A network port is identified by its number, the associated IP address, and the type of the
communication protocol such as TCP or UDP.
A listening port is a network port on which an application or process listens on, acting as
a communication endpoint.
Each listening port can be open or closed (filtered) using a firewall. In general terms, an
open port is a network port that accepts incoming packets from remote locations.
Rationale:
Services listening on the system pose a potential risk as an attack vector. These
services should be reviewed, and if not required, the service should be stopped, and the
package containing the service should be removed. If required packages have a
dependency, the service should be stopped and masked to reduce the attack surface of
the system.
Impact:
There may be packages that are dependent on the service's package. If the service's
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the service's package, review any dependent packages to determine if they
are required on the system.
- IF - a dependent package is required: stop and mask the <service_name>.socket
and <service_name>.service leaving the service's package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command:
# ss -plntu

Review the output to ensure:

• All services listed are required on the system and approved by local site policy.
• Both the port and interface the service is listening on are approved by local site
policy.
• If a listed service is not required:
o Remove the package containing the service
o - IF - the service's package is required for a dependency, stop and mask
the service and/or socket

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop the service and remove the package containing
the service:
# systemctl stop <service_name>.socket <service_name>.service
# apt purge <package_name>

- OR - If required packages have a dependency:

Run the following commands to stop and mask the service and socket:
# systemctl stop <service_name>.socket <service_name>.service
# systemctl mask <service_name>.socket <service_name>.service

Note: replace <service_name> with the appropriate service name.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.2 Configure Client Services

A number of insecure services exist. While disabling the servers prevents a local attack
against these services, it is advised to remove their clients unless they are required.
Note: This should not be considered a comprehensive list of insecure service clients.
You may wish to consider additions to those listed here for your environment.

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 2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Network Information Service (NIS), formerly known as Yellow Pages, is a client-
server directory service protocol used to distribute system configuration files. The NIS
client was used to bind a machine to an NIS server and receive the distributed
configuration files.
Rationale:
The NIS service is inherently an insecure system that has been vulnerable to DOS
attacks, buffer overflows and has poor authentication for querying NIS maps. NIS
generally has been replaced by such protocols as Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP). It is recommended that the service be removed.
Impact:
Many insecure service clients are used as troubleshooting tools and in testing
environments. Uninstalling them can inhibit capability to test and troubleshoot. If they
are required it is advisable to remove the clients after use to prevent accidental or
intentional misuse.
Audit:
Verify nis is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
# dpkg-query -s nis &>/dev/null && echo "nis is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Uninstall nis:
# apt purge nis

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7, CM-11

Page 264

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

2.6 Address unapproved software

v7 Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is ● ● ●
updated in a timely manner

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1543,

TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rsh-client package contains the client commands for the rsh services.

Rationale:
These legacy clients contain numerous security exposures and have been replaced with
the more secure SSH package. Even if the server is removed, it is best to ensure the
clients are also removed to prevent users from inadvertently attempting to use these
commands and therefore exposing their credentials. Note that removing the rsh-
client package removes the clients for rsh , rcp and rlogin .

Impact:
Many insecure service clients are used as troubleshooting tools and in testing
environments. Uninstalling them can inhibit capability to test and troubleshoot. If they
are required it is advisable to remove the clients after use to prevent accidental or
intentional misuse.
Audit:
Verify rsh-client is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
# dpkg-query -s rsh-client &>/dev/null && echo "rsh-client is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Uninstall rsh:
# apt purge rsh-client

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 266

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1203,

T1203.000, T1543, TA0008 M1041, M1042
T1543.002

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 2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The talk software makes it possible for users to send and receive messages across
systems through a terminal session. The talk client, which allows initialization of talk
sessions, is installed by default.
Rationale:
The software presents a security risk as it uses unencrypted protocols for
communication.
Impact:
Many insecure service clients are used as troubleshooting tools and in testing
environments. Uninstalling them can inhibit capability to test and troubleshoot. If they
are required it is advisable to remove the clients after use to prevent accidental or
intentional misuse.
Audit:
Verify talk is not installed. The following command may provide the needed
information:
# dpkg-query -s talk &>/dev/null && echo "talk is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Uninstall talk:
# apt purge talk

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 268

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1543,

TA0006, TA0008 M1041, M1042
T1543.002

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 2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The telnet package contains the telnet client, which allows users to start
connections to other systems via the telnet protocol.
Rationale:
The telnet protocol is insecure and unencrypted. The use of an unencrypted
transmission medium could allow an unauthorized user to steal credentials. The ssh
package provides an encrypted session and stronger security and is included in most
Linux distributions.
Impact:
Many insecure service clients are used as troubleshooting tools and in testing
environments. Uninstalling them can inhibit capability to test and troubleshoot. If they
are required it is advisable to remove the clients after use to prevent accidental or
intentional misuse.
Audit:
Verify telnet is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
# dpkg-query -s telnet &>/dev/null && echo "telnet is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Uninstall telnet:
# apt purge telnet

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7, CM-11

Page 270

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1203,

T1203.000, T1543, TA0006, TA0008 M1041, M1042
T1543.002

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 2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) was introduced as a replacement for
NIS/YP. It is a service that provides a method for looking up information from a central
database.
Rationale:
If the system will not need to act as an LDAP client, it is recommended that the software
be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Impact:
Removing the LDAP client will prevent or inhibit using LDAP for authentication in your
environment.
Audit:
Verify that ldap-utils is not installed. Use the following command to provide the
needed information:
# dpkg-query -s ldap-utils &>/dev/null && echo "ldap-utils is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Uninstall ldap-utils:
# apt purge ldap-utils

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 272

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1543,

TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a traditional and widely used standard tool for
transferring files between a server and clients over a network, especially where no
authentication is necessary (permits anonymous users to connect to a server).
Rationale:
FTP does not protect the confidentiality of data or authentication credentials. It is
recommended SFTP be used if file transfer is required. Unless there is a need to run
the system as a FTP server (for example, to allow anonymous downloads), it is
recommended that the package be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
Audit:
Verify ftp is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
# dpkg-query -s ftp &>/dev/null && echo "ftp is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command to uninstall ftp:
# apt purge ftp

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7, CM-11

Page 274

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1543,

TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

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 2.3 Configure Time Synchronization

It is recommended that systems be configured to synchronize their time using a service

such as systemd-timesyncd, or chrony.
Virtual systems may be configured to receive their time synchronization from their host
system.
The host system must be configured to synchronize its time from an authoritative source
to be considered compliant with this section.
Any "physical" clock present on a system should be synchronized from an authoritative
time source.
Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system
Notes: Only the section related to the time synchronization method in use on the
system should be followed, all other time synchronization recommendations should be
skipped

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 2.3.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use

It is recommended that physical systems and virtual guests lacking direct access to the
physical host's clock be configured to synchronize their time using a service such as
systemd-timesyncd, or chrony.

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 2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
System time should be synchronized between all systems in an environment. This is
typically done by establishing an authoritative time server or set of servers and having
all systems synchronize their clocks to them.
Note:

• On virtual systems where host based time synchronization is available

consult your virtualization software documentation and verify that host
based synchronization is in use and follows local site policy. In this
scenario, this section should be skipped
• Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system.
Configuring multiple time synchronization methods could lead to unexpected or
unreliable results

Rationale:
Time synchronization is important to support time sensitive security mechanisms and
ensures log files have consistent time records across the enterprise, which aids in
forensic investigations.

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 Audit:
On physical systems, and virtual systems where host based time synchronization is not
available.
One of the two time synchronization daemons should be available; chrony or systemd-
timesyncd
Run the following script to verify that a single time synchronization daemon is available
on the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
service_not_enabled_chk()
{
l_out2=""
if systemctl is-enabled "$l_service_name" 2>/dev/null | grep -q 'enabled'; then
l_out2="$l_out2\n - Daemon: \"$l_service_name\" is enabled on the system"
fi
if systemctl is-active "$l_service_name" 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^active'; then
l_out2="$l_out2\n - Daemon: \"$l_service_name\" is active on the system"
fi
}
l_service_name="systemd-timesyncd.service" # Check systemd-timesyncd daemon
service_not_enabled_chk
if [ -n "$l_out2" ]; then
l_timesyncd="y"
l_out_tsd="$l_out2"
else
l_timesyncd="n"
l_out_tsd="\n - Daemon: \"$l_service_name\" is not enabled and not active on the system"
fi
l_service_name="chrony.service" # Check chrony
service_not_enabled_chk
if [ -n "$l_out2" ]; then
l_chrony="y"
l_out_chrony="$l_out2"
else
l_chrony="n"
l_out_chrony="\n - Daemon: \"$l_service_name\" is not enabled and not active on the system"
fi
l_status="$l_timesyncd$l_chrony"
case "$l_status" in
yy)
l_output2=" - More than one time sync daemon is in use on the system$l_out_tsd$l_out_chrony"
;;
nn)
l_output2=" - No time sync daemon is in use on the system$l_out_tsd$l_out_chrony"
;;
yn|ny)
l_output=" - Only one time sync daemon is in use on the system$l_out_tsd$l_out_chrony"
;;
*)
l_output2=" - Unable to determine time sync daemon(s) status"
;;
esac

if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2\n"
fi
}

Note: Follow the guidance in the subsection for the time synchronization daemon
available on the system and skip the other time synchronization daemon subsection.

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 Remediation:
On physical systems, and virtual systems where host based time synchronization is not
available.
Select one of the two time synchronization daemons; chrony (1) or systemd-
timesyncd (2) and following the remediation procedure for the selected daemon.
Note: enabling more than one synchronization daemon could lead to unexpected or
unreliable results:

1. chrony

Run the following command to install chrony:

# apt install chrony

Run the following commands to stop and mask the systemd-timesyncd daemon:
# systemctl stop systemd-timesyncd.service

# systemctl mask systemd-timesyncd.service

Note:

• Subsection: Configure chrony should be followed

• Subsection: Configure systemd-timesyncd should be skipped

2. systemd-timesyncd

Run the following command to remove the chrony package:

# apt purge chrony
# apt autoremove chrony

Note:

• Subsection: Configure systemd-timesyncd should be followed

• Subsection: Configure chrony should be skipped

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

Page 280

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.4 Standardize Time Synchronization

v8 Standardize time synchronization. Configure at least two synchronized time ● ●
sources across enterprise assets, where supported.

6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources

v7 Use at least three synchronized time sources from which all servers and
network devices retrieve time information on a regular basis so that timestamps
● ●
in logs are consistent.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0005
T1562.001

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 2.3.2 Configure systemd-timesyncd

systemd-timesyncd is a daemon that has been added for synchronizing the system
clock across the network. It implements an SNTP client. In contrast to NTP
implementations such as chrony or the NTP reference server this only implements a
client side, and does not bother with the full NTP complexity, focusing only on querying
time from one remote server and synchronizing the local clock to it. The daemon runs
with minimal privileges, and has been hooked up with networkd to only operate when
network connectivity is available. The daemon saves the current clock to disk every time
a new NTP sync has been acquired, and uses this to possibly correct the system clock
early at bootup, in order to accommodate for systems that lack an RTC such as the
Raspberry Pi and embedded devices, and make sure that time monotonically
progresses on these systems, even if it is not always correct. To make use of this
daemon a new system user and group "systemd-timesync" needs to be created on
installation of systemd.
The default configuration is set during compilation, so configuration is only needed
when it is necessary to deviate from those defaults. Initially, the main configuration file
in /etc/systemd/ contains commented out entries showing the defaults as a guide to the
administrator. Local overrides can be created by editing this file or by creating drop-ins,
as described below. Using drop-ins for local configuration is recommended over
modifications to the main configuration file.
In addition to the "main" configuration file, drop-in configuration snippets are read from
/usr/lib/systemd/*.conf.d/, /usr/local/lib/systemd/*.conf.d/, and
/etc/systemd/*.conf.d/. Those drop-ins have higher precedence and override the
main configuration file. Files in the *.conf.d/ configuration subdirectories are sorted by
their filename in lexicographic order, regardless of in which of the subdirectories they
reside. When multiple files specify the same option, for options which accept just a
single value, the entry in the file sorted last takes precedence, and for options which
accept a list of values, entries are collected as they occur in the sorted files.
When packages need to customize the configuration, they can install drop-ins under
/usr/. Files in /etc/ are reserved for the local administrator, who may use this logic to
override the configuration files installed by vendor packages. Drop-ins have to be used
to override package drop-ins, since the main configuration file has lower precedence. It
is recommended to prefix all filenames in those subdirectories with a two-digit number
and a dash, to simplify the ordering of the files.
To disable a configuration file supplied by the vendor, the recommended way is to place
a symlink to /dev/null in the configuration directory in /etc/, with the same filename as
the vendor configuration file.

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 Note:

• The recommendations in this section only apply if timesyncd is in use on the

system
• The systemd-timesyncd service specifically implements only SNTP.
o This minimalistic service will set the system clock for large offsets or
slowly adjust it for smaller deltas
o More complex use cases are not covered by systemd-timesyncd
• If chrony is used, systemd-timesyncd should be stopped and masked, and
this section skipped
• One, and only one, time synchronization method should be in use on the
system

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 2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
timeserver (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
NTP=

• A space-separated list of NTP server host names or IP addresses. During

runtime this list is combined with any per-interface NTP servers acquired from
systemd-networkd.service(8). systemd-timesyncd will contact all configured
system or per-interface servers in turn, until one responds. When the empty
string is assigned, the list of NTP servers is reset, and all prior assignments will
have no effect. This setting defaults to an empty list.

FallbackNTP=

• A space-separated list of NTP server host names or IP addresses to be used as

the fallback NTP servers. Any per-interface NTP servers obtained from systemd-
networkd.service(8) take precedence over this setting, as do any servers set via
NTP= above. This setting is hence only relevant if no other NTP server
information is known. When the empty string is assigned, the list of NTP servers
is reset, and all prior assignments will have no effect. If this option is not given, a
compiled-in list of NTP servers is used.

Rationale:
Time synchronization is important to support time sensitive security mechanisms and to
ensure log files have consistent time records across the enterprise to aid in forensic
investigations

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify the NTP and/or FallbackNTP option is set to local
site approved authoritative time server(s):
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_output3=() a_out=() a_out2=() a_parlist=("NTP=[^#\n\r]+" "FallbackNTP=[^#\n\r]+")
l_analyze_cmd="$(readlink -f /bin/systemd-analyze)" l_systemd_config_file="/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf"
f_config_file_parameter_chk()
{
l_used_parameter_setting=""
while IFS= read -r l_file; do
l_file="$(tr -d '# ' <<< "$l_file")"
l_used_parameter_setting="$(grep -PHs -- '^\h*'"$l_parameter_name"'\b' "$l_file" | tail -n 1)"
[ -n "$l_used_parameter_setting" ] && break
done < <($l_analyze_cmd cat-config "$l_systemd_config_file" | tac | grep -Pio
'^\h*#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b')
if [ -n "$l_used_parameter_setting" ]; then
while IFS=: read -r l_file_name l_file_parameter; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_file_parameter_name l_file_parameter_value; do
if grep -Pq -- "$l_parameter_value" <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_out+=(" - Parameter: \"${l_file_parameter_name// /}\"" \
" correctly set to: \"${l_file_parameter_value// /}\"" \
" in the file: \"$l_file_name\"")
else
a_out2+=(" - Parameter: \"${l_file_parameter_name// /}\"" \
" incorrectly set to: \"${l_file_parameter_value// /}\"" \
" in the file: \"$l_file_name\"" \
" Should be set to: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done <<< "$l_file_parameter"
done <<< "$l_used_parameter_setting"
else
a_out2+=(" - Parameter: \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" *** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure ***")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
f_config_file_parameter_chk
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_out[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
a_output+=("${a_out[@]}"); [ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output3+=(" ** INFO: **" "${a_out2[@]}")
else
a_output2+=("${a_out2[@]}")
fi
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "${a_output3[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

Note: Please ensure the output for NTP and/or FallbackNTP is in accordance with local
site policy. The timeservers in the example output are provided as an example of
possible timeservers and they may not follow local site policy.

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 Remediation:
Set NTP and/or FallbackNPT parameters to local site approved authoritative time
server(s) in /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf or a file in
/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/ ending in .conf in the [Time] section:
Example file:
[Time]
NTP=time.nist.gov # Uses the generic name for NIST's time servers
FallbackNTP=time-a-g.nist.gov time-b-g.nist.gov time-c-g.nist.gov # Space separated list of NIST time servers

Example script to create systemd drop-in configuration file:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_settings=("NTP=time.nist.gov" "FallbackNTP=time-a-g.nist.gov time-b-g.nist.gov time-c-g.nist.gov")
[ ! -d /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/
if grep -Psq -- '^\h*\[Time\]' /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/60-timesyncd.conf; then
printf '%s\n' "" "${a_settings[@]}" >> /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/60-timesyncd.conf
else
printf '%s\n' "" "[Time]" "${a_settings[@]}" >> /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/60-timesyncd.conf
fi
}

Note: If this setting appears in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten
Run to following command to update the parameters in the service:
# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-timesyncd

Default Value:
#NTP=
#FallbackNTP=
References:

1. https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/timesyncd.conf.html
2. https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-7, AU-8

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.4 Standardize Time Synchronization

v8 Standardize time synchronization. Configure at least two synchronized time ● ●
sources across enterprise assets, where supported.

6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources

v7 Use at least three synchronized time sources from which all servers and
network devices retrieve time information on a regular basis so that timestamps
● ●
in logs are consistent.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

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 2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
systemd-timesyncd is a daemon that has been added for synchronizing the system
clock across the network
Rationale:
systemd-timesyncd needs to be enabled and running in order to synchronize the system
to a timeserver.
Time synchronization is important to support time sensitive security mechanisms and to
ensure log files have consistent time records across the enterprise to aid in forensic
investigations
Audit:
- IF - systemd-timesyncd is in use on the system, run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify that the systemd-timesyncd service is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-timesyncd.service

enabled

Run the following command to verify that the systemd-timesyncd service is active:
# systemctl is-active systemd-timesyncd.service

active

Remediation:
- IF - systemd-timesyncd is in use on the system, run the following commands:
Run the following command to unmask systemd-timesyncd.service:
# systemctl unmask systemd-timesyncd.service

Run the following command to enable and start systemd-timesyncd.service:

# systemctl --now enable systemd-timesyncd.service

- OR -
If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to stop and mask systemd-timesyncd:
# systemctl --now mask systemd-timesyncd.service

Page 288

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-7, AU-8

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.4 Standardize Time Synchronization

v8 Standardize time synchronization. Configure at least two synchronized time ● ●
sources across enterprise assets, where supported.

6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources

v7 Use at least three synchronized time sources from which all servers and
network devices retrieve time information on a regular basis so that timestamps
● ●
in logs are consistent.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

Page 289

Internal Only - General

 2.3.3 Configure chrony

chrony is a daemon which implements the Network Time Protocol (NTP) and is
designed to synchronize system clocks across a variety of systems and use a source
that is highly accurate.
chrony can be configured to be a client and/or a server.
More information on chrony can be found at: http://chrony.tuxfamily.org/.
Note:

• If systemd-timesyncd is being used, chrony should be removed and this

section skipped
• Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system

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 2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:

• server
o The server directive specifies an NTP server which can be used as a time
source. The client-server relationship is strictly hierarchical: a client might
synchronize its system time to that of the server, but the server’s system
time will never be influenced by that of a client.
o This directive can be used multiple times to specify multiple servers.
o The directive is immediately followed by either the name of the server, or
its IP address.
• pool
o The syntax of this directive is similar to that for the server directive, except
that it is used to specify a pool of NTP servers rather than a single NTP
server. The pool name is expected to resolve to multiple addresses which
might change over time.
o This directive can be used multiple times to specify multiple pools.
o All options valid in the server directive can be used in this directive too.

Rationale:
Time synchronization is important to support time sensitive security mechanisms and to
ensure log files have consistent time records across the enterprise to aid in forensic
investigations

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 Audit:
- IF - chrony is in use on the system, run the following script to ensure chrony is
configured with an authorized timeserver:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_config_files=("/etc/chrony/chrony.conf")
l_include='(confdir|sourcedir)' l_parameter_name='(server|pool)' l_parameter_value='.+'
while IFS= read -r l_conf_loc; do
l_dir="" l_ext=""
if [ -d "$l_conf_loc" ]; then
l_dir="$l_conf_loc" l_ext="*"
elif grep -Psq '\/\*\.([^#/\n\r]+)?\h*$' <<< "$l_conf_loc" || [ -f "$(readlink -f "$l_conf_loc")" ];
then
l_dir="$(dirname "$l_conf_loc")" l_ext="$(basename "$l_conf_loc")"
fi
if [[ -n "$l_dir" && -n "$l_ext" ]]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file_name; do
[ -f "$(readlink -f "$l_file_name")" ] && a_config_files+=("$(readlink -f "$l_file_name")")
done < <(find -L "$l_dir" -type f -name "$l_ext" -print0 2>/dev/null)
fi
done < <(awk '$1~/^\s*'"$l_include"'$/{print $2}' "${a_config_files[*]}" 2>/dev/null)
for l_file in "${a_config_files[@]}"; do
l_parameter_line="$(grep -Psi '^\h*'"$l_parameter_name"'(\h+|\h*:\h*)'"$l_parameter_value"'\b'
"$l_file")"
[ -n "$l_parameter_line" ] && a_output+=(" - Parameter: \"$(tr -d '()' <<< ${l_parameter_name//|/ or
})\"" \
" Exists in the file: \"$l_file\" as:" "$l_parameter_line")
done
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -le "0" ] && a_output2+=(" - Parameter: \"$(tr -d '()' <<< ${l_parameter_name//|/ or
})\"" \
" Does not exist in the chrony configuration")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Edit /etc/chrony/chrony.conf or a file ending in .sources in
/etc/chrony/sources.d/ and add or edit server or pool lines as appropriate
according to local site policy:
Edit the Chrony configuration and add or edit the server and/or pool lines returned by
the Audit Procedure as appropriate according to local site policy
<[server|pool]> <[remote-server|remote-pool]>

Example script to add a drop-in configuration for the pool directive:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
[ ! -d "/etc/chrony/sources.d/" ] && mkdir /etc/chrony/sources.d/
printf '%s\n' "" "#The maxsources option is unique to the pool directive" \
"pool time.nist.gov iburst maxsources 4" >> /etc/chrony/sources.d/60-sources.sources
chronyc reload sources &>/dev/null
}

Example script to add a drop-in configuration for the server directive:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
[ ! -d "/etc/chrony/sources.d/" ] && mkdir /etc/chrony/sources.d/
printf '%s\n' "" "server time-a-g.nist.gov iburst" "server 132.163.97.3 iburst" \
"server time-d-b.nist.gov iburst" >> /etc/chrony/sources.d/60-sources.sources
chronyc reload sources &>/dev/null
}

Run the following command to reload the chronyd config:

# systemctl reload-or-restart chronyd

References:

1. chrony.conf(5) Manual Page

2. https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

Additional Information:
If pool and/or server directive(s) are set in a sources file in /etc/chrony/sources.d,
the line:
sourcedir /etc/chrony/sources.d

must be present in /etc/chrony/chrony.conf

Page 293

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.4 Standardize Time Synchronization

v8 Standardize time synchronization. Configure at least two synchronized time ● ●
sources across enterprise assets, where supported.

6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources

v7 Use at least three synchronized time sources from which all servers and
network devices retrieve time information on a regular basis so that timestamps
● ●
in logs are consistent.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

Page 294

Internal Only - General

 2.3.3.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The chrony package is installed with a dedicated user account _chrony. This account
is granted the access required by the chronyd service

Rationale:
The chronyd service should run with only the required privlidges

Audit:
- IF - chrony is in use on the system, run the following command to verify the chronyd
service is being run as the _chrony user:
# ps -ef | awk '(/[c]hronyd/ && $1!="_chrony") { print $1 }'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Add or edit the user line to /etc/chrony/chrony.conf or a file ending in .conf in
/etc/chrony/conf.d/:
user _chrony

- OR -
If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove chrony from the system:
# apt purge chrony
# apt autoremove chrony

Default Value:
user _chrony
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

Page 295

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

Page 296

Internal Only - General

 2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
chrony is a daemon for synchronizing the system clock across the network
Rationale:
chrony needs to be enabled and running in order to synchronize the system to a
timeserver.
Time synchronization is important to support time sensitive security mechanisms and to
ensure log files have consistent time records across the enterprise to aid in forensic
investigations
Audit:
- IF - chrony is in use on the system, run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify that the chrony service is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled chrony.service

enabled

Run the following command to verify that the chrony service is active:
# systemctl is-active chrony.service

active

Remediation:
- IF - chrony is in use on the system, run the following commands:
Run the following command to unmask chrony.service:
# systemctl unmask chrony.service

Run the following command to enable and start chrony.service:

# systemctl --now enable chrony.service

- OR -
If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove chrony:
# apt purge chrony
# apt autoremove chrony

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

Page 297

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.4 Standardize Time Synchronization

v8 Standardize time synchronization. Configure at least two synchronized time ● ●
sources across enterprise assets, where supported.

6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources

v7 Use at least three synchronized time sources from which all servers and
network devices retrieve time information on a regular basis so that timestamps
● ●
in logs are consistent.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

Page 298

Internal Only - General

 2.4 Job Schedulers

A job scheduler is used to execute jobs, commands, or shell scripts, at fixed times,
dates, or intervals

Page 299

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 2.4.1 Configure cron

cron is a time based job scheduler

- IF - cron is not installed on the system, this sub section can be skipped
Note: Other methods such as systemd timers exist for scheduling jobs. If an alternate
method is in use, it should be secured in accordance with local site policy

Page 300

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 2.4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The cron daemon is used to execute batch jobs on the system.

Rationale:
While there may not be user jobs that need to be run on the system, the system does
have maintenance jobs that may include security monitoring that have to run, and cron
is used to execute them.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command to verify cron is enabled:
# systemctl list-unit-files | awk '$1~/^crond?\.service/{print $2}'

enabled

Run the following command to verify that cron is active:

# systemctl list-units | awk '$1~/^crond?\.service/{print $3}'

active

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to unmask, enable, and start cron:
# systemctl unmask "$(systemctl list-unit-files | awk '$1~/^crond?\.service/{print $1}')"
# systemctl --now enable "$(systemctl list-unit-files | awk '$1~/^crond?\.service/{print $1}')"

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 301

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1018

Page 302

Internal Only - General

 2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/crontab file is used by cron to control its own jobs. The commands in this
item make sure that root is the user and group owner of the file and that only the owner
can access the file.
Rationale:
This file contains information on what system jobs are run by cron. Write access to
these files could provide unprivileged users with the ability to elevate their privileges.
Read access to these files could provide users with the ability to gain insight on system
jobs that run on the system and could provide them a way to gain unauthorized
privileged access.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other :
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/crontab

Access: (600/-rw-------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on /etc/crontab:
# chown root:root /etc/crontab
# chmod og-rwx /etc/crontab

Default Value:
Access: (644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 303

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

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 2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
This directory contains system cron jobs that need to run on an hourly basis. The files
in this directory cannot be manipulated by the crontab command, but are instead
edited by system administrators using a text editor. The commands below restrict
read/write and search access to user and group root, preventing regular users from
accessing this directory.
Rationale:
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the
means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this
directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or
circumvent auditing controls.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/cron.hourly/

Access: (700/drwx------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the
/etc/cron.hourly directory:
# chown root:root /etc/cron.hourly/
# chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.hourly/

Default Value:
Access: (755/drwxr-xr-x) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 305

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 306

Internal Only - General

 2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/cron.daily directory contains system cron jobs that need to run on a daily
basis. The files in this directory cannot be manipulated by the crontab command, but
are instead edited by system administrators using a text editor. The commands below
restrict read/write and search access to user and group root, preventing regular users
from accessing this directory.
Rationale:
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the
means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this
directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or
circumvent auditing controls.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/cron.daily/

Access: (700/drwx------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the
/etc/cron.daily directory:
# chown root:root /etc/cron.daily/
# chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.daily/

Default Value:
Access: (755/drwxr-xr-x) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 307

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 308

Internal Only - General

 2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The /etc/cron.weekly directory contains system cron jobs that need to run on a
weekly basis. The files in this directory cannot be manipulated by the crontab
command but are instead edited by system administrators using a text editor. The
commands below restrict read/write and search access to user and group root,
preventing regular users from accessing this directory.
Rationale:
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the
means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this
directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or
circumvent auditing controls.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/cron.weekly/

Access: (700/drwx------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the
/etc/cron.weekly directory:
# chown root:root /etc/cron.weekly/
# chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.weekly/

Default Value:
Access: (755/drwxr-xr-x) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 309

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 310

Internal Only - General

 2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The /etc/cron.monthly directory contains system cron jobs that need to run on a
monthly basis. The files in this directory cannot be manipulated by the crontab
command but are instead edited by system administrators using a text editor. The
commands below restrict read/write and search access to user and group root,
preventing regular users from accessing this directory.
Rationale:
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the
means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this
directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or
circumvent auditing controls.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/cron.monthly/

Access: (700/drwx------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the
/etc/cron.monthly directory:
# chown root:root /etc/cron.monthly/
# chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.monthly/

Default Value:
Access: (755/drwxr-xr-x) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 311

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 312

Internal Only - General

 2.4.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/cron.yearly is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The /etc/cron.yearly directory contains system cron jobs that need to run on an
annual basis. The files in this directory cannot be manipulated by the crontab command
but are instead edited by system administrators using a text editor. The commands
below restrict read/write and search access to user and group root, preventing regular
users from accessing this directory.
Rationale:
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the
means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this
directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or
circumvent auditing controls.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/cron.yearly/

Access: (700/drwx------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the
/etc/cron.yearly directory:
# chown root:root /etc/cron.yearly/
# chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.yearly/

Default Value:
Access: (755/drwxr-xr-x) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

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 2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/cron.d directory contains system cron jobs that need to run in a similar
manner to the hourly, daily weekly and monthly jobs from /etc/crontab, but require
more granular control as to when they run. The files in this directory cannot be
manipulated by the crontab command but are instead edited by system administrators
using a text editor. The commands below restrict read/write and search access to user
and group root, preventing regular users from accessing this directory.
Rationale:
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the
means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this
directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or
circumvent auditing controls.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access does
not grant permissions to group or other:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/cron.d/

Access: (700/drwx------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Note: If the directory does not exist, this is considered a passing state.
Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the /etc/cron.d
directory:
# chown root:root /etc/cron.d/
# chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.d/

Default Value:
Access: (755/drwxr-xr-x) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 314

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 315

Internal Only - General

 2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
crontab is the program used to install, deinstall, or list the tables used to drive the cron
daemon. Each user can have their own crontab, and though files are created, they are
not intended to be edited directly.
If the /etc/cron.allow file exists, then you must be listed (one user per line) therein in
order to be allowed to use this command. If the /etc/cron.allow file does not exist but
the /etc/cron.deny file does exist, then you must not be listed in the /etc/cron.deny
file in order to use this command.
If neither of these files exists, then depending on site-dependent configuration
parameters, only the super user will be allowed to use this command, or all users will be
able to use this command.
If both files exist then /etc/cron.allow takes precedence. Which means that
/etc/cron.deny is not considered and your user must be listed in /etc/cron.allow
in order to be able to use the crontab.
Regardless of the existence of any of these files, the root administrative user is always
allowed to setup a crontab.
The files /etc/cron.allow and /etc/cron.deny, if they exist, must be either world-
readable, or readable by group crontab. If they are not, then cron will deny access to
all users until the permissions are fixed.
There is one file for each user's crontab. Users are not allowed to edit the file directly to
ensure that only users allowed by the system to run periodic tasks can add them, and
only syntactically correct crontabs will be written. This is enforced by having the
directory writable only by the crontab group and configuring crontab command with the
setgid bid set for that specific group.
Note:

• Even though a given user is not listed in cron.allow, cron jobs can still be run
as that user
• The files /etc/cron.allow and /etc/cron.deny, if they exist, only controls
administrative access to the crontab command for scheduling and modifying cron
jobs

Page 316

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 Rationale:
On many systems, only the system administrator is authorized to schedule cron jobs.
Using the cron.allow file to control who can run cron jobs enforces this policy. It is
easier to manage an allow list than a deny list. In a deny list, you could potentially add a
user ID to the system and forget to add it to the deny files.
Audit:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following command to verify /etc/cron.allow:

• Exists
• Is mode 0640 or more restrictive
• Is owned by the user root
• Is group owned by the group root - OR - the group crontab

# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Owner: (%U) Group: (%G)' /etc/cron.allow

Verify the returned value is:

Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (root)
- OR -
Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (crontab)

Run the following command to verify either cron.deny doesn't exist or is:

• Mode 0640 or more restrictive

• Owned by the user root
• Is group owned by the group root - OR - the group crontab

# [ -e "/etc/cron.deny" ] && stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Owner: (%U) Group: (%G)' /etc/cron.deny

Verify either nothing is returned - OR - returned value is one of the following:

Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (root)
- OR -
Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (crontab)

Note: On systems where cron is configured to use the group crontab, if the group
crontab is not set as the owner of cron.allow, then cron will deny access to all users
and you will see an error similar to:
You (<USERNAME>) are not allowed to use this program (crontab)
See crontab(1) for more information

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 Remediation:
- IF - cron is installed on the system:
Run the following script to:

• Create /etc/cron.allow if it doesn't exist

• Change owner to user root
• Change group owner to group root - OR - group crontab if it exists
• Change mode to 640 or more restrictive

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
[ ! -e "/etc/cron.deny" ] && touch /etc/cron.allow
chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/cron.allow
if grep -Pq -- '^\h*crontab\:' /etc/group; then
chown root:crontab /etc/cron.allow
else
chown root:root /etc/cron.allow
fi
}

- IF - /etc/cron.deny exists, run the following script to:

• Change owner to user root

• Change group owner to group root - OR - group crontab if it exists
• Change mode to 640 or more restrictive

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
if [ -e "/etc/cron.deny" ]; then
chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/cron.deny
if grep -Pq -- '^\h*crontab\:' /etc/group; then
chown root:crontab /etc/cron.deny
else
chown root:root /etc/cron.deny
fi
fi
}

Note: On systems where cron is configured to use the group crontab, if the group
crontab is not set as the owner of cron.allow, then cron will deny access to all users
and you will see an error similar to:
You (<USERNAME>) are not allowed to use this program (crontab)
See crontab(1) for more information

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 318

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002 M1018

Page 319

Internal Only - General

 2.4.2 Configure at

at is a command-line utility used to schedule a job for later execution

Note: if at is not installed on the system, this section can be skipped

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 2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
at allows fairly complex time specifications, extending the POSIX.2 standard. It accepts
times of the form HH:MM to run a job at a specific time of day. (If that time is already
past, the next day is assumed.) You may also specify midnight, noon, or teatime (4pm)
and you can have a time-of-day suffixed with AM or PM for running in the morning or
the evening. You can also say what day the job will be run, by giving a date in the form
month-name day with an optional year, or giving a date of the form MMDD[CC]YY,
MM/DD/[CC]YY, DD.MM.[CC]YY or [CC]YY-MM-DD. The specification of a date must
follow the specification of the time of day. You can also give times like now + count
time-units, where the time-units can be minutes, hours, days, or weeks and you can tell
at to run the job today by suffixing the time with today and to run the job tomorrow by
suffixing the time with tomorrow.
The /etc/at.allow and /etc/at.deny files determine which user can submit
commands for later execution via at or batch. The format of the files is a list of
usernames, one on each line. Whitespace is not permitted. If the file /etc/at.allow
exists, only usernames mentioned in it are allowed to use at. If /etc/at.allow does
not exist, /etc/at.deny is checked, every username not mentioned in it is then allowed
to use at. An empty /etc/at.deny means that every user may use at. If neither file
exists, only the superuser is allowed to use at.
Rationale:
On many systems, only the system administrator is authorized to schedule at jobs.
Using the at.allow file to control who can run at jobs enforces this policy. It is easier
to manage an allow list than a deny list. In a deny list, you could potentially add a user
ID to the system and forget to add it to the deny files.

Page 321

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 Audit:
- IF - at is installed on the system:
Run the following command to verify /etc/at.allow:

• Exists
• Is mode 0640 or more restrictive
• Is owned by the user root
• Is group owned by the group daemon or group root

# stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Owner: (%U) Group: (%G)' /etc/at.allow

Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (daemon)

-OR-
Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (root)

Verify mode is 640 or more restrictive, owner is root, and group is daemon or root
Run the following command to verify at.deny doesn't exist, -OR- is:

• Mode 0640 or more restrictive

• Owned by the user root
• Group owned by the group daemon or group root

# [ -e "/etc/at.deny" ] && stat -Lc 'Access: (%a/%A) Owner: (%U) Group: (%G)' /etc/at.deny

Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (daemon)

-OR-
Access: (640/-rw-r-----) Owner: (root) Group: (root)
-OR-
Nothing is returned

If a value is returned, verify mode is 640 or more restrictive, owner is root, and group is
daemon or root

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 Remediation:
- IF - at is installed on the system:
Run the following script to:

• /etc/at.allow:
o Create the file if it doesn't exist
o Change owner or user root
o If group daemon exists, change to group daemon, else change group to
root
o Change mode to 640 or more restrictive
• - IF - /etc/at.deny exists:
o Change owner or user root
o If group daemon exists, change to group daemon, else change group to
root
o Change mode to 640 or more restrictive

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
grep -Pq -- '^daemon\b' /etc/group && l_group="daemon" || l_group="root"
[ ! -e "/etc/at.allow" ] && touch /etc/at.allow
chown root:"$l_group" /etc/at.allow
chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/at.allow
[ -e "/etc/at.deny" ] && chown root:"$l_group" /etc/at.deny
[ -e "/etc/at.deny" ] && chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/at.deny
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 323

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002 M1018

Page 324

Internal Only - General

 3 Network
This section provides guidance on for securing the network configuration of the system

Page 325

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 3.1 Configure Network Devices

To reduce the attack surface of a system, unused devices should be disabled.

Note: This should not be considered a comprehensive list, you may wish to consider
additions to those listed here for your environment.

Page 326

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 3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is the most recent version of Internet Protocol (IP). It's
designed to supply IP addressing and additional security to support the predicted
growth of connected devices. IPv6 is based on 128-bit addressing and can support 340
undecillion, which is 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique
addresses.
Features of IPv6

• Hierarchical addressing and routing infrastructure

• Statefull and Stateless configuration
• Support for quality of service (QoS)
• An ideal protocol for neighboring node interaction

Rationale:
IETF RFC 4038 recommends that applications are built with an assumption of dual
stack. It is recommended that IPv6 be enabled and configured in accordance with
Benchmark recommendations.
- IF - dual stack and IPv6 are not used in your environment, IPv6 may be disabled to
reduce the attack surface of the system, and recommendations pertaining to IPv6 can
be skipped.
Note: It is recommended that IPv6 be enabled and configured unless this is against
local site policy
Impact:
IETF RFC 4038 recommends that applications are built with an assumption of dual
stack.
When enabled, IPv6 will require additional configuration to reduce risk to the system.

Page 327

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 Audit:
Run the following script to identify if IPv6 is enabled on the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output=""
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_output="- IPv6 is not enabled"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs -- "^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"
&& \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_output="- IPv6 is not enabled"
fi
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_output="- IPv6 is enabled"
echo -e "\n$l_output\n"
}

Remediation:
Enable or disable IPv6 in accordance with system requirements and local site policy
Default Value:
IPv6 is enabled
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Additional Information:
Having more addresses has grown in importance with the expansion of smart devices
and connectivity. IPv6 provides more than enough globally unique IP addresses for
every networked device currently on the planet, helping ensure providers can keep pace
with the expected proliferation of IP-based devices.

Page 328

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000, T1595,

TA0008 M1042
T1595.001, T1595.002

Page 329

Internal Only - General

 3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
Description:
Wireless networking is used when wired networks are unavailable.
Rationale:
-IF- wireless is not to be used, wireless devices can be disabled to reduce the potential
attack surface.
Impact:
Many if not all laptop workstations and some desktop workstations will connect via
wireless requiring these interfaces be enabled.

Page 330

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to verify no wireless interfaces are active on the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
module_chk()
{
# Check how module will be loaded
l_loadable="$(modprobe -n -v "$l_mname")"
if grep -Pq -- '^\h*install \/bin\/(true|false)' <<< "$l_loadable"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is not loadable: \"$l_loadable\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is loadable: \"$l_loadable\""
fi
# Check is the module currently loaded
if ! lsmod | grep "$l_mname" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is not loaded"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is loaded"
fi
# Check if the module is deny listed
if modprobe --showconfig | grep -Pq -- "^\h*blacklist\h+$l_mname\b"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is deny listed in: \"$(grep -Pl --
"^\h*blacklist\h+$l_mname\b" /etc/modprobe.d/*)\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is not deny listed"
fi
}
if [ -n "$(find /sys/class/net/*/ -type d -name wireless)" ]; then
l_dname=$(for driverdir in $(find /sys/class/net/*/ -type d -name wireless | xargs -0 dirname); do
basename "$(readlink -f "$driverdir"/device/driver/module)";done | sort -u)
for l_mname in $l_dname; do
module_chk
done
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **"
if [ -z "$l_output" ]; then
echo -e "\n - System has no wireless NICs installed"
else
echo -e "\n$l_output\n"
fi
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

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Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command to disable any wireless interfaces:
# find /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/net/wireless -name '*.ko' -printf 'install %f
/bin/false\nblacklist %f\n\n' | sed 's/\.ko//1' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-wireless.conf

Note: the *.conf file in /etc/modprobe.d/ in the above command can renamed as
needed.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

15.4 Disable Wireless Access on Devices if Not Required

v7 Disable wireless access on devices that do not have a business purpose for ●
wireless access.

15.5 Limit Wireless Access on Client Devices

v7 Configure wireless access on client machines that do have an essential
wireless business purpose, to allow access only to authorized wireless networks
●
and to restrict access to other wireless networks.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1011, T1011.000, T1595,

TA0010 M1028
T1595.001, T1595.002

Page 332

Internal Only - General

 3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging
data between devices over short distances. It employs UHF radio waves in the ISM
bands, from 2.402 GHz to 2.48 GHz. It is mainly used as an alternative to wire
connections.
Rationale:
An attacker may be able to find a way to access or corrupt your data. One example of
this type of activity is bluesnarfing, which refers to attackers using a Bluetooth
connection to steal information off of your Bluetooth device. Also, viruses or other
malicious code can take advantage of Bluetooth technology to infect other devices. If
you are infected, your data may be corrupted, compromised, stolen, or lost.
Impact:
Many personal electronic devices (PEDs) use Bluetooth technology. For example, you
may be able to operate your computer with a wireless keyboard. Disabling Bluetooth will
prevent these devices from connecting to the system.
There may be packages that are dependent on the bluez package. If the bluez
package is removed, these dependent packages will be removed as well. Before
removing the bluez package, review any dependent packages to determine if they are
required on the system.
-IF- a dependent package is required: stop and mask bluetooth.service leaving the
bluez package installed.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify the bluez package is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s bluez &>/dev/null && echo "bluez is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
- IF - the bluez package is required as a dependency:
Run the following command to verify bluetooth.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled bluetooth.service 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned.

Run the following command to verify bluetooth.service is not active:
# systemctl is-active bluetooth.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned.

Note: If the package is required for a dependency

• Ensure the dependent package is approved by local site policy

• Ensure stopping and masking the service and/or socket meets local site policy

Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop bluetooth.service, and remove the bluez
package:
# systemctl stop bluetooth.service
# apt purge bluez

- OR -
- IF - the bluez package is required as a dependency:
Run the following commands to stop and mask bluetooth.service:
# systemctl stop bluetooth.service
# systemctl mask bluetooth.service

Note: A reboot may be required

References:

1. https://www.cisa.gov/tips/st05-015
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 334

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1011, T1011.001 TA0010 M1042

Page 335

Internal Only - General

 3.2 Configure Network Kernel Modules

The Linux kernel modules support several network protocols that are not commonly
used. If these protocols are not needed, it is recommended that they be disabled in the
kernel.
Note: This should not be considered a comprehensive list of uncommon network
protocols, you may wish to consider additions to those listed here for your environment.

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 3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP) is a transport layer protocol that
supports streaming media and telephony. DCCP provides a way to gain access to
congestion control, without having to do it at the application layer, but does not provide
in-sequence delivery.
Rationale:
- IF - the protocol is not required, it is recommended that the drivers not be installed to
reduce the potential attack surface.
Audit:
Verify the dccp kernel module is not available on the system or has been disabled.
This can be verified by performing the following or by running the audit script included
below.
Run the following script to determine if the dccp kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="dccp" l_mod_type="net"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the dccp kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.
Note: Some systems may include the dccp filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.
If anything is returned, verify the dccp kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:
Run the following command to verify the dccp kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'dccp'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the dccp kernel module is not loadable:

Page 337

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 # modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+dccp\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist dccp
-AND-
install dccp /bin/false
-OR-
install dccp /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist dccp
install dccp /bin/false

Optional audit script

This script will perform the above checks and produce output with passing or failing
status
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="dccp" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_chk()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if ! lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loaded")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loaded")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loadable")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loadable")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is deny listed")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not deny listed")
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_chk
else
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the dccp kernel module. This can also be done
by running the script included below.
Run the following commands to unload the dccp kernel module:
# modprobe -r dccp 2>/dev/null
# rmmod dccp 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the dccp kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install dccp /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install dccp /bin/false" >> dccp.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist dccp in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist dccp" >> dccp.conf

Optional remediation script:

This script will perform the above remediation as required by the system
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="dccp" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_fix()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output2+=(" - unloading kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
modprobe -r "$l_mod_chk_name" 2>/dev/null; rmmod "$l_mod_name" 2>/dev/null
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - setting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" to \"$(readlink -f /bin/false)\"")
printf '%s\n' "install $l_mod_chk_name $(readlink -f /bin/false)" >>
/etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - denylisting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
printf '%s\n' "blacklist $l_mod_chk_name" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do # Check if the module exists on the system
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_fix
else
printf '%s\n' " - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\""
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
[ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}" || printf '%s\n' "" " - No changes
needed"
printf '%s\n' "" " - remediation of kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" complete" ""
}

Page 339

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4, CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1210,

TA0008 M1042
T1210.000

Page 340

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 3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The Transparent Inter-Process Communication (TIPC) protocol is designed to provide
communication between cluster nodes.
Rationale:
- IF - the protocol is not being used, it is recommended that kernel module not be
loaded, disabling the service to reduce the potential attack surface.
Audit:
Verify the tipc kernel module is not available on the system or has been disabled.
This can be verified by performing the following or by running the audit script included
below.
Run the following script to determine if the tipc kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="tipc" l_mod_type="net"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the tipc kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.
Note: Some systems may include the tipc filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.
If anything is returned, verify the tipc kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:
Run the following command to verify the tipc kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'tipc'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the tipc kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+tipc\b'

Verify the output includes:

Page 341

Internal Only - General

 blacklist tipc
-AND-
install tipc /bin/false
-OR-
install tipc /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist tipc
install tipc /bin/false

Optional audit script

This script will perform the above checks and produce output with passing or failing
status
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="tipc" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_chk()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if ! lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loaded")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loaded")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loadable")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loadable")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is deny listed")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not deny listed")
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_chk
else
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the tipc kernel module. This can also be done
by running the script included below.
Run the following commands to unload the tipc kernel module:
# modprobe -r tipc 2>/dev/null
# rmmod tipc 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the tipc kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install tipc /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install tipc /bin/false" >> tipc.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist tipc in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist tipc" >> tipc.conf

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 Optional remediation script:
This script will perform the above remediation as required by the system
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="tipc" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_fix()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output2+=(" - unloading kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
modprobe -r "$l_mod_chk_name" 2>/dev/null; rmmod "$l_mod_name" 2>/dev/null
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - setting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" to \"$(readlink -f /bin/false)\"")
printf '%s\n' "install $l_mod_chk_name $(readlink -f /bin/false)" >>
/etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - denylisting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
printf '%s\n' "blacklist $l_mod_chk_name" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do # Check if the module exists on the system
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_fix
else
printf '%s\n' " - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\""
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
[ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}" || printf '%s\n' "" " - No changes
needed"
printf '%s\n' "" " - remediation of kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" complete" ""
}

Page 344

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4, CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1210,

TA0008 M1042
T1210.000

Page 345

Internal Only - General

 3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) protocol is a transport layer protocol designed to
provide low-latency, high-bandwidth communications between cluster nodes. It was
developed by the Oracle Corporation.
Rationale:
- IF - the protocol is not being used, it is recommended that kernel module not be
loaded, disabling the service to reduce the potential attack surface.
Audit:
Verify the rds kernel module is not available on the system or has been disabled.
This can be verified by performing the following or by running the audit script included
below.
Run the following script to determine if the rds kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="rds" l_mod_type="net"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the rds kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.
Note: Some systems may include the rds filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.
If anything is returned, verify the rds kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:
Run the following command to verify the rds kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'rds'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the rds kernel module is not loadable:
# modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+rds\b'

Verify the output includes:

Page 346

Internal Only - General

 blacklist rds
-AND-
install rds /bin/false
-OR-
install rds /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist rds
install rds /bin/false

Optional audit script

This script will perform the above checks and produce output with passing or failing
status
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="rds" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_chk()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if ! lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loaded")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loaded")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loadable")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loadable")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is deny listed")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not deny listed")
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_chk
else
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

Page 347

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the rds kernel module. This can also be done
by running the script included below.
Run the following commands to unload the rds kernel module:
# modprobe -r rds 2>/dev/null
# rmmod rds 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the rds kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install rds /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/
directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install rds /bin/false" >> rds.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist rds in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist rds" >> rds.conf

Page 348

Internal Only - General

 Optional remediation script:
This script will perform the above remediation as required by the system
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="rds" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_fix()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output2+=(" - unloading kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
modprobe -r "$l_mod_chk_name" 2>/dev/null; rmmod "$l_mod_name" 2>/dev/null
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - setting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" to \"$(readlink -f /bin/false)\"")
printf '%s\n' "install $l_mod_chk_name $(readlink -f /bin/false)" >>
/etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - denylisting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
printf '%s\n' "blacklist $l_mod_chk_name" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do # Check if the module exists on the system
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_fix
else
printf '%s\n' " - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\""
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
[ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}" || printf '%s\n' "" " - No changes
needed"
printf '%s\n' "" " - remediation of kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" complete" ""
}

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4, CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1210,

TA0008 M1042
T1210.000

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 3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) is a transport layer protocol used to
support message oriented communication, with several streams of messages in one
connection. It serves a similar function as TCP and UDP, incorporating features of both.
It is message-oriented like UDP, and ensures reliable in-sequence transport of
messages with congestion control like TCP.
Rationale:
- IF - the protocol is not being used, it is recommended that kernel module not be
loaded, disabling the service to reduce the potential attack surface.
Audit:
Verify the sctp kernel module is not available on the system or has been disabled.
This can be verified by performing the following or by running the audit script included
below.
Run the following script to determine if the sctp kernel module is available on the
system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mod_name="sctp" l_mod_type="net"
while IFS= read -r l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A "$l_mod_path/${l_mod_name//-/\/}")" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "$l_mod_name exists in $l_mod_path"
fi
done < <(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)
}

If nothing is returned, the sctp kernel module is not available on the system and no
further audit steps are required.
Note: Some systems may include the sctp filesystem as part of the kernel opposed to
being available as a kernel module. In this case, the above audit will not return anything.
This is also considered a passing state.
If anything is returned, verify the sctp kernel module is not loaded and not loadable by
performing the following:
Run the following command to verify the sctp kernel module is not loaded:
# lsmod | grep 'sctp'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the sctp kernel module is not loadable:

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 # modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+sctp\b'

Verify the output includes:

blacklist sctp
-AND-
install sctp /bin/false
-OR-
install sctp /bin/true

Example output:
blacklist sctp
install sctp /bin/false

Optional audit script

This script will perform the above checks and produce output with passing or failing
status
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="sctp" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_chk()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if ! lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loaded")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loaded")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not loadable")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is loadable")
fi
if grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is deny listed")
else
a_output2+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" is not deny listed")
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_chk
else
a_output+=(" - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Run the following to unload and disable the sctp kernel module. This can also be done
by running the script included below.
Run the following commands to unload the sctp kernel module:
# modprobe -r sctp 2>/dev/null
# rmmod sctp 2>/dev/null

Perform the following to disable the sctp kernel module:

Create a file ending in .conf with install sctp /bin/false in the
/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "install sctp /bin/false" >> sctp.conf

Create a file ending in .conf with blacklist sctp in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
Example:
# printf '\n%s\n' "blacklist sctp" >> sctp.conf

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 Optional remediation script:
This script will perform the above remediation as required by the system
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=() a_output3=() l_dl="" l_mod_name="sctp" l_mod_type="net"
l_mod_path="$(readlink -f /usr/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type || readlink -f
/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mod_type)"
f_module_fix()
{
l_dl="y" a_showconfig=()
while IFS= read -r l_showconfig; do
a_showconfig+=("$l_showconfig")
done < <(modprobe --showconfig | grep -P -- '\b(install|blacklist)\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b')
if lsmod | grep "$l_mod_chk_name" &> /dev/null; then
a_output2+=(" - unloading kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
modprobe -r "$l_mod_chk_name" 2>/dev/null; rmmod "$l_mod_name" 2>/dev/null
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\binstall\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\h+(\/usr)?\/bin\/(true|false)\b' <<<
"${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - setting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" to \"$(readlink -f /bin/false)\"")
printf '%s\n' "install $l_mod_chk_name $(readlink -f /bin/false)" >>
/etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- '\bblacklist\h+'"${l_mod_chk_name//-/_}"'\b' <<< "${a_showconfig[*]}"; then
a_output2+=(" - denylisting kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\"")
printf '%s\n' "blacklist $l_mod_chk_name" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mod_name".conf
fi
}
for l_mod_base_directory in $l_mod_path; do # Check if the module exists on the system
if [ -d "$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A
"$l_mod_base_directory/${l_mod_name/-/\/}")" ]; then
a_output3+=(" - \"$l_mod_base_directory\"")
l_mod_chk_name="$l_mod_name"
[[ "$l_mod_name" =~ overlay ]] && l_mod_chk_name="${l_mod_name::-2}"
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && f_module_fix
else
printf '%s\n' " - kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mod_base_directory\""
fi
done
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " -- INFO --" " - module: \"$l_mod_name\" exists in:"
"${a_output3[@]}"
[ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}" || printf '%s\n' "" " - No changes
needed"
printf '%s\n' "" " - remediation of kernel module: \"$l_mod_name\" complete" ""
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4, CM-7

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-7.1 (ii)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230496
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230496r942924

Page 354

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1210,

TA0008 M1042
T1210.000

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 3.3 Configure Network Kernel Parameters

The following network parameters are intended for use on both host only and router
systems. A system acts as a router if it has at least two interfaces and is configured to
perform routing functions.
Note:

• sysctl settings are defined through files in /usr/local/lib, /usr/lib/, /lib/,

/run/, and /etc/
• Files are typically placed in the sysctl.d directory within the parent directory
• The paths where sysctl preload files usually exist
o /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
o /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
o /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
o /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
o /lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
o /etc/sysctl.conf
• Files must have the ".conf" extension
• Vendors settings usually live in /usr/lib/ or /usr/local/lib/
• To override a whole file, create a new file with the same name in
/etc/sysctl.d/ and put new settings there.
• To override only specific settings, add a file with a lexically later name in
/etc/sysctl.d/ and put new settings there.
• The command /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl --cat-config produces
output containing The system's loaded kernel parameters and the files they're
configured in:
o Entries listed latter in the file take precedence over the same settings
listed earlier in the file
o Files containing kernel parameters that are over-ridden by other files with
the same name will not be listed
o On systems running UncomplicatedFirewall, the kernel parameters may
be set or over-written. This will not be visible in the output of the command
• On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured
in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf
o The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings other
settings and will not be visible in the output of the
/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl --cat-config command
o This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

The system's loaded kernel parameters and the files they're configured in can be
viewed by running the following command:
# /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl --cat-config

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 3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The net.ipv4.ip_forward and net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding flags are used to
tell the system whether it can forward packets or not.
Rationale:
Setting net.ipv4.ip_forward and net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding to 0 ensures
that a system with multiple interfaces (for example, a hard proxy), will never be able to
forward packets, and therefore, never serve as a router.
Impact:
IP forwarding is required on systems configured to act as a router. If these parameters
are disabled, the system will not be able to perform as a router.
Many Cloud Service Provider (CSP) hosted systems require IP forwarding to be
enabled. If the system is running on a CSP platform, this requirement should be
reviewed before disabling IP forwarding.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.ip_forward is set to 0
• net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding is set to 0

Note:

• kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded,
the parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a
canonically later file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and
by the system during a normal kernel parameter load sequence.
• IPv6 kernel parameters only apply to systems where IPv6 is enabled

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.ip_forward=0" "net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.ip_forward = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.ip_forward = 0" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

- IF - IPv6 is enabled on the system:

Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv6_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.ip_forward = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230540
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230540r858810

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 Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000 TA0006, TA0009 M1030, M1042

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 3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
ICMP Redirects are used to send routing information to other hosts. As a host itself
does not act as a router (in a host only configuration), there is no need to send
redirects.
Rationale:
An attacker could use a compromised host to send invalid ICMP redirects to other
router devices in an attempt to corrupt routing and have users access a system set up
by the attacker as opposed to a valid system.
Impact:
IP forwarding is required on systems configured to act as a router. If these parameters
are disabled, the system will not be able to perform as a router.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects is set to 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects is set to 0

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects=0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 0" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 1
net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 :: CM-6 b

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. RHEL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230536
4. RHEL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230536r858795
5. RHEL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230543
6. RHEL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230543r858816

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 365

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000 TA0006, TA0009 M1030, M1042

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 3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Setting net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses to 1 prevents the kernel
from logging bogus responses (RFC-1122 non-compliant) from broadcast reframes,
keeping file systems from filling up with useless log messages.
Rationale:
Some routers (and some attackers) will send responses that violate RFC-1122 and
attempt to fill up a log file system with many useless error messages.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses is set to 1

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses = 1

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses = 1" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 370

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0040 M1053

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 3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Setting net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts to 1 will cause the system to
ignore all ICMP echo and timestamp requests to broadcast and multicast addresses.
Rationale:
Accepting ICMP echo and timestamp requests with broadcast or multicast destinations
for your network could be used to trick your host into starting (or participating) in a
Smurf attack. A Smurf attack relies on an attacker sending large amounts of ICMP
broadcast messages with a spoofed source address. All hosts receiving this message
and responding would send echo-reply messages back to the spoofed address, which is
probably not routable. If many hosts respond to the packets, the amount of traffic on the
network could be significantly multiplied.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts is set to 1

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230537
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230537r858797

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 375

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1498, T1498.001 TA0040 M1037

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 3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
ICMP redirect messages are packets that convey routing information and tell your host
(acting as a router) to send packets via an alternate path. It is a way of allowing an
outside routing device to update your system routing tables.
Rationale:
ICMP redirect messages are packets that convey routing information and tell your host
(acting as a router) to send packets via an alternate path. It is a way of allowing an
outside routing device to update your system routing tables. By setting
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects,
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects,
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects, and
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects to 0, the system will not accept any
ICMP redirect messages, and therefore, won't allow outsiders to update the system's
routing tables.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects is set to 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects is set to 0
• net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects is set to 0
• net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects is set to 0

Note:

• kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded,
the parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a
canonically later file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and
by the system during a normal kernel parameter load sequence.
• IPv6 kernel parameters only apply to systems where IPv6 is enabled

Page 377

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects=0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects=0"
"net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects=0" "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""

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 else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

- IF - IPv6 is enabled on the system:

Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
• net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0" "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv6_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 :: CM-6 b

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 2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. RHEL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230535
4. RHEL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230535r858793
5. RHEL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230544
6. RHEL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230544r858820
7. RHEL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230550
8. RHEL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230550r627750
9. RHEL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230553
10. RHEL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230553r809324

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000 TA0006, TA0009 M1030, M1042

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 3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Secure ICMP redirects are the same as ICMP redirects, except they come from
gateways listed on the default gateway list. It is assumed that these gateways are
known to your system, and that they are likely to be secure.
Rationale:
It is still possible for even known gateways to be compromised. Setting
net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects and
net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects to 0 protects the system from routing
table updates by possibly compromised known gateways.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects is set to 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects is set to 0

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects=0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects = 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects = 0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects = 0" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects = 1
net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 385

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000 TA0006, TA0009 M1030, M1042

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 3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Setting net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter and net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter to
1 forces the Linux kernel to utilize reverse path filtering on a received packet to
determine if the packet was valid. Essentially, with reverse path filtering, if the return
packet does not go out the same interface that the corresponding source packet came
from, the packet is dropped (and logged if log_martians is set).

Rationale:
Setting net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter and net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter to
1 is a good way to deter attackers from sending your system bogus packets that cannot
be responded to. One instance where this feature breaks down is if asymmetrical
routing is employed. This would occur when using dynamic routing protocols (bgp, ospf,
etc) on your system. If you are using asymmetrical routing on your system, you will not
be able to enable this feature without breaking the routing.
Impact:
If you are using asymmetrical routing on your system, you will not be able to enable this
feature without breaking the routing.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter is set to 1
• net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter is set to 1

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter=1" "net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 1
• net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter = 1

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 1" "net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter = 1" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-
netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 2
net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230549
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230549r858830

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 390

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1498, T1498.001 TA0006, TA0040 M1030, M1042

Page 391

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 3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
In networking, source routing allows a sender to partially or fully specify the route
packets take through a network. In contrast, non-source routed packets travel a path
determined by routers in the network. In some cases, systems may not be routable or
reachable from some locations (e.g. private addresses vs. Internet routable), and so
source routed packets would need to be used.
Rationale:
Setting net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route,
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route,
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route and
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route to 0 disables the system from
accepting source routed packets. Assume this system was capable of routing packets to
Internet routable addresses on one interface and private addresses on another
interface. Assume that the private addresses were not routable to the Internet routable
addresses and vice versa. Under normal routing circumstances, an attacker from the
Internet routable addresses could not use the system as a way to reach the private
address systems. If, however, source routed packets were allowed, they could be used
to gain access to the private address systems as the route could be specified, rather
than rely on routing protocols that did not allow this routing.

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route is set to 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route is set to 0
• net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route is set to 0
• net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route is set to 0

Note:

• kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded,
the parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a
canonically later file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and
by the system during a normal kernel parameter load sequence.
• IPv6 kernel parameters only apply to systems where IPv6 is enabled

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route=0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route=0"
"net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route=0" "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""

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 else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
• net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0" "net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route=0
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

- IF - IPv6 is enabled on the system:

Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
• net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0" "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv6_sysctl.conf

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 :: CM-6 b

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. REHL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230538
4. REHL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230538r858801
5. REHL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230539
6. REHL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230539r861085
7. REHL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230541
8. REHL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230541r858812
9. REHL 8 STIG GROUP ID: V-230542
10. REHL 8 STIG RULE ID: SV-230542r858814

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1590, T1590.005 TA0007

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 3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
When enabled, this feature logs packets with un-routable source addresses to the
kernel log.
Rationale:
Setting net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians and
net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians to 1 enables this feature. Logging these
packets allows an administrator to investigate the possibility that an attacker is sending
spoofed packets to their system.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians is set to 1
• net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians is set to 1

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians=1" "net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 1
• net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 1

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 1" "net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 1" >>
/etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 0
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
● ●
elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005

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 3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
When tcp_syncookies is set, the kernel will handle TCP SYN packets normally until
the half-open connection queue is full, at which time, the SYN cookie functionality kicks
in. SYN cookies work by not using the SYN queue at all. Instead, the kernel simply
replies to the SYN with a SYN/ACK, but will include a specially crafted TCP sequence
number that encodes the source and destination IP address and port number and the
time the packet was sent. A legitimate connection would send the ACK packet of the
three way handshake with the specially crafted sequence number. This allows the
system to verify that it has received a valid response to a SYN cookie and allow the
connection, even though there is no corresponding SYN in the queue.
Rationale:
Attackers use SYN flood attacks to perform a denial of service attacked on a system by
sending many SYN packets without completing the three way handshake. This will
quickly use up slots in the kernel's half-open connection queue and prevent legitimate
connections from succeeding. Setting net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies to 1 enables SYN
cookies, allowing the system to keep accepting valid connections, even if under a denial
of service attack.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies is set to 1

Note: kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded, the
parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a canonically later
file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and by the system during a
normal kernel parameter load sequence.

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-netipv4_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies=1
sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010412 | Rule ID: SV-238333r958528 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-253010 | Rule ID: SV-260522r958528 | CAT II

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 406

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0040 M1037

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 3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Routers periodically multicast Router Advertisement messages to announce their
availability and convey information to neighboring nodes that enable them to be
automatically configured on the network.
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra and net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra determine
the systems ability to accept these advertisements
Rationale:
It is recommended that systems do not accept router advertisements as they could be
tricked into routing traffic to compromised machines. Setting hard routes within the
system (usually a single default route to a trusted router) protects the system from bad
routes. Setting net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra and
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra to 0 disables the system's ability to accept IPv6
router advertisements.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameters are set in the running
configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra is set to 0
• net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra is set to 0

Note:

• kernel parameters are loaded by file and parameter order precedence. The
following script observes this precedence as part of the auditing procedure. The
parameters being checked may be set correctly in a file. If that file is superseded,
the parameter is overridden by an incorrect setting later in that file, or in a
canonically later file, that "correct" setting will be ignored both by the script and
by the system during a normal kernel parameter load sequence.
• IPv6 kernel parameters only apply to systems where IPv6 is enabled

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ipv6_disabled=""
l_systemdsysctl="$(readlink -f /lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl || readlink -f /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sysctl)"
a_parlist=("net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra=0" "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
f_ipv6_chk()
{
l_ipv6_disabled="no"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b" && \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_disabled="yes"
fi
}
f_kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_running_parameter_value="$(sysctl "$l_parameter_name" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running
configuration
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_running_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\""
" in the running configuration")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_running_parameter_value\"" \
" in the running configuration" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
unset A_out; declare -A A_out # Check durable setting (files)
while read -r l_out; do
if [ -n "$l_out" ]; then
if [[ $l_out =~ ^\s*# ]]; then
l_file="${l_out//# /}"
else
l_kpar="$(awk -F= '{print $1}' <<< "$l_out" | xargs)"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <("$l_systemdsysctl" --cat-config | grep -Po '^\h*([^#\n\r]+|#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b)')
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Account for systems with UFW (Not covered by systemd-sysctl --cat-config)
l_kpar="$(grep -Po "^\h*$l_parameter_name\b" "$l_ufwscf" | xargs)"
l_kpar="${l_kpar//\//.}"
[ "$l_kpar" = "$l_parameter_name" ] && A_out+=(["$l_kpar"]="$l_ufwscf")
fi
if (( ${#A_out[@]} > 0 )); then # Assess output from files and generate output
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_file_parameter_value; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_file_parameter_value="${l_file_parameter_value// /}"
if grep -Pq -- '\b'"$l_parameter_value"'\b' <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is correctly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\"" \
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_file_parameter_value\""
" in \"$(printf '%s' "${A_out[@]}")\"" \
" and should have a value of: \"$l_value_out\"")
fi
done < <(grep -Po -- "^\h*$l_parameter_name\h*=\h*\H+" "${A_out[@]}")
else
a_output2+=(" - \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" ** Note: \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **")
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
if grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_parameter_name"; then
[ -z "$l_ipv6_disabled" ] && f_ipv6_chk
if [ "$l_ipv6_disabled" = "yes" ]; then
a_output+=(" - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_parameter_name\" is not applicable")
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
else
f_kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else

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 printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
- IF - IPv6 is enabled on the system:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending
in .conf:

• net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 0
• net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0

Example:
# printf '%s\n' "net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 0" "net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-
netipv6_sysctl.conf

Run the following script to set the active kernel parameters:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra=0
sysctl -w net.ipv6.route.flush=1
}

Note: If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 :: CM-6 b

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)
3. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230541
4. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230541r858812
5. RHEL 8 STIG Vul ID: V-230542
6. RHEL 8 STIG Rule ID: SV-230542r858814

Additional Information:
On systems with Uncomplicated Firewall, additional settings may be configured in
/etc/ufw/sysctl.conf

• The settings in /etc/ufw/sysctl.conf will override settings in

/etc/sysctl.conf
• This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

Page 411

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000 TA0006, TA0040 M1030, M1042

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 4 Host Based Firewall
A firewall is a set of rules. When a data packet moves into or out of a protected network
space, its contents (in particular, information about its origin, target, and the protocol it
plans to use) are tested against the firewall rules to see if it should be allowed through
To provide a Host Based Firewall, the Linux kernel includes support for:

• Netfilter - A set of hooks inside the Linux kernel that allows kernel modules to
register callback functions with the network stack. A registered callback function
is then called back for every packet that traverses the respective hook within the
network stack. Includes the ip_tables, ip6_tables, arp_tables, and ebtables kernel
modules. These modules are some of the significant parts of the Netfilter hook
system.
• nftables - A subsystem of the Linux kernel providing filtering and classification
of network packets/datagrams/frames. nftables is supposed to replace certain
parts of Netfilter, while keeping and reusing most of it. nftables utilizes the
building blocks of the Netfilter infrastructure, such as the existing hooks into the
networking stack, connection tracking system, userspace queueing component,
and logging subsystem. Is available in Linux kernels 3.13 and newer.

In order to configure firewall rules for Netfilter or nftables, a firewall utility needs to be
installed. Guidance has been included for the following firewall utilities:

• UncomplicatedFirewall (ufw) - Provides firewall features by acting as a front-end

for the Linux kernel's netfilter framework via the iptables backend. ufw supports
both IPv4 and IPv6 networks
• nftables - Includes the nft utility for configuration of the nftables subsystem of
the Linux kernel
• iptables - Includes the iptables, ip6tables, arptables and ebtables utilities for
configuration Netfilter and the ip_tables, ip6_tables, arp_tables, and ebtables
kernel modules.

Notes:

• Only one method should be used to configure a firewall on the system. Use of
more than one method could produce unexpected results
• This section is intended only to ensure the resulting firewall rules are in place, not
how they are configured

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 4.1 Configure a single firewall utility

Only one method should be used to configure a firewall on the system. Use of more
than one method could produce unexpected results.
This section ensures that only one firewall is in use on the system and provides
guidance to the subsequent subsection that should be followed for a single firewall utility
configuration.

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 4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
In Linux security, employing a single, effective firewall configuration utility ensures that
only legitimate traffic gets processed, reducing the system’s exposure to potential
threats. The choice between ufw, nftables, and iptables depends on organizational
needs.
Note: iptables is being phased out, and support for iptables will be reduced over
time. It is recommended to transition towards either nftables or ufw as the default
firewall management tool.
Rationale:
Proper configuration of a single firewall utility minimizes cyber threats and protects
services and data, while avoiding vulnerabilities like open ports or exposed services.
Standardizing on a single tool simplifies management, reduces errors, and fortifies
security across Linux systems.
Impact:
The use of more than one firewall utility may produce unexpected results.

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify that a single firewall utility is in use on the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
active_firewall=() firewalls=("ufw" "nftables" "iptables")
# Determine which firewall is in use
for firewall in "${firewalls[@]}"; do
case $firewall in
nftables)
cmd="nft" ;;
*)
cmd=$firewall ;;
esac
if command -v $cmd &> /dev/null && systemctl is-enabled --quiet $firewall && systemctl is-active --quiet
$firewall; then
active_firewall+=("$firewall")
fi
done
# Display audit results
if [ ${#active_firewall[@]} -eq 1 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "Audit Results:" " ** PASS **" " - A single firewall is in use follow the recommendation
in ${active_firewall[0]} subsection ONLY"
elif [ ${#active_firewall[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " Audit Results:" " ** FAIL **" "- No firewall in use or unable to determine firewall
status"
else
printf '%s\n' "" " Audit Results:" " ** FAIL **" " - Multiple firewalls are in use:
${active_firewall[*]}"
fi
}

Remediation:
Remediating to a single firewall configuration is a complex process and involves several
steps. The following provides the basic steps to follow for a single firewall configuration:

1. Determine which firewall utility best fits organizational needs

2. Follow the recommendations in the subsequent subsection for the single firewall
to be used
Note: Review the firewall subsection overview for the selected firewall to be
used, it contains a script to
simplify this process.
3. Return to this recommendation to ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in
use

References:

1. https://wiki.debian.org/DebianFirewall
2. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UncomplicatedFirewall
3. https://assets.ubuntu.com/v1/544d9904-ubuntu-server-guide-2024-01-22.pdf
4. https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/debian-reference.en.pdf

Page 416

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

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 4.2 Configure UncomplicatedFirewall

If nftables or iptables are being used in your environment, please follow the
guidance in their respective section and pass-over the guidance in this section.
Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) is a program for managing a netfilter firewall designed to
be easy to use.

• Uses a command-line interface consisting of a small number of simple

commands
• Uses iptables for configuration
• Rules are processed until first matching rule. The first matching rule will be
applied.

Notes:

• Configuration of a live system's firewall directly over a remote connection will

often result in being locked out
• Rules should be ordered so that ALLOW rules come before DENY rules.

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 4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw) is a frontend for iptables and is particularly well-suited
for host-based firewalls. ufw provides a framework for managing netfilter, as well as a
command-line interface for manipulating the firewall
Rationale:
A firewall utility is required to configure the Linux kernel's netfilter framework via the
iptables or nftables back-end.
The Linux kernel's netfilter framework host-based firewall can protect against threats
originating from within a corporate network to include malicious mobile code and poorly
configured software on a host.
Note: Only one firewall utility should be installed and configured. UFW is dependent on
the iptables package
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) is installed:
# dpkg-query -s ufw &>/dev/null && echo "ufw is installed"

ufw is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW):
# apt install ufw

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

Page 419

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 420

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 4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
nftables is a subsystem of the Linux kernel providing filtering and classification of
network packets/datagrams/frames and is the successor to iptables.
Rationale:
Running both ufw and nftables may lead to conflict.

Audit:
Run the following commend to verify that nftables is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s nftables &>/dev/null && echo "nftables is installed"

Nothing should be returned

- OR -
Run the following command to verify nftables.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled nftables.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify nftables.service is not active:
# systemctl is-active nftables.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove nftables:
# apt purge nftables

- OR -
Run the following commands to stop and mask nftables.service:
# systemctl stop nftables.service
# systemctl mask nftables.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, CM-7

Page 421

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011

Page 422

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 4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The iptables-persistent is a boot-time loader for netfilter rules, iptables plugin

Rationale:
Running both ufw and the services included in the iptables-persistent package may lead
to conflict
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the iptables-persistent package is not
installed:
# dpkg-query -s iptables-persistent &>/dev/null && echo "iptables-persistent is installed"

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove the iptables-persistent package:
# apt purge iptables-persistent

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

Page 423

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0005 M1033

Page 424

Internal Only - General

 4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
UncomplicatedFirewall (ufw) is a frontend for iptables. ufw provides a framework for
managing netfilter, as well as a command-line and available graphical user interface for
manipulating the firewall.
Note:

• When running ufw enable or starting ufw via its initscript, ufw will flush its chains.
This is required so ufw can maintain a consistent state, but it may drop existing
connections (eg ssh). ufw does support adding rules before enabling the firewall.
• Run the following command before running ufw enable.

# ufw allow proto tcp from any to any port 22

• The rules will still be flushed, but the ssh port will be open after enabling the
firewall. Please note that once ufw is 'enabled', ufw will not flush the chains when
adding or removing rules (but will when modifying a rule or changing the default
policy)
• By default, ufw will prompt when enabling the firewall while running under ssh.
This can be disabled by using ufw --force enable

Rationale:
The ufw service must be enabled and running in order for ufw to protect the system
Impact:
Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked out
of the system.

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the ufw daemon is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled ufw.service

enabled

Run the following command to verify that the ufw daemon is active:
# systemctl is-active ufw

active

Run the following command to verify ufw is active

# ufw status

Status: active

Remediation:
Run the following command to unmask the ufw daemon:
# systemctl unmask ufw.service

Run the following command to enable and start the ufw daemon:
# systemctl --now enable ufw.service

active

Run the following command to enable ufw:

# ufw enable

References:

1. http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/precise/en/man8/ufw.8.html
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7
3. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010434 | Rule ID: SV-238355r958672 | CAT II
4. STIG ID: UBTU-22-251015 | Rule ID: SV-260515r958672 | CAT II

Page 426

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0005 M1018

Page 427

Internal Only - General

 4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure the loopback interface to accept traffic. Configure all other interfaces to deny
traffic to the loopback network (127.0.0.0/8 for IPv4 and ::1/128 for IPv6).
Rationale:
Loopback traffic is generated between processes on machine and is typically critical to
operation of the system. The loopback interface is the only place that loopback network
(127.0.0.0/8 for IPv4 and ::1/128 for IPv6) traffic should be seen, all other interfaces
should ignore traffic on this network as an anti-spoofing measure.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify loopback interface to accept traffic:
# grep -P -- 'lo|127.0.0.0' /etc/ufw/before.rules

Output includes:
# allow all on loopback
-A ufw-before-input -i lo -j ACCEPT
-A ufw-before-output -o lo -j ACCEPT

Run the following command and verify all other interfaces deny traffic to the loopback
network (127.0.0.0/8 for IPv4 and ::1/128 for IPv6)
# ufw status verbose

To Action From
-- ------ ----
Anywhere DENY IN 127.0.0.0/8
Anywhere (v6) DENY IN ::1

Note: ufw status only shows rules added with ufw and not the rules found in the
/etc/ufw rules files where allow all on loopback is configured by default.

Remediation:
Run the following commands to configure the loopback interface to accept traffic:
# ufw allow in on lo
# ufw allow out on lo

Run the following commands to configure all other interfaces to deny traffic to the
loopback network:
# ufw deny in from 127.0.0.0/8
# ufw deny in from ::1

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Internal Only - General

 Default Value:
# allow all on loopback
-A ufw-before-input -i lo -j ACCEPT
-A ufw-before-output -o lo -j ACCEPT

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

2. https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/jammy/en/man8/ufw-framework.8.html

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 429

Internal Only - General

 4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure the firewall rules for new outbound connections.
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system.
• Unlike iptables, when a new outbound rule is added, ufw automatically takes care
of associated established connections, so no rules for the latter kind are required.

Rationale:
If rules are not in place for new outbound connections all packets will be dropped by the
default policy preventing network usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify all rules for new outbound connections match
site policy:
# ufw status numbered

Remediation:
Configure ufw in accordance with site policy. The following commands will implement a
policy to allow all outbound connections on all interfaces:
# ufw allow out on all

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

Page 430

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 431

Internal Only - General

 4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Services and ports can be accepted or explicitly rejected.
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• The remediation command opens up the port to traffic from all sources. Consult
ufw documentation and set any restrictions in compliance with site policy

Rationale:
To reduce the attack surface of a system, all services and ports should be blocked
unless required.

• Any ports that have been opened on non-loopback addresses need firewall rules
to govern traffic.
• Without a firewall rule configured for open ports, the default firewall policy will
drop all packets to these ports.
• Required ports should have a firewall rule created to allow approved connections
in accordance with local site policy.
• Unapproved ports should have an explicit deny rule created.

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify a firewall rule exists for all open ports:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
unset a_ufwout
unset a_openports

# Read UFW Ports

while read -r l_ufwport; do
[ -n "$l_ufwport" ] && a_ufwout+=("$l_ufwport")
done < <(ufw show raw 2>&1 |grep -Po 'dpt:\K\d+' |sort -u)

# Read Multiport Rules

while read -r l_multiport; do
for port in $(echo "$l_multiport" | awk -F'--dports ' '{print $2}' | awk -F' ' '{print $1}' | tr ',' '\n');
do
if [[ "$port" == *:* ]]; then
IFS=':' read -r start_port end_port <<< "$port"
for ((i=start_port; i<=end_port; i++)); do
a_ufwout+=("$i")
done
else
a_ufwout+=("$port")
fi
done
done < /etc/ufw/user.rules

# Read Open Ports

while read -r l_openport; do
[ -n "$l_openport" ] && a_openports+=("$l_openport")
done < <(ss -tuln | awk '($5!~/%lo:/ && $5!~/^127\./ && $5!~/\[?::1\]?:/) {split($5, a, ":"); print a[2]}' |
sort -u)

# Find Differences
a_diff=("$(printf '%s\n' "${a_openports[@]}" "${a_ufwout[@]}" "${a_ufwout[@]}" | sort | uniq -u)")

# Conditional Check and Output

if [[ -n "${a_diff[*]}" ]]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n- The following port(s) don't have a rule in UFW: $(printf '%s\n'
\\n"${a_diff[*]}")\n- End List"
else
echo -e "\n - Audit Passed -\n- All open ports have a rule in UFW\n"
fi
}

Remediation:
For each port identified in the audit which does not have a firewall rule, evaluate the
service listening on the port and add a rule for accepting or denying inbound
connections in accordance with local site policy:
Examples:
# ufw allow in <port>/<tcp or udp protocol>

# ufw deny in <port>/<tcp or udp protocol>

Note: Examples create rules for from any, to any. More specific rules should be
concentered when allowing inbound traffic e.g only traffic from this network.
Example to allow traffic on port 443 using the tcp protocol from the 192.168.1.0 network:
ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any proto tcp port 443

Page 433

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 434

Internal Only - General

 4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
A default deny policy on connections ensures that any unconfigured network usage will
be rejected.
Note: Any port or protocol without a explicit allow before the default deny will be
blocked
Rationale:
With a default accept policy the firewall will accept any packet that is not configured to
be denied. It is easier to allow list acceptable usage than to deny list unacceptable
usage.
Impact:
Any port and protocol not explicitly allowed will be blocked. The following rules should
be considered before applying the default deny.
ufw allow out http
ufw allow out https
ufw allow out ntp # Network Time Protocol
ufw allow out to any port 53 # DNS
ufw allow out to any port 853 # DNS over TLS
ufw logging on

Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the default policy for incoming , outgoing ,
and routed directions is deny , reject , or disabled:
# ufw status verbose | grep Default:

Example output:
Default: deny (incoming), deny (outgoing), disabled (routed)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement a default deny policy:
# ufw default deny incoming
# ufw default deny outgoing
# ufw default deny routed

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

Page 435

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 436

Internal Only - General

 4.3 Configure nftables

If Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) or iptables are being used in your environment,

please follow the guidance in their respective section and pass-over the guidance
in this section.
nftables is a subsystem of the Linux kernel providing filtering and classification of
network packets/datagrams/frames and is the successor to iptables. The biggest
change with the successor nftables is its simplicity. With iptables, we have to
configure every single rule and use the syntax which can be compared with normal
commands. With nftables, the simpler syntax, much like BPF (Berkely Packet Filter)
means shorter lines and less repetition. Support for nftables should also be compiled
into the kernel, together with the related nftables modules. Please ensure that your
kernel supports nf_tables before choosing this option.
Notes:

• This section broadly assumes starting with an empty nftables firewall ruleset
(established by flushing the rules with nft flush ruleset).
• Remediation steps included only affect the live system, you will also need to
configure your default firewall configuration to apply on boot.
• Configuration of a live systems firewall directly over a remote connection will
often result in being locked out. It is advised to have a known good firewall
configuration set to run on boot and to configure an entire firewall structure in a
script that is then run and tested before saving to boot.

The following script will implement the firewall rules of this section and open port
22(ssh) from anywhere. Opening the ports for port 22(ssh) needs to be updated in
accordance with local site policy. Allow port 22(ssh) needs to be updated to only
allow systems requiring ssh connectivity to connect, as per site policy.
Save the script below as /etc/nftables.rules

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Internal Only - General

 #!/sbin/nft -f

# This nftables.rules config should be saved as /etc/nftables.rules

# flush nftables rulesset
flush ruleset
# Load nftables ruleset
# nftables config with inet table named filter
table inet filter {
# Base chain for input hook named input (Filters inbound network packets)
chain input {
type filter hook input priority 0; policy drop;

# Ensure loopback traffic is configured

iif "lo" accept
ip saddr 127.0.0.0/8 counter packets 0 bytes 0 drop
# If IPv6 is enabled on the system ensure IPv6 loopback traffic is configured
ip6 saddr ::1 counter packets 0 bytes 0 drop

# Ensure established connections are configured

ip protocol tcp ct state established accept
ip protocol udp ct state established accept

# Accept port 22(SSH) traffic from anywhere

tcp dport ssh accept
}

# Base chain for hook forward named forward (Filters forwarded network packets)
chain forward {
type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop;
}

# Base chain for hook output named output (Filters outbount network packets)
chain output {
type filter hook output priority 0; policy drop;
# Ensure outbound and established connections are configured
ip protocol tcp ct state established,related,new accept
ip protocol udp ct state established,related,new accept
}
}

Run the following command to load the file into nftables

# nft -f /etc/nftables.rules

All changes in the nftables subsections are temporary.

To make these changes permanent:
Run the following command to create the nftables.rules file
nft list ruleset > /etc/nftables.rules

Add the following line to /etc/nftables.conf

include "/etc/nftables.rules"

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Internal Only - General

 4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
nftables provides a new in-kernel packet classification framework that is based on a
network-specific Virtual Machine (VM) and a new nft userspace command line tool.
nftables reuses the existing Netfilter subsystems such as the existing hook
infrastructure, the connection tracking system, NAT, userspace queuing and logging
subsystem.
Notes:

• nftables is available in Linux kernel 3.13 and newer

• Only one firewall utility should be installed and configured
• Changing firewall settings while connected over the network can result in being
locked out of the system

Rationale:
nftables is a subsystem of the Linux kernel that can protect against threats originating
from within a corporate network to include malicious mobile code and poorly configured
software on a host.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that nftables is installed:
# dpkg-query -s nftables &>/dev/null && echo "nftables is installed"

nftables is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install nftables:
# apt install nftables

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9

Page 439

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 440

Internal Only - General

 4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) is a program for managing a netfilter firewall designed to
be easy to use.
Rationale:
Running both the nftables service and ufw may lead to conflict and unexpected
results.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that ufw is either not installed or inactive. Only
one of the following needs to pass.
Run the following command to verify that ufw is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s ufw &>/dev/null && echo "ufw is installed"

Nothing should be returned

-OR-
Run the following commands to verify ufw is disabled and ufw.service is not enabled:
# ufw status

Status: inactive
# systemctl is-enabled ufw.service

masked

Remediation:
Run one of the following to either remove ufw or disable ufw and mask ufw.service:
Run the following command to remove ufw:
# apt purge ufw

-OR-
Run the following commands to disable ufw and mask ufw.service:
# ufw disable
# systemctl stop ufw.service
# systemctl mask ufw.service

Note: ufw disable needs to be run before systemctl mask ufw.service in order to
correctly disable UFW

Page 441

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0005 M1033

Page 442

Internal Only - General

 4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
nftables is a replacement for iptables, ip6tables, ebtables and arptables
Rationale:
It is possible to mix iptables and nftables. However, this increases complexity and also
the chance to introduce errors. For simplicity flush out all iptables rules, and ensure it is
not loaded
Audit:
Run the following commands to ensure no iptables rules exist
For iptables:
# iptables -L

No rules should be returned

For ip6tables:
# ip6tables -L

No rules should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following commands to flush iptables:
For iptables:
# iptables -F

For ip6tables:
# ip6tables -F

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 443

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0005

Page 444

Internal Only - General

 4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Tables hold chains. Each table only has one address family and only applies to packets
of this family. Tables can have one of five families.
Rationale:
nftables doesn't have any default tables. Without a table being built, nftables will not
filter network traffic.
Impact:
Adding rules to a running nftables can cause loss of connectivity to the system
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a nftables table exists:
# nft list tables

Return should include a list of nftables:

Example:
table inet filter

Remediation:
Run the following command to create a table in nftables
# nft create table inet <table name>

Example:
# nft create table inet filter

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 445

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1047

Page 446

Internal Only - General

 4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Chains are containers for rules. They exist in two kinds, base chains and regular chains.
A base chain is an entry point for packets from the networking stack, a regular chain
may be used as jump target and is used for better rule organization.
Rationale:
If a base chain doesn't exist with a hook for input, forward, and delete, packets that
would flow through those chains will not be touched by nftables.
Impact:
If configuring nftables over ssh, creating a base chain with a policy of drop will
cause loss of connectivity.
Ensure that a rule allowing ssh has been added to the base chain prior to setting the
base chain's policy to drop
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify that base chains exist for INPUT.
# nft list ruleset | grep 'hook input'

type filter hook input priority 0;

Run the following commands and verify that base chains exist for FORWARD.
# nft list ruleset | grep 'hook forward'

type filter hook forward priority 0;

Run the following commands and verify that base chains exist for OUTPUT.
# nft list ruleset | grep 'hook output'

type filter hook output priority 0;

Page 447

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command to create the base chains:
# nft create chain inet <table name> <base chain name> { type filter hook <(input|forward|output)> priority 0
\; }

Example:
# nft create chain inet filter input { type filter hook input priority 0 \; }

# nft create chain inet filter forward { type filter hook forward priority 0 \; }

# nft create chain inet filter output { type filter hook output priority 0 \; }

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0005 M1047

Page 448

Internal Only - General

 4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure the loopback interface to accept traffic. Configure all other interfaces to deny
traffic to the loopback network
Rationale:
Loopback traffic is generated between processes on machine and is typically critical to
the operation of the system. The loopback interface is the only place that loopback
network traffic should be seen, all other interfaces should ignore traffic on this network
as an anti-spoofing measure.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that the loopback interface is configured:
Run the following command to verify the loopback interface is configured to accept
network traffic:
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep 'iif "lo" accept'

Example output:
iif "lo" accept

Run the following command to verify network traffic from an iPv4 loopback interface is
configured to drop:
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep 'ip saddr'

Example output:
ip saddr 127.0.0.0/8 counter packets 0 bytes 0 drop

- IF - IPv6 is enabled on the system:

Run the following command to verify network traffic from an iPv6 loopback interface is
configured to drop:
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep 'ip6 saddr'

Example output:
ip6 saddr ::1 counter packets 0 bytes 0 drop

Page 449

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement the loopback rules:
# nft add rule inet filter input iif lo accept
# nft add rule inet filter input ip saddr 127.0.0.0/8 counter drop

- IF - IPv6 is enabled on the system:

Run the following command to implement the IPv6 loopback rule:
# nft add rule inet filter input ip6 saddr ::1 counter drop

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0005

Page 450

Internal Only - General

 4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections are
configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Configure the firewall rules for new outbound, and established connections
Rationale:
If rules are not in place for new outbound, and established connections all packets will
be dropped by the default policy preventing network usage.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify all rules for established incoming connections
match site policy: site policy:
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep -E 'ip protocol (tcp|udp) ct state'

Output should be similar to:

ip protocol tcp ct state established accept
ip protocol udp ct state established accept

Run the folllowing command and verify all rules for new and established outbound
connections match site policy
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook output/,/}/' | grep -E 'ip protocol (tcp|udp) ct state'

Output should be similar to:

ip protocol tcp ct state established,related,new accept
ip protocol udp ct state established,related,new accept

Remediation:
Configure nftables in accordance with site policy. The following commands will
implement a policy to allow all outbound connections and all established connections:
# nft add rule inet filter input ip protocol tcp ct state established accept

# nft add rule inet filter input ip protocol udp ct state established accept

# nft add rule inet filter output ip protocol tcp ct state new,related,established accept

# nft add rule inet filter output ip protocol udp ct state new,related,established accept

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 451

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 452

Internal Only - General

 4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Base chain policy is the default verdict that will be applied to packets reaching the end
of the chain.
Rationale:
There are two policies: accept (Default) and drop. If the policy is set to accept, the
firewall will accept any packet that is not configured to be denied and the packet will
continue transversing the network stack.
It is easier to allow list acceptable usage than to deny list unacceptable usage.
Note:

• Allow port 22(ssh) needs to be updated to only allow systems requiring ssh
connectivity to connect, as per site policy.
• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system.

Impact:
If configuring nftables over ssh, creating a base chain with a policy of drop will cause
loss of connectivity.
Ensure that a rule allowing ssh has been added to the base chain prior to setting the
base chain's policy to drop
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify that base chains contain a policy of DROP.
# nft list ruleset | grep 'hook input'

type filter hook input priority 0; policy drop;

# nft list ruleset | grep 'hook forward'

type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop;

# nft list ruleset | grep 'hook output'

type filter hook output priority 0; policy drop;

Page 453

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command for the base chains with the input, forward, and output
hooks to implement a default DROP policy:
# nft chain <table family> <table name> <chain name> { policy drop \; }

Example:
# nft chain inet filter input { policy drop \; }

# nft chain inet filter forward { policy drop \; }

# nft chain inet filter output { policy drop \; }

Default Value:
accept
References:

1. Manual Page nft

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 454

Internal Only - General

 4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nftables service allows for the loading of nftables rulesets during boot, or starting on
the nftables service
Rationale:
The nftables service restores the nftables rules from the rules files referenced in the
/etc/nftables.conf file during boot or the starting of the nftables service

Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the nftables service is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled nftables

enabled

Remediation:
Run the following command to enable the nftables service:
# systemctl enable nftables

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 455

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 456

Internal Only - General

 4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
nftables is a subsystem of the Linux kernel providing filtering and classification of
network packets/datagrams/frames.
The nftables service reads the /etc/nftables.conf file for a nftables file or files to
include in the nftables ruleset.
A nftables ruleset containing the input, forward, and output base chains allow network
traffic to be filtered.
Note: Saving the script and following the instruction in the Configure nftables section
overview will implement the rules in the configure nftable section, open port 22(ssh)
from anywhere, and applies nftables ruleset on boot.
Rationale:
Changes made to nftables ruleset only affect the live system, you will also need to
configure the nftables ruleset to apply on boot

Page 457

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 Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that input, forward, and output base chains are
configured to be applied to a nftables ruleset on boot:
Run the following command to verify the input base chain:
# [ -n "$(grep -E '^\s*include' /etc/nftables.conf)" ] && awk '/hook input/,/}/' $(awk '$1 ~ /^\s*include/ {
gsub("\"","",$2);print $2 }' /etc/nftables.conf)

Output should be similar to:

type filter hook input priority 0; policy drop;

# Ensure loopback traffic is configured

iif "lo" accept
ip saddr 127.0.0.0/8 counter packets 0 bytes 0 drop
ip6 saddr ::1 counter packets 0 bytes 0 drop

# Ensure established connections are configured

ip protocol tcp ct state established accept
ip protocol udp ct state established accept

# Accept port 22(SSH) traffic from anywhere

tcp dport ssh accept

Review the input base chain to ensure that it follows local site policy
Run the following command to verify the forward base chain:
# [ -n "$(grep -E '^\s*include' /etc/nftables.conf)" ] && awk '/hook forward/,/}/' $(awk '$1 ~ /^\s*include/ {
gsub("\"","",$2);print $2 }' /etc/nftables.conf)

Output should be similar to:

# Base chain for hook forward named forward (Filters forwarded network packets)
chain forward {
type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop;
}

Review the forward base chain to ensure that it follows local site policy.
Run the following command to verify the forward base chain:
# [ -n "$(grep -E '^\s*include' /etc/nftables.conf)" ] && awk '/hook output/,/}/' $(awk '$1 ~ /^\s*include/ {
gsub("\"","",$2);print $2 }' /etc/nftables.conf)

Output should be similar to:

# Base chain for hook output named output (Filters outbound network packets)
chain output {
type filter hook output priority 0; policy drop;
# Ensure outbound and established connections are configured
ip protocol tcp ct state established,related,new accept
ip protocol udp ct state established,related,new accept

Review the output base chain to ensure that it follows local site policy.

Page 458

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit the /etc/nftables.conf file and un-comment or add a line with include
<Absolute path to nftables rules file> for each nftables file you want included
in the nftables ruleset on boot
Example:
# vi /etc/nftables.conf

Add the line:

include "/etc/nftables.rules"

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031

Page 459

Internal Only - General

 4.4 Configure iptables

If Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) or nftables are being used in your environment,

please follow the guidance in their respective section and pass-over the guidance
in this section.
IPtables is an application that allows a system administrator to configure the IPv4 and
IPv6 tables, chains and rules provided by the Linux kernel firewall. While several
methods of configuration exist this section is intended only to ensure the resulting
IPtables rules are in place, not how they are configured. If IPv6 is in use in your
environment, similar settings should be applied to the IP6tables as well.
Note:

• Configuration of a live system's firewall directly over a remote connection will

often result in being locked out.
• iptables is being phased out, and support for iptables will be reduced over
time. It is recommended to transition towards either nftables or ufw as the
default firewall management tool.

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 4.4.1 Configure iptables software

This section provides guidance for installing, enabling, removing, and disabling software
packages necessary for using IPTables as the method for configuring and maintaining a
Host Based Firewall on the system.
Note: Using more than one method to configure and maintain a Host Based Firewall
can cause unexpected results. If Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) or NFTables are being
used for configuration and maintenance, this section should be skipped and the
guidance in their respective section followed.

Page 461

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 4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
iptables is a utility program that allows a system administrator to configure the tables
provided by the Linux kernel firewall, implemented as different Netfilter modules, and
the chains and rules it stores. Different kernel modules and programs are used for
different protocols; iptables applies to IPv4, ip6tables to IPv6, arptables to ARP, and
ebtables to Ethernet frames.
Rationale:
A method of configuring and maintaining firewall rules is necessary to configure a Host
Based Firewall.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that iptables is installed:
# dpkg-query -s iptables &>/dev/null && echo "iptables is installed"

iptables is installed

Run the following command to verify that iptables-persistent is installed:

# dpkg-query -s iptables-persistent &>/dev/null && echo "iptables-persistent is installed"

iptables-persistent is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install iptables and iptables-persistent:
# apt install iptables iptables-persistent

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 462

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 463

Internal Only - General

 4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
nftables is a subsystem of the Linux kernel providing filtering and classification of
network packets/datagrams/frames and is the successor to iptables.
Rationale:
Running both iptables and nftables may lead to conflict.

Audit:
Run the following commend to verify that nftables is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s nftables &>/dev/null && echo "nftables is installed"

Nothing should be returned

- OR -
Run the following command to verify nftables.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled nftables.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify nftables.service is not active:
# systemctl is-active nftables.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove nftables:
# apt purge nftables

- OR -
Run the following commands to stop and mask nftables.service:
# systemctl stop nftables.service
# systemctl mask nftables.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, CM-7

Page 464

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011

Page 465

Internal Only - General

 4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) is a program for managing a netfilter firewall designed to
be easy to use.

• Uses a command-line interface consisting of a small number of simple

commands
• Uses iptables for configuration

Rationale:
Running iptables.persistent with ufw enabled may lead to conflict and unexpected
results.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that ufw is either not installed or disabled. Only
one of the following needs to pass.
Run the following command to verify that ufw is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s ufw &>/dev/null && echo "ufw is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

- OR -
Run the following command to verify ufw is disabled:
# ufw status

Status: inactive

Run the following commands to verify that the ufw.service is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled ufw 2>dev/null | grep '^enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify ufw.service is not active:
# systemctl is-active ufw.service 2>/dev/null | grep '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Page 466

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command to remove ufw:
# apt purge ufw

- OR -
Run the following commands to disable ufw, and stop and mask ufw.service:
# ufw disable
# systemctl stop ufw.service
# systemctl mask ufw.service

Note: ufw disable needs to be run before systemctl mask ufw.service in order to
correctly disable UFW

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011

Page 467

Internal Only - General

 4.4.2 Configure IPv4 iptables

iptables is used to set up, maintain, and inspect the tables of IP packet filter rules in
the Linux kernel. Several different tables may be defined. Each table contains a number
of built-in chains and may also contain user-defined chains.
Each chain is a list of rules which can match a set of packets. Each rule specifies what
to do with a packet that matches. This is called a 'target', which may be a jump to a
user-defined chain in the same table.
Note: This section broadly assumes starting with an empty iptables firewall ruleset
(established by flushing the rules with iptables -F). Remediation steps included only
affect the live system, you will also need to configure your default firewall configuration
to apply on boot. Configuration of a live systems firewall directly over a remote
connection will often result in being locked out. It is advised to have a known good
firewall configuration set to run on boot and to configure an entire firewall structure in a
script that is then run and tested before saving to boot. The following script will
implement the firewall rules of this section and open port 22(ssh) from anywhere:
#!/bin/bash

# Flush IPtables rules

iptables -F

# Ensure default deny firewall policy

iptables -P INPUT DROP
iptables -P OUTPUT DROP
iptables -P FORWARD DROP

# Ensure loopback traffic is configured

iptables -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
iptables -A OUTPUT -o lo -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -s 127.0.0.0/8 -j DROP

# Ensure outbound and established connections are configured

iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
iptables -A OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

# Open inbound ssh(tcp port 22) connections

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

Page 468

Internal Only - General

 4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
A default deny all policy on connections ensures that any unconfigured network usage
will be rejected.
Notes:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
With a default accept policy the firewall will accept any packet that is not configured to
be denied. It is easier to allow list acceptable usage than to deny list unacceptable
usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the policy for the INPUT , OUTPUT , and
FORWARD chains is DROP or REJECT :
# iptables -L -n
Chain INPUT (policy DROP)
Chain FORWARD (policy DROP)
Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement a default DROP policy:
# iptables -P INPUT DROP
# iptables -P OUTPUT DROP
# iptables -P FORWARD DROP

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 469

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 470

Internal Only - General

 4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure the loopback interface to accept traffic. Configure all other interfaces to deny
traffic to the loopback network (127.0.0.0/8).
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
Loopback traffic is generated between processes on machine and is typically critical to
the operation of the system. The loopback interface is the only place that loopback
network (127.0.0.0/8) traffic should be seen, all other interfaces should ignore traffic on
this network as an anti-spoofing measure.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output includes the listed rules in order (pkts
and bytes counts may differ, prot may be all or 0):
# iptables -L INPUT -v -n
Chain INPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination
0 0 ACCEPT all -- lo * 0.0.0.0/0 0.0.0.0/0
0 0 DROP all -- * * 127.0.0.0/8 0.0.0.0/0

# iptables -L OUTPUT -v -n
Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination
0 0 ACCEPT all -- * lo 0.0.0.0/0 0.0.0.0/0

Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement the loopback rules:
# iptables -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
# iptables -A OUTPUT -o lo -j ACCEPT
# iptables -A INPUT -s 127.0.0.0/8 -j DROP

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 471

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 472

Internal Only - General

 4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
are configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Configure the firewall rules for new outbound, and established connections.
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
If rules are not in place for new outbound, and established connections all packets will
be dropped by the default policy preventing network usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify all rules for new outbound, and established
connections match site policy:
# iptables -L -v -n

Remediation:
Configure iptables in accordance with site policy. The following commands will
implement a policy to allow all outbound connections and all established connections:
# iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
# iptables -A OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
# iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
# iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 473

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 474

Internal Only - General

 4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Any ports that have been opened on non-loopback addresses need firewall rules to
govern traffic.
Notes:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well
• The remediation command opens up the port to traffic from all sources. Consult
iptables documentation and set any restrictions in compliance with site policy

Rationale:
Without a firewall rule configured for open ports default firewall policy will drop all
packets to these ports.
Audit:
Run the following command to determine open ports:
# ss -4tuln

Netid State Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port

udp UNCONN 0 0 *:68 *:*
udp UNCONN 0 0 *:123 *:*
tcp LISTEN 0 128 *:22 *:*

Run the following command to determine firewall rules:

# iptables -L INPUT -v -n
Chain INPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination
0 0 ACCEPT all -- lo * 0.0.0.0/0 0.0.0.0/0
0 0 DROP all -- * * 127.0.0.0/8 0.0.0.0/0
0 0 ACCEPT tcp -- * * 0.0.0.0/0 0.0.0.0/0 tcp dpt:22 state NEW

Verify all open ports listening on non-localhost addresses have at least one firewall rule.
The last line identified by the tcp dpt:22 state NEW identifies it as a firewall rule for
new connections on tcp port 22.

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Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
For each port identified in the audit which does not have a firewall rule establish a
proper rule for accepting inbound connections:
# iptables -A INPUT -p <protocol> --dport <port> -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 476

Internal Only - General

 4.4.3 Configure IPv6 ip6tables

Ip6tables is used to set up, maintain, and inspect the tables of IPv6 packet filter rules in
the Linux kernel. Several different tables may be defined. Each table contains a number
of built-in chains and may also contain user-defined chains. Each chain is a list of rules
which can match a set of packets. Each rule specifies what to do with a packet that
matches. This is called a `target', which may be a jump to a user-defined chain in the
same table.
If IPv6 in enabled on the system, the ip6tables should be configured.
Note: This section broadly assumes starting with an empty ip6tables firewall ruleset
(established by flushing the rules with ip6tables -F). Remediation steps included only
affect the live system, you will also need to configure your default firewall configuration
to apply on boot. Configuration of a live systems firewall directly over a remote
connection will often result in being locked out. It is advised to have a known good
firewall configuration set to run on boot and to configure an entire firewall structure in a
script that is then run and tested before saving to boot.
The following script will implement the firewall rules of this section and open port
22(ssh) from anywhere:
#!/bin/bash

# Flush ip6tables rules

ip6tables -F

# Ensure default deny firewall policy

ip6tables -P INPUT DROP
ip6tables -P OUTPUT DROP
ip6tables -P FORWARD DROP

# Ensure loopback traffic is configured

ip6tables -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
ip6tables -A OUTPUT -o lo -j ACCEPT
ip6tables -A INPUT -s ::1 -j DROP

# Ensure outbound and established connections are configured

ip6tables -A OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
ip6tables -A OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
ip6tables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
ip6tables -A INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

# Open inbound ssh(tcp port 22) connections

ip6tables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

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 4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
A default deny all policy on connections ensures that any unconfigured network usage
will be rejected.
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
With a default accept policy the firewall will accept any packet that is not configured to
be denied. It is easier to allow list acceptable usage than to deny list unacceptable
usage.

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 Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the policy for the INPUT, OUTPUT, and
FORWARD chains is DROP or REJECT:
# ip6tables -L -n
Chain INPUT (policy DROP)
Chain FORWARD (policy DROP)
Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP)

- OR -
Verify IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following script. Output will confirm if IPv6 is enabled on the system.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_ipv6_enabled="is"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs -- "^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"
&& \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
fi
echo -e " - IPv6 $l_ipv6_enabled enabled on the system"
}

Remediation:
- IF - IPv6 is enabled on your system:
Run the following commands to implement a default DROP policy:
# ip6tables -P INPUT DROP
# ip6tables -P OUTPUT DROP
# ip6tables -P FORWARD DROP

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 479

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 480

Internal Only - General

 4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Configure the loopback interface to accept traffic. Configure all other interfaces to deny
traffic to the loopback network (::1).
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
Loopback traffic is generated between processes on machine and is typically critical to
operation of the system. The loopback interface is the only place that loopback network
(::1) traffic should be seen, all other interfaces should ignore traffic on this network as
an anti-spoofing measure.

Page 481

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 Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output includes the listed rules in order (packet
and byte counts may differ):
# ip6tables -L INPUT -v -n
Chain INPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination
0 0 ACCEPT all lo * ::/0 ::/0
0 0 DROP all * * ::1 ::/0

# ip6tables -L OUTPUT -v -n
Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination
0 0 ACCEPT all * lo ::/0 ::/0

- OR -
Verify IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following script. Output will confirm if IPv6 is enabled on the system.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_ipv6_enabled="is"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs -- "^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"
&& \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
fi
echo -e " - IPv6 $l_ipv6_enabled enabled on the system"
}

Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement the loopback rules:
# ip6tables -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
# ip6tables -A OUTPUT -o lo -j ACCEPT
# ip6tables -A INPUT -s ::1 -j DROP

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 482

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 483

Internal Only - General

 4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
are configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Configure the firewall rules for new outbound, and established IPv6 connections.
Note:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
If rules are not in place for new outbound, and established connections all packets will
be dropped by the default policy preventing network usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify all rules for new outbound, and established
connections match site policy:
# ip6tables -L -v -n

- OR -
Verify IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following script. Output will confirm if IPv6 is enabled on the system.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_ipv6_enabled="is"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs -- "^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"
&& \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
fi
echo -e " - IPv6 $l_ipv6_enabled enabled on the system"
}

Page 484

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Configure iptables in accordance with site policy. The following commands will
implement a policy to allow all outbound connections and all established connections:
# ip6tables -A OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
# ip6tables -A OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
# ip6tables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
# ip6tables -A INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 485

Internal Only - General

 4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Any ports that have been opened on non-loopback addresses need firewall rules to
govern traffic.
Notes:

• Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out of the system
• Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well
• The remediation command opens up the port to traffic from all sources. Consult
iptables documentation and set any restrictions in compliance with site policy

Rationale:
Without a firewall rule configured for open ports default firewall policy will drop all
packets to these ports.

Page 486

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to determine open ports:
# ss -6tuln

Netid State Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port

udp UNCONN 0 0 ::1:123 :::*
udp UNCONN 0 0 :::123 :::*
tcp LISTEN 0 128 :::22 :::*
tcp LISTEN 0 20 ::1:25 :::*

Run the following command to determine firewall rules:

# ip6tables -L INPUT -v -n

Chain INPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)

pkts bytes target prot opt in out source destination
0 0 ACCEPT all lo * ::/0 ::/0
0 0 DROP all * * ::1 ::/0
0 0 ACCEPT tcp * * ::/0 ::/0 tcp dpt:22 state NEW

Verify all open ports listening on non-localhost addresses have at least one firewall rule.
The last line identified by the "tcp dpt:22 state NEW" identifies it as a firewall rule for
new connections on tcp port 22.

- OR - verify IPv6 is not enabled:

Run the following script. Output will confirm if IPv6 is enabled on the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_ipv6_enabled="is"
! grep -Pqs -- '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
if sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs -- "^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"
&& \
sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 | grep -Pqs --
"^\h*net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.disable_ipv6\h*=\h*1\b"; then
l_ipv6_enabled="is not"
fi
echo -e " - IPv6 $l_ipv6_enabled enabled on the system"
}

Remediation:
For each port identified in the audit which does not have a firewall rule establish a
proper rule for accepting inbound connections:
# ip6tables -A INPUT -p <protocol> --dport <port> -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 487

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.4 Implement and Manage a Firewall on Servers

v8 Implement and manage a firewall on servers, where supported. Example
implementations include a virtual firewall, operating system firewall, or a third-
● ● ●
party firewall agent.

4.5 Implement and Manage a Firewall on End-User

Devices
v8 Implement and manage a host-based firewall or port-filtering tool on end-user ● ● ●
devices, with a default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and
ports that are explicitly allowed.

9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering

v7 Apply host-based firewalls or port filtering tools on end systems, with a
default-deny rule that drops all traffic except those services and ports that are
● ● ●
explicitly allowed.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.004 TA0011 M1031, M1037

Page 488

Internal Only - General

 5 Access Control

Page 489

Internal Only - General

 5.1 Configure SSH Server

Secure Shell (SSH) is a secure, encrypted replacement for common login services such
as telnet, ftp, rlogin, rsh, and rcp. It is strongly recommended that sites abandon
older clear-text login protocols and use SSH to prevent session hijacking and sniffing of
sensitive data off the network.
The recommendations in this section only apply if the SSH daemon is installed on the
system, if remote access is not required the SSH daemon can be removed and
this section skipped.
sshd_config:

• The openSSH daemon configuration directives, Include and Match, may cause
the audits in this section's recommendations to report incorrectly. It is
recommended that these options only be used if they're needed and fully
understood. If these options are configured in accordance with local site policy,
they should be accounted for when following the recommendations in this
section.
• The default Include location is the /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d directory. This
default has been accounted for in this section. If a file has an additional Include
that isn't this default location, the files should be reviewed to verify that the
recommended setting is not being over-ridden.
• The audits of the running configuration in this section are run in the context of the
root user, the local host name, and the local host's IP address. If a Match block
exists that matches one of these criteria, the output of the audit will be from the
match block. The respective matched criteria should be replaced with a non-
matching substitution.
• Include:
o Include the specified configuration file(s).
o Multiple pathnames may be specified and each pathname may contain
glob(7) wildcards that will be expanded and processed in lexical order.
o Files without absolute paths are assumed to be in /etc/ssh/.
o An Include directive may appear inside a Match block to perform
conditional inclusion.
• Match:
o Introduces a conditional block. If all of the criteria on the Match line are
satisfied, the keywords on the following lines override those set in the
global section of the config file, until either another Match line or the end of
the file. If a keyword appears in multiple Match blocks that are satisfied,
only the first instance of the keyword is applied.
o The arguments to Match are one or more criteria-pattern pairs or the
single token All which matches all criteria. The available criteria are User,
Group, Host, LocalAddress, LocalPort, and Address.
o The match patterns may consist of single entries or comma-separated lists
and may use the wildcard and negation operators described in the
PATTERNS section of ssh_config(5).

Page 490

Internal Only - General

 o The patterns in an Address criteria may additionally contain addresses to
match in CIDR address/masklen format, such as 192.0.2.0/24 or
2001:db8::/32. Note that the mask length provided must be consistent
with the address - it is an error to specify a mask length that is too long for
the address or one with bits set in this host portion of the address. For
example, 192.0.2.0/33 and 192.0.2.0/8, respectively.
o Only a subset of keywords may be used on the lines following a Match
keyword. Available keywords are available in the ssh_config man page.
• Once all configuration changes have been made to /etc/ssh/sshd_config or
any included configuration files, the sshd configuration must be reloaded

Command to re-load the SSH daemon configuration:

# systemctl reload-or-restart sshd

sshd command:

• -T - Extended test mode. Check the validity of the configuration file, output the
effective configuration to stdout and then exit. Optionally, Match rules may be
applied by specifying the connection parameters using one or more -C options.
• -C - connection_spec. Specify the connection parameters to use for the -T
extended test mode. If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that
would apply are applied before the configuration is written to standard output.
The connection parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be
supplied in any order, either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated
list. The keywords are addr, user, host, laddr, lport, and rdomain and
correspond to source address, user, resolved source host name, local address,
local port number and routing domain respectively.

Page 491

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 5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The file /etc/ssh/sshd_config, and files ending in .conf in the
/etc/ssh/sshd_config.d directory, contain configuration specifications for sshd.

Rationale:
configuration specifications for sshd need to be protected from unauthorized changes
by non-privileged users.

Page 492

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script and verify /etc/ssh/sshd_config and files ending in .conf in
the /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d directory are:

• Mode 0600 or more restrictive

• Owned by the root user
• Group owned by the group root.

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=()
perm_mask='0177' && maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
f_sshd_files_chk()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_mode l_user l_group; do
a_out2=()
[ $(( $l_mode & $perm_mask )) -gt 0 ] && a_out2+=(" Is mode: \"$l_mode\"" \
" should be mode: \"$maxperm\" or more restrictive")
[ "$l_user" != "root" ] && a_out2+=(" Is owned by \"$l_user\" should be owned by \"root\"")
[ "$l_group" != "root" ] && a_out2+=(" Is group owned by \"$l_user\" should be group owned by
\"root\"")
if [ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt "0" ]; then
a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_file\":" "${a_out2[@]}")
else
a_output+=(" - File: \"$l_file\":" " Correct: mode ($l_mode), owner ($l_user)" \
" and group owner ($l_group) configured")
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
[ -e "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" ] && l_file="/etc/ssh/sshd_config" && f_sshd_files_chk
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
[ -e "$l_file" ] && f_sshd_files_chk
done < <(find /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d -type f -name '*.conf' \( -perm /077 -o ! -user root -o ! -group root
\) -print0 2>/dev/null)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

- IF - other locations are listed in an Include statement, *.conf files in these locations
should also be checked.
Remediation:
Run the following script to set ownership and permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config
and files ending in .conf in the /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d directory:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
chmod u-x,og-rwx /etc/ssh/sshd_config
chown root:root /etc/ssh/sshd_config
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if [ -e "$l_file" ]; then
chmod u-x,og-rwx "$l_file"
chown root:root "$l_file"
fi
done < <(find /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d -type f -print0 2>/dev/null)
}

- IF - other locations are listed in an Include statement, *.conf files in these locations
access should also be modified.

Page 493

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1098, T1098.004, T1543,

TA0005 M1022
T1543.002

Page 494

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 5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
An SSH private key is one of two files used in SSH public key authentication. In this
authentication method, the possession of the private key is proof of identity. Only a
private key that corresponds to a public key will be able to authenticate successfully.
The private keys need to be stored and handled carefully, and no copies of the private
key should be distributed.
Rationale:
If an unauthorized user obtains the private SSH host key file, the host could be
impersonated

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify SSH private host key files are owned by the root user
and either:

• owned by the group root and mode 0600 or more restrictive

- OR -

• owned by the group designated to own openSSH private keys and mode 0640 or
more restrictive
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=()
l_ssh_group_name="$(awk -F: '($1 ~ /^(ssh_keys|_?ssh)$/) {print $1}' /etc/group)"
f_file_chk()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_file_mode l_file_owner l_file_group; do
a_out2=()
[ "$l_file_group" = "$l_ssh_group_name" ] && l_pmask="0137" || l_pmask="0177"
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
if [ $(( $l_file_mode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ]; then
a_out2+=(" Mode: \"$l_file_mode\" should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive")
fi
if [ "$l_file_owner" != "root" ]; then
a_out2+=(" Owned by: \"$l_file_owner\" should be owned by \"root\"")
fi
if [[ ! "$l_file_group" =~ ($l_ssh_group_name|root) ]]; then
a_out2+=(" Owned by group \"$l_file_group\" should be group owned by: \"$l_ssh_group_name\" or
\"root\"")
fi
if [ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt "0" ]; then
a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"${a_out2[@]}")
else
a_output+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" \
" Correct: mode: \"$l_file_mode\", owner: \"$l_file_owner\" and group owner: \"$l_file_group\"
configured")
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if ssh-keygen -lf &>/dev/null "$l_file"; then
file "$l_file" | grep -Piq -- '\bopenssh\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?private\h+key\b' && f_file_chk
fi
done < <(find -L /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -print0 2>/dev/null)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Run the following script to set mode, ownership, and group on the private SSH host key
files:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_ssh_group_name="$(awk -F: '($1 ~ /^(ssh_keys|_?ssh)$/) {print $1}' /etc/group)"
f_file_access_fix()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_file_mode l_file_owner l_file_group; do
a_out2=()
[ "$l_file_group" = "$l_ssh_group_name" ] && l_pmask="0137" || l_pmask="0177"
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
if [ $(( $l_file_mode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ]; then
a_out2+=(" Mode: \"$l_file_mode\" should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive" \
" updating to mode: \:$l_maxperm\"")
if [ "l_file_group" = "$l_ssh_group_name" ]; then
chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx "$l_file"
else
chmod u-x,go-rwx "$l_file"
fi
fi
if [ "$l_file_owner" != "root" ]; then
a_out2+=(" Owned by: \"$l_file_owner\" should be owned by \"root\"" \
" Changing ownership to \"root\"")
chown root "$l_file"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_file_group" =~ ($l_ssh_group_name|root) ]]; then
[ -n "$l_ssh_group_name" ] && l_new_group="$l_ssh_group_name" || l_new_group="root"
a_out2+=(" Owned by group \"$l_file_group\" should be group owned by: \"$l_ssh_group_name\" or
\"root\"" \
" Changing group ownership to \"$l_new_group\"")
chgrp "$l_new_group" "$l_file"
fi
if [ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt "0" ]; then
a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" "${a_out2[@]}")
else
a_output+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" \
"Correct: mode: \"$l_file_mode\", owner: \"$l_file_owner\", and group owner: \"$l_file_group\"
configured")
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if ssh-keygen -lf &>/dev/null "$l_file"; then
file "$l_file" | grep -Piq -- '\bopenssh\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?private\h+key\b' && f_file_access_fix
fi
done < <(find -L /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -print0 2>/dev/null)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le "0" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " - No access changes required" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" " - Remediation results:" "${a_output2[@]}" ""
fi
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 497

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1552, T1552.004 TA0003, TA0006 M1022

Page 498

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 5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
An SSH public key is one of two files used in SSH public key authentication. In this
authentication method, a public key is a key that can be used for verifying digital
signatures generated using a corresponding private key. Only a public key that
corresponds to a private key will be able to authenticate successfully.
Rationale:
If a public host key file is modified by an unauthorized user, the SSH service may be
compromised.

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 Audit:
Run the following command and verify Access does not grant write or execute
permissions to group or other for all returned files:
Run the following script to verify SSH public host key files are mode 0644 or more
restrictive, owned by the root user, and owned by the root group:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=()
l_pmask="0133"; l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
f_file_chk()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_file_mode l_file_owner l_file_group; do
a_out2=()
if [ $(( $l_file_mode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ]; then
a_out2+=(" Mode: \"$l_file_mode\" should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive")
fi
if [ "$l_file_owner" != "root" ]; then
a_out2+=(" Owned by: \"$l_file_owner\" should be owned by: \"root\"")
fi
if [ "$l_file_group" != "root" ]; then
a_out2+=(" Owned by group \"$l_file_group\" should be group owned by group: \"root\"")
fi
if [ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt "0" ]; then
a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" "${a_out2[@]}")
else
a_output+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" \
" Correct: mode: \"$l_file_mode\", owner: \"$l_file_owner\" and group owner: \"$l_file_group\"
configured")
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if ssh-keygen -lf &>/dev/null "$l_file"; then
file "$l_file" | grep -Piq -- '\bopenssh\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?public\h+key\b' && f_file_chk
fi
done < <(find -L /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -print0 2>/dev/null)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -le 0 ] && a_output+=(" - No openSSH public keys found")
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Run the following script to set mode, ownership, and group on the public SSH host key
files:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=()
l_pmask="0133"; l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
f_file_access_fix()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_file_mode l_file_owner l_file_group; do
a_out2=()
[ $(( $l_file_mode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ] && \
a_out2+=(" Mode: \"$l_file_mode\" should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive" \
" updating to mode: \"$l_maxperm\"") && chmod u-x,go-wx "$l_file"
[ "$l_file_owner" != "root" ] && \
a_out2+=(" Owned by: \"$l_file_owner\" should be owned by \"root\"" \
" Changing ownership to \"root\"") && chown root "$l_file"
[ "$l_file_group" != "root" ] && \
a_out2+=(" Owned by group \"$l_file_group\" should be group owned by: \"root\"" \
" Changing group ownership to \"root\"") && chgrp root "$l_file"
if [ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt "0" ]; then
a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" "${a_out2[@]}")
else
a_output+=(" - File: \"$l_file\"" \
" Correct: mode: \"$l_file_mode\", owner: \"$l_file_owner\", and group owner: \"$l_file_group\"
configured")
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if ssh-keygen -lf &>/dev/null "$l_file"; then
file "$l_file" | grep -Piq -- '\bopenssh\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?public\h+key\b' && f_file_access_fix
fi
done < <(find -L /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -print0 2>/dev/null)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le "0" ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " - No access changes required" ""
else
printf '%s\n' " - Remediation results:" "${a_output2[@]}" ""
fi
}

Default Value:
644 0/root 0/root
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 501

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1557, T1557.000 TA0003, TA0006 M1022

Page 502

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 5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
There are several options available to limit which users and group can access the
system via SSH. It is recommended that at least one of the following options be
leveraged:

• AllowUsers:
o The AllowUsers variable gives the system administrator the option of
allowing specific users to ssh into the system. The list consists of space
separated user names. Numeric user IDs are not recognized with this
variable. If a system administrator wants to restrict user access further by
only allowing the allowed users to log in from a particular host, the entry
can be specified in the form of user@host.
• AllowGroups:
o The AllowGroups variable gives the system administrator the option of
allowing specific groups of users to ssh into the system. The list consists
of space separated group names. Numeric group IDs are not recognized
with this variable.
• DenyUsers:
o The DenyUsers variable gives the system administrator the option of
denying specific users to ssh into the system. The list consists of space
separated user names. Numeric user IDs are not recognized with this
variable. If a system administrator wants to restrict user access further by
specifically denying a user's access from a particular host, the entry can
be specified in the form of user@host.
• DenyGroups:
o The DenyGroups variable gives the system administrator the option of
denying specific groups of users to ssh into the system. The list consists
of space separated group names. Numeric group IDs are not recognized
with this variable.

Rationale:
Restricting which users can remotely access the system via SSH will help ensure that
only authorized users access the system.

Page 503

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 Audit:
Run the following command and verify the output:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- '^\h*(allow|deny)(users|groups)\h+\H+'

Verify that the output matches at least one of the following lines:
allowusers <userlist>
-OR-
allowgroups <grouplist>
-OR-
denyusers <userlist>
-OR-
denygroups <grouplist>

Review the list(s) to ensure included users and/or groups follow local site policy
- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep -Pi -- '^\h*(allow|deny)(users|groups)\h+\H+'

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain).

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set one or more of the parameters above any
Include and Match set statements as follows:
AllowUsers <userlist>
- AND/OR -
AllowGroups <grouplist>

Note:

• First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a .conf file in a
Include directory.
• Be advised that these options are "ANDed" together. If both AllowUsers and
AllowGroups are set, connections will be limited to the list of users that are also
a member of an allowed group. It is recommended that only one be set for clarity
and ease of administration.
• It is easier to manage an allow list than a deny list. In a deny list, you could
potentially add a user or group and forget to add it to the deny list.

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 Default Value:
None
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2
3. SSHD(8)
4. https://documentation.suse.com/en-us/sles/15-SP6/html/SLES-all/cha-ssh.html

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021, T1021.004 TA0008 M1018

Page 505

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 5.1.5 Ensure sshd Banner is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The Banner parameter specifies a file whose contents must be sent to the remote user
before authentication is permitted. By default, no banner is displayed.
Rationale:
Banners are used to warn connecting users of the particular site's policy regarding
connection. Presenting a warning message prior to the normal user login may assist the
prosecution of trespassers on the computer system.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify Banner is set:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- '^banner\h+\/\H+'

Example:
banner /etc/issue.net

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep -Pi -- '^banner\h+\/\H+'

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain).

Run the following command and verify that the contents or the file being called by the
Banner argument match site policy:
# [ -e "$(sshd -T | awk '$1 == "banner" {print $2}')" ] && cat "$(sshd -T | awk '$1 == "banner" {print $2}')"

Run the following command and verify no results are returned:

# grep -Psi -- "(\\\v|\\\r|\\\m|\\\s|\b$(grep '^ID=' /etc/os-release | cut -d= -f2 | sed -e 's/"//g')\b)"
"$(sshd -T | awk '$1 == "banner" {print $2}')"

Page 506

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 Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the Banner parameter above any Include
and Match entries as follows:
Banner /etc/issue.net

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.
Edit the file being called by the Banner argument with the appropriate contents
according to your site policy, remove any instances of \m , \r , \s , \v or references to
the OS platform
Example:
# printf '%s\n' "Authorized users only. All activity may be monitored and reported." > "$(sshd -T | awk '$1 ==
"banner" {print $2}')"

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

TA0001, TA0007 M1035

Page 507

Internal Only - General

 5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
This variable limits the ciphers that SSH can use during communication.
Notes:

• Some organizations may have stricter requirements for approved ciphers.

• Ensure that ciphers used are in compliance with site policy.
• The only "strong" ciphers currently FIPS 140 compliant are:
o [email protected]
o [email protected]
o aes256-ctr
o aes192-ctr
o aes128-ctr

Rationale:
Weak ciphers that are used for authentication to the cryptographic module cannot be
relied upon to provide confidentiality or integrity, and system data may be compromised.

• The Triple DES ciphers, as used in SSH, have a birthday bound of approximately
four billion blocks, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain clear text
data via a birthday attack against a long-duration encrypted session, aka a
"Sweet32" attack.
• Error handling in the SSH protocol; Client and Server, when using a block cipher
algorithm in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode, makes it easier for remote
attackers to recover certain plain text data from an arbitrary block of cipher text in
an SSH session via unknown vectors.

Page 508

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify none of the "weak" ciphers are being used:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- '^ciphers\h+\"?([^#\n\r]+,)?((3des|blowfish|cast128|aes(128|192|256))-
cbc|arcfour(128|256)?|rijndael-cbc@lysator\.liu\.se|chacha20-poly1305@openssh\.com)\b'

- IF - a line is returned, review the list of ciphers. If the line includes chacha20-
[email protected], review CVE-2023-48795 and verify the system has been
patched. No ciphers in the list below should be returned as they're considered "weak":
3des-cbc
aes128-cbc
aes192-cbc
aes256-cbc

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and add/modify the Ciphers line to contain a comma
separated list of the site unapproved (weak) Ciphers preceded with a - above any
Include entries:
Example:
Ciphers -3des-cbc,aes128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,[email protected]

- IF - CVE-2023-48795 has been addressed, and it meets local site policy, chacha20-
[email protected] may be removed from the list of excluded ciphers.
Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
Ciphers [email protected],aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-
[email protected],[email protected]
References:

1. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48795
2. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1543
3. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2183
4. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5161
5. https://www.openssh.com/txt/cbc.adv
6. https://www.openssh.com/txt/cbc.adv
7. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
8. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-8

Page 509

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.10 Encrypt Sensitive Data in Transit

v8 Encrypt sensitive data in transit. Example implementations can include: ● ●
Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH).

v7 14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit ● ●

Encrypt all sensitive information in transit.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1557 TA0006 M1041

Page 510

Internal Only - General

 5.1.7 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax
are configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Note: To clarify, the two settings described below are only meant for idle connections
from a protocol perspective and are not meant to check if the user is active or not. An
idle user does not mean an idle connection. SSH does not and never had, intentionally,
the capability to drop idle users. In SSH versions before 8.2p1 there was a bug that
caused these values to behave in such a manner that they were abused to disconnect
idle users. This bug has been resolved in 8.2p1 and thus it can no longer be abused
disconnect idle users.
The two options ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax control the timeout
of SSH sessions. Taken directly from man 5 sshd_config:

• ClientAliveInterval Sets a timeout interval in seconds after which if no data

has been received from the client, sshd(8) will send a message through the
encrypted channel to request a response from the client. The default is 0,
indicating that these messages will not be sent to the client.
• ClientAliveCountMax Sets the number of client alive messages which may be
sent without sshd(8) receiving any messages back from the client. If this
threshold is reached while client alive messages are being sent, sshd will
disconnect the client, terminating the session. It is important to note that the use
of client alive messages is very different from TCPKeepAlive. The client alive
messages are sent through the encrypted channel and therefore will not be
spoofable. The TCP keepalive option en‐abled by TCPKeepAlive is spoofable.
The client alive mechanism is valuable when the client or server depend on
knowing when a connection has become unresponsive. The default value is 3. If
ClientAliveInterval is set to 15, and ClientAliveCountMax is left at the default,
unresponsive SSH clients will be disconnected after approximately 45 seconds.
Setting a zero ClientAliveCountMax disables connection termination.

Rationale:
In order to prevent resource exhaustion, appropriate values should be set for both
ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax. Specifically, looking at the source
code, ClientAliveCountMax must be greater than zero in order to utilize the ability of
SSH to drop idle connections. If connections are allowed to stay open indefinitely, this
can potentially be used as a DDOS attack or simple resource exhaustion could occur
over unreliable networks.

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Internal Only - General

 The example set here is a 45 second timeout. Consult your site policy for network
timeouts and apply as appropriate.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify ClientAliveInterval and
ClientAliveCountMax are greater than zero:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- '(clientaliveinterval|clientalivecountmax)'

Example Output:
clientaliveinterval 15
clientalivecountmax 3

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep -Pi -- '(clientaliveinterval|clientalivecountmax)'

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain).

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the ClientAliveInterval and
ClientAliveCountMax parameters above any Include and Match entries according to
site policy.
Example:
ClientAliveInterval 15
ClientAliveCountMax 3

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
ClientAliveInterval 0
ClientAliveCountMax 3
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. SSHD(8)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 512

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1873547
https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/blob/V_8_9/serverloop.c#L137
CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0001 M1026
T1078.002, T1078.003

Page 513

Internal Only - General

 5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Workstation
• Level 2 - Server
Description:
The DisableForwarding parameter disables all forwarding features, including X11,
ssh-agent(1), TCP and StreamLocal. This option overrides all other forwarding-related
options and may simplify restricted configurations.

• X11Forwarding provides the ability to tunnel X11 traffic through the connection to
enable remote graphic connections.
• ssh-agent is a program to hold private keys used for public key authentication.
Through use of environment variables the agent can be located and
automatically used for authentication when logging in to other machines using
ssh.
• SSH port forwarding is a mechanism in SSH for tunneling application ports from
the client to the server, or servers to clients. It can be used for adding encryption
to legacy applications, going through firewalls, and some system administrators
and IT professionals use it for opening backdoors into the internal network from
their home machines.

Rationale:
Disable X11 forwarding unless there is an operational requirement to use X11
applications directly. There is a small risk that the remote X11 servers of users who are
logged in via SSH with X11 forwarding could be compromised by other users on the
X11 server. Note that even if X11 forwarding is disabled, users can always install their
own forwarders.
anyone with root privilege on the the intermediate server can make free use of ssh-
agent to authenticate them to other servers
Leaving port forwarding enabled can expose the organization to security risks and
backdoors. SSH connections are protected with strong encryption. This makes their
contents invisible to most deployed network monitoring and traffic filtering solutions.
This invisibility carries considerable risk potential if it is used for malicious purposes
such as data exfiltration. Cybercriminals or malware could exploit SSH to hide their
unauthorized communications, or to exfiltrate stolen data from the target network.

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 Impact:
SSH tunnels are widely used in many corporate environments. In some environments
the applications themselves may have very limited native support for security. By
utilizing tunneling, compliance with SOX, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and other standards can be
achieved without having to modify the applications.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify DisableForwarding is set to yes:
# sshd -T | grep disableforwarding

disableforwarding yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the DisableForwarding parameter to yes
above any Include entry as follows:
DisableForwarding yes

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
References:

1. sshd_config(5)
2. SSHD(8)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on Enterprise Assets

v8 and Software ● ●
Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, such as an unused
file sharing service, web application module, or service function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
v7 Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with validated ● ●
business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1210, T1210.000 TA0008 M1042

Page 515

Internal Only - General

 5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Workstation
• Level 2 - Server
Description:
The GSSAPIAuthentication parameter specifies whether user authentication based on
GSSAPI is allowed
Rationale:
Allowing GSSAPI authentication through SSH exposes the system's GSSAPI to remote
hosts, and should be disabled to reduce the attack surface of the system
Audit:
Run the following command to verify GSSAPIAuthentication is set to no:
# sshd -T | grep gssapiauthentication

gssapiauthentication no

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep gssapiauthentication

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the GSSAPIAuthentication parameter to
no above any Include and Match entries as follows:
GSSAPIAuthentication no

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Default Value:
GSSAPIAuthentication no

Page 516

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. SSHD(8)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0001 M1042
T1078.003

Page 517

Internal Only - General

 5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The HostbasedAuthentication parameter specifies if authentication is allowed
through trusted hosts via the user of .rhosts, or /etc/hosts.equiv, along with
successful public key client host authentication.
Rationale:
Even though the .rhosts files are ineffective if support is disabled in /etc/pam.conf,
disabling the ability to use .rhosts files in SSH provides an additional layer of
protection.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify HostbasedAuthentication is set to no:
# sshd -T | grep hostbasedauthentication

hostbasedauthentication no

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep hostbasedauthentication

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the HostbasedAuthentication parameter
to no above any Include and Match entries as follows:
HostbasedAuthentication no

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Page 518

Internal Only - General

 Default Value:
HostbasedAuthentication no
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. SSHD(8)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0001 M1042
T1078.003

Page 519

Internal Only - General

 5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The IgnoreRhosts parameter specifies that .rhosts and .shosts files will not be used
in RhostsRSAAuthentication or HostbasedAuthentication.

Rationale:
Setting this parameter forces users to enter a password when authenticating with SSH.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify IgnoreRhosts is set to yes:
# sshd -T | grep ignorerhosts

ignorerhosts yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the IgnoreRhosts parameter to yes above
any Include entry as follows:
IgnoreRhosts yes

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.

Default Value:
IgnoreRhosts yes
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. SSHD(8)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 520

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0001 M1027
T1078.003

Page 521

Internal Only - General

 5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Key exchange is any method in cryptography by which cryptographic keys are
exchanged between two parties, allowing use of a cryptographic algorithm. If the sender
and receiver wish to exchange encrypted messages, each must be equipped to encrypt
messages to be sent and decrypt messages received
Notes:

• Kex algorithms have a higher preference the earlier they appear in the list
• Some organizations may have stricter requirements for approved Key exchange
algorithms
• Ensure that Key exchange algorithms used are in compliance with site policy
• The only Key Exchange Algorithms currently FIPS 140 approved are:
o ecdh-sha2-nistp256
o ecdh-sha2-nistp384
o ecdh-sha2-nistp521
o diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256
o diffie-hellman-group16-sha512
o diffie-hellman-group18-sha512
o diffie-hellman-group14-sha256

Rationale:
Key exchange methods that are considered weak should be removed. A key exchange
method may be weak because too few bits are used, or the hashing algorithm is
considered too weak. Using weak algorithms could expose connections to man-in-the-
middle attacks

Page 522

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify none of the "weak" Key Exchange algorithms are
being used:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- 'kexalgorithms\h+([^#\n\r]+,)?(diffie-hellman-group1-sha1|diffie-hellman-group14-
sha1|diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1)\b'

Nothing should be returned.

- IF - A line is returned, review the list of Key Exchange Algorithms. The following are
considered "weak" Key Exchange Algorithms, and should not be used:
diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha1
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and add/modify the KexAlgorithms line to contain
a comma separated list of the site unapproved (weak) KexAlgorithms preceded with a -
above any Include entries:
Example:
KexAlgorithms -diffie-hellman-group1-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
KexAlgorithms [email protected],curve25519-
sha256,[email protected],ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-
sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-
sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
References:

1. https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/openssh-crypto-configuration
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-8
3. SSHD(8)
4. SSHD_CONFIG(5)

Page 523

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
The supported algorithms are:
curve25519-sha256
[email protected]
diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
diffie-hellman-group16-sha512
diffie-hellman-group18-sha512
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256
ecdh-sha2-nistp256
ecdh-sha2-nistp384
ecdh-sha2-nistp521
[email protected]

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.10 Encrypt Sensitive Data in Transit

v8 Encrypt sensitive data in transit. Example implementations can include: ● ●
Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH).

v7 14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit ● ●

Encrypt all sensitive information in transit.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1557,

TA0006 M1041
T1557.000

Page 524

Internal Only - General

 5.1.13 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The LoginGraceTime parameter specifies the time allowed for successful
authentication to the SSH server. The longer the Grace period is the more open
unauthenticated connections can exist. Like other session controls in this session the
Grace Period should be limited to appropriate organizational limits to ensure the service
is available for needed access.
Rationale:
Setting the LoginGraceTime parameter to a low number will minimize the risk of
successful brute force attacks to the SSH server. It will also limit the number of
concurrent unauthenticated connections While the recommended setting is 60 seconds
(1 Minute), set the number based on site policy.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output LoginGraceTime is between 1 and
60 seconds:
# sshd -T | grep logingracetime

logingracetime 60

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the LoginGraceTime parameter to 60
seconds or less above any Include entry as follows:
LoginGraceTime 60

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
LoginGraceTime 120
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6
3. SSHD(8)

Page 525

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1036
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 526

Internal Only - General

 5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
SSH provides several logging levels with varying amounts of verbosity. The DEBUG
options are specifically not recommended other than strictly for debugging SSH
communications. These levels provide so much data that it is difficult to identify
important security information, and may violate the privacy of users.
Rationale:
The INFO level is the basic level that only records login activity of SSH users. In many
situations, such as Incident Response, it is important to determine when a particular
user was active on a system. The logout record can eliminate those users who
disconnected, which helps narrow the field.
The VERBOSE level specifies that login and logout activity as well as the key fingerprint
for any SSH key used for login will be logged. This information is important for SSH key
management, especially in legacy environments.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output matches loglevel VERBOSE or
loglevel INFO:
# sshd -T | grep loglevel

loglevel VERBOSE
- OR -
loglevel INFO

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep loglevel

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Page 527

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the LogLevel parameter to VERBOSE or
INFO above any Include and Match entries as follows:
LogLevel VERBOSE
- OR -
LogLevel INFO

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Default Value:
LogLevel INFO
References:

1. https://www.ssh.com/ssh/sshd_config/
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12, SI-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005

Page 528

Internal Only - General

 5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
This variable limits the types of MAC algorithms that SSH can use during
communication.
Notes:

• Some organizations may have stricter requirements for approved MACs.

• Ensure that MACs used are in compliance with site policy.
• The only "strong" MACs currently FIPS 140 approved are:
o HMAC-SHA1
o HMAC-SHA2-256
o HMAC-SHA2-384
o HMAC-SHA2-512

Rationale:
MD5 and 96-bit MAC algorithms are considered weak and have been shown to increase
exploitability in SSH downgrade attacks. Weak algorithms continue to have a great deal
of attention as a weak spot that can be exploited with expanded computing power. An
attacker that breaks the algorithm could take advantage of a MiTM position to decrypt
the SSH tunnel and capture credentials and information.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify none of the "weak" MACs are being used:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- 'macs\h+([^#\n\r]+,)?(hmac-md5|hmac-md5-96|hmac-ripemd160|hmac-sha1-96|umac-
64@openssh\.com|hmac-md5-etm@openssh\.com|hmac-md5-96-etm@openssh\.com|hmac-ripemd160-etm@openssh\.com|hmac-
sha1-96-etm@openssh\.com|umac-64-etm@openssh\.com|umac-128-etm@openssh\.com)\b'

Nothing should be returned

Note: Review CVE-2023-48795 and verify the system has been patched. If the system
has not been patched, review the use of the Encrypt Then Mac (etm) MACs.
The following are considered "weak" MACs, and should not be used:

Page 529

Internal Only - General

 hmac-md5
hmac-md5-96
hmac-ripemd160
hmac-sha1-96
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and add/modify the MACs line to contain a comma
separated list of the site unapproved (weak) MACs preceded with a - above any
Include entries:
Example:
MACs -hmac-md5,hmac-md5-96,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-sha1-96,[email protected],[email protected],hmac-md5-
[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

- IF - CVE-2023-48795 has not been reviewed and addressed, the following etm MACs
should be added to the exclude list: [email protected],hmac-sha2-256-
[email protected],[email protected]
Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
MACs [email protected],[email protected],hmac-sha2-256-
[email protected],[email protected],hmac-sha1-
[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],hmac-sha2-
256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
References:

1. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48795
2. More information on SSH downgrade attacks can be found here:
http://www.mitls.org/pages/attacks/SLOTH
3. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
4. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 530

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.10 Encrypt Sensitive Data in Transit

v8 Encrypt sensitive data in transit. Example implementations can include: ● ●
Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH).

v7 14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit ● ●

Encrypt all sensitive information in transit.

16.5 Encrypt Transmittal of Username and

v7 Authentication Credentials
Ensure that all account usernames and authentication credentials are
● ●
transmitted across networks using encrypted channels.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1557,

TA0006 M1041
T1557.000

Page 531

Internal Only - General

 5.1.16 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The MaxAuthTries parameter specifies the maximum number of authentication
attempts permitted per connection. When the login failure count reaches half the
number, error messages will be written to the syslog file detailing the login failure.

Rationale:
Setting the MaxAuthTries parameter to a low number will minimize the risk of
successful brute force attacks to the SSH server. While the recommended setting is 4,
set the number based on site policy.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that MaxAuthTries is 4 or less:
# sshd -T | grep maxauthtries

maxauthtries 4

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep maxauthtries

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the MaxAuthTries parameter to 4 or less
above any Include and Match entries as follows:
MaxAuthTries 4

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Page 532

Internal Only - General

 Default Value:
MaxAuthTries 6
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

16.13 Alert on Account Login Behavior Deviation

v7 Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day, ●
workstation location and duration.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1036
T1110.003

Page 533

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 5.1.17 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The MaxSessions parameter specifies the maximum number of open sessions
permitted from a given connection.
Rationale:
To protect a system from denial of service due to a large number of concurrent
sessions, use the rate limiting function of MaxSessions to protect availability of sshd
logins and prevent overwhelming the daemon.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that MaxSessions is 10 or less:
# sshd -T | grep maxsessions

maxsessions 10

Run the following command and verify the output:

grep -Psi -- '^\h*MaxSessions\h+\"?(1[1-9]|[2-9][0-9]|[1-9][0-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
/etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/*.conf

Nothing should be returned

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep maxsessions

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Page 534

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the MaxSessions parameter to 10 or less
above any Include and Match entries as follows:
MaxSessions 10

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Default Value:
MaxSessions 10
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.002 TA0040

Page 535

Internal Only - General

 5.1.18 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The MaxStartups parameter specifies the maximum number of concurrent
unauthenticated connections to the SSH daemon.
Rationale:
To protect a system from denial of service due to a large number of pending
authentication connection attempts, use the rate limiting function of MaxStartups to
protect availability of sshd logins and prevent overwhelming the daemon.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify MaxStartups is 10:30:60 or more restrictive:
# sshd -T | awk '$1 ~ /^\s*maxstartups/{split($2, a, ":");{if(a[1] > 10 || a[2] > 30 || a[3] > 60) print $0}}'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the MaxStartups parameter to 10:30:60 or
more restrictive above any Include entries as follows:
MaxStartups 10:30:60

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
MaxStartups 10:30:100
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 536

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.002 TA0040

Page 537

Internal Only - General

 5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The PermitEmptyPasswords parameter specifies if the SSH server allows login to
accounts with empty password strings.
Rationale:
Disallowing remote shell access to accounts that have an empty password reduces the
probability of unauthorized access to the system.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify PermitEmptyPasswords is set to no:
# sshd -T | grep permitemptypasswords

permitemptypasswords no

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep permitemptypasswords

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Remediation:
Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config and set the PermitEmptyPasswords parameter to no
above any Include and Match entries as follows:
PermitEmptyPasswords no

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Page 538

Internal Only - General

 Default Value:
PermitEmptyPasswords no
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021 TA0008 M1042

Page 539

Internal Only - General

 5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The PermitRootLogin parameter specifies if the root user can log in using SSH. The
default is prohibit-password.

Rationale:
Disallowing root logins over SSH requires system admins to authenticate using their
own individual account, then escalating to root. This limits opportunity for non-
repudiation and provides a clear audit trail in the event of a security incident.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify PermitRootLogin is set to no:
# sshd -T | grep permitrootlogin

permitrootlogin no

- IF - Match set statements are used in your environment, specify the connection
parameters to use for the -T extended test mode and run the audit to verify the setting
is not incorrectly configured in a match block
Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep permitrootlogin

Note: If provided, any Match directives in the configuration file that would apply are
applied before the configuration is written to standard output. The connection
parameters are supplied as keyword=value pairs and may be supplied in any order,
either with multiple -C options or as a comma-separated list. The keywords are addr
(source address), user (user), host (resolved source host name), laddr (local
address), lport (local port number), and rdomain (routing domain)

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the PermitRootLogin parameter to no
above any Include and Match entries as follows:
PermitRootLogin no

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding. If Include locations are enabled, used, and order of precedence is
understood in your environment, the entry may be created in a file in Include location.

Page 540

Internal Only - General

 Default Value:
PermitRootLogin without-password
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5:AC-6

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021 TA0008 M1042

Page 541

Internal Only - General

 5.1.21 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The PermitUserEnvironment option allows users to present environment options to
the SSH daemon.
Rationale:
Permitting users the ability to set environment variables through the SSH daemon could
potentially allow users to bypass security controls (e.g. setting an execution path that
has SSH executing trojan'd programs)
Audit:
Run the following command to verify PermitUserEnvironment is set to no:
# sshd -T | grep permituserenvironment

permituserenvironment no

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the PermitUserEnvironment parameter to
no above any Include entries as follows:
PermitUserEnvironment no

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
PermitUserEnvironment no
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1,CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5
3. SSHD(8)

Page 542

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021 TA0008 M1042

Page 543

Internal Only - General

 5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The UsePAM directive enables the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) interface. If
set to yes this will enable PAM authentication using
ChallengeResponseAuthentication and PasswordAuthentication directives in
addition to PAM account and session module processing for all authentication types.
Rationale:
When usePAM is set to yes, PAM runs through account and session types properly. This
is important if you want to restrict access to services based off of IP, time or other
factors of the account. Additionally, you can make sure users inherit certain
environment variables on login or disallow access to the server
Audit:
Run the following command to verify UsePAM is set to yes:
# sshd -T | grep usepam

usepam yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the UsePAM parameter to yes above any
Include entries as follows:
UsePAM yes

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence. If Include locations are enabled,
used, and order of precedence is understood in your environment, the entry may be
created in a file in Include location.
Default Value:
UsePAM yes
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5
3. SSHD(8)

Page 544

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021, T1021.004 TA0001 M1035

Page 545

Internal Only - General

 5.2 Configure privilege escalation

There are various tools which allows a permitted user to execute a command as the
superuser or another user, as specified by the security policy.
sudo
sudo documentation
The invoking user's real (not effective) user ID is used to determine the user name with
which to query the security policy.
sudo supports a plug-in architecture for security policies and input/output logging. Third
parties can develop and distribute their own policy and I/O logging plug-ins to work
seamlessly with the sudo front end. The default security policy is sudoers, which is
configured via the file /etc/sudoers and any entries in /etc/sudoers.d.
pkexec
pkexec documentation
pkexec allows an authorized user to execute PROGRAM as another user. If username
is not specified, then the program will be executed as the administrative super user,
root.

Page 546

Internal Only - General

 5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
sudo allows a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser or another user,
as specified by the security policy. The invoking user's real (not effective) user ID is
used to determine the user name with which to query the security policy.
Rationale:
sudo supports a plug-in architecture for security policies and input/output logging. Third
parties can develop and distribute their own policy and I/O logging plug-ins to work
seamlessly with the sudo front end. The default security policy is sudoers, which is
configured via the file /etc/sudoers and any entries in /etc/sudoers.d.
The security policy determines what privileges, if any, a user has to run sudo. The policy
may require that users authenticate themselves with a password or another
authentication mechanism. If authentication is required, sudo will exit if the user's
password is not entered within a configurable time limit. This limit is policy-specific.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that either sudo is installed:
# dpkg-query -s sudo &>/dev/null && echo "sudo is installed"

sudo is installed

- OR -
Run the following command to verify that either sudo-ldap is installed:
# dpkg-query -s sudo-ldap &>/dev/null && echo "sudo-ldap is installed"

sudo-ldap is installed

Remediation:
First determine is LDAP functionality is required. If so, then install sudo-ldap, else
install sudo.
Example:
# apt install sudo

References:

1. SUDO(8)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6

Page 547

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0004 M1026

Page 548

Internal Only - General

 5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
sudo can be configured to run only from a pseudo terminal (pseudo-pty).

Rationale:
Attackers can run a malicious program using sudo which would fork a background
process that remains even when the main program has finished executing.
Impact:
WARNING: Editing the sudo configuration incorrectly can cause sudo to stop
functioning. Always use visudo to modify sudo configuration files.

Audit:
Verify that sudo can only run other commands from a pseudo terminal.
Run the following command to verify Defaults use_pty is set:
# grep -rPi -- '^\h*Defaults\h+([^#\n\r]+,\h*)?use_pty\b' /etc/sudoers*

Verify the output matches:

/etc/sudoers:Defaults use_pty

Run the follow command to to verify Defaults !use_pty is not set:

# grep -rPi -- '^\h*Defaults\h+([^#\n\r]+,\h*)?!use_pty\b' /etc/sudoers*

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit the file /etc/sudoers with visudo or a file in /etc/sudoers.d/ with visudo -f
<PATH TO FILE> and add the following line:
Defaults use_pty

Edit the file /etc/sudoers with visudo and any files in /etc/sudoers.d/ with visudo
-f <PATH TO FILE> and remove any occurrence of !use_pty

Page 549

Internal Only - General

 Note:

• sudo will read each file in /etc/sudoers.d, skipping file names that end in ~ or
contain a . character to avoid causing problems with package manager or editor
temporary/backup files.
• Files are parsed in sorted lexical order. That is, /etc/sudoers.d/01_first will
be parsed before /etc/sudoers.d/10_second.
• Be aware that because the sorting is lexical, not numeric,
/etc/sudoers.d/1_whoops would be loaded after
/etc/sudoers.d/10_second.
• Using a consistent number of leading zeroes in the file names can be used to
avoid such problems.

References:

1. SUDO(8)
2. VISUDO(8)
3. sudoers(5)
4. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.003, T1548,

TA0001, TA0003 M1026, M1028
T1548.003

Page 550

Internal Only - General

 5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
sudo can use a custom log file
Rationale:
A sudo log file simplifies auditing of sudo commands
Impact:
WARNING: Editing the sudo configuration incorrectly can cause sudo to stop
functioning. Always use visudo to modify sudo configuration files.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify that sudo has a custom log file configured:
# grep -rPsi "^\h*Defaults\h+([^#]+,\h*)?logfile\h*=\h*(\"|\')?\H+(\"|\')?(,\h*\H+\h*)*\h*(#.*)?$"
/etc/sudoers*

Verify the output matches:

Defaults logfile="/var/log/sudo.log"

Remediation:
Edit the file /etc/sudoers or a file in /etc/sudoers.d/ with visudo or visudo -f
<PATH TO FILE> and add the following line:
Example:
Defaults logfile="/var/log/sudo.log"

Note:

• sudo will read each file in /etc/sudoers.d, skipping file names that end in ~ or
contain a . character to avoid causing problems with package manager or editor
temporary/backup files.
• Files are parsed in sorted lexical order. That is, /etc/sudoers.d/01_first will
be parsed before /etc/sudoers.d/10_second.
• Be aware that because the sorting is lexical, not numeric,
/etc/sudoers.d/1_whoops would be loaded after
/etc/sudoers.d/10_second.
• Using a consistent number of leading zeroes in the file names can be used to
avoid such problems.

Page 551

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. SUDO(8)
2. VISUDO(8)
3. sudoers(5)
4. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

Additional Information:
visudo edits the sudoers file in a safe fashion, analogous to vipw(8). visudo locks the
sudoers file against multiple simultaneous edits, provides basic sanity checks, and
checks for parse errors. If the sudoers file is currently being edited you will receive a
message to try again later.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
● ●
elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1026

Page 552

Internal Only - General

 5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege escalation
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The operating system must be configured so that users must provide a password for
privilege escalation.
Rationale:
Without (re-)authentication, users may access resources or perform tasks for which they
do not have authorization.
When operating systems provide the capability to escalate a functional capability, it is
critical the user (re-)authenticate.
Impact:
This will prevent automated processes from being able to elevate privileges.
Audit:
Note: If passwords are not being used for authentication, this is not applicable.
Verify the operating system requires users to supply a password for privilege escalation.
Check the configuration of the /etc/sudoers and /etc/sudoers.d/* files with the
following command:
# grep -r "^[^#].*NOPASSWD" /etc/sudoers*

If any line is found refer to the remediation procedure below.

Remediation:
Based on the outcome of the audit procedure, use visudo -f <PATH TO FILE> to edit
the relevant sudoers file.
Remove any line with occurrences of NOPASSWD tags in the file.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6

Page 553

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0004 M1026

Page 554

Internal Only - General

 5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
disabled globally (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The operating system must be configured so that users must re-authenticate for
privilege escalation.
Rationale:
Without re-authentication, users may access resources or perform tasks for which they
do not have authorization.
When operating systems provide the capability to escalate a functional capability, it is
critical the user re-authenticate.
Audit:
Verify the operating system requires users to re-authenticate for privilege escalation.
Check the configuration of the /etc/sudoers and /etc/sudoers.d/* files with the
following command:
# grep -r "^[^#].*\!authenticate" /etc/sudoers*

If any line is found with a !authenticate tag, refer to the remediation procedure below.

Remediation:
Configure the operating system to require users to reauthenticate for privilege
escalation.
Based on the outcome of the audit procedure, use visudo -f <PATH TO FILE> to edit
the relevant sudoers file.
Remove any occurrences of !authenticate tags in the file(s).

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6

Page 555

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0004 M1026

Page 556

Internal Only - General

 5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
sudo caches used credentials for a default of 5 minutes. This is for ease of use when
there are multiple administrative tasks to perform. The timeout can be modified to suit
local security policies.
Rationale:
A timeout value reduces the window of opportunity for unauthorized privileged sudo
access.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the default sudo timeout is enabled and no greater
than 15 minutes:
# sudo -V | grep "Authentication timestamp timeout:"

Example output:
Authentication timestamp timeout: 15.0 minutes

Verify timeout is not: a negative number (disabled), greater than 15 minutes, and follows
local site policy.
Remediation:
- IF - the currently configured timeout is a negative number (disabled), greater than 15
minutes, or doesn't follow local site polity:
Run the visudo command and edit or add the following line:
Defaults timestamp_timeout=<N>

Example:
Defaults timestamp_timeout=15

Default Value:
timestamp_timeout=15
References:

1. https://www.sudo.ws/man/1.9.0/sudoers.man.html
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-6

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

Administrator Accounts
v8 Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on
enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet
● ● ●
browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged
account.

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

v7 Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or
secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for
● ● ●
administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0004 M1026

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 5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The su command allows a user to run a command or shell as another user. The
program has been superseded by sudo, which allows for more granular control over
privileged access. Normally, the su command can be executed by any user. By
uncommenting the pam_wheel.so statement in /etc/pam.d/su, the su command will
only allow users in a specific groups to execute su. This group should be empty to
reinforce the use of sudo for privileged access.

Rationale:
Restricting the use of su , and using sudo in its place, provides system administrators
better control of the escalation of user privileges to execute privileged commands. The
sudo utility also provides a better logging and audit mechanism, as it can log each
command executed via sudo , whereas su can only record that a user executed the su
program.
Audit:
Run the following command:
# grep -Pi
'^\h*auth\h+(?:required|requisite)\h+pam_wheel\.so\h+(?:[^#\n\r]+\h+)?((?!\2)(use_uid\b|group=\H+\b))\h+(?:[^#\
n\r]+\h+)?((?!\1)(use_uid\b|group=\H+\b))(\h+.*)?$' /etc/pam.d/su

Verify the output matches:

auth required pam_wheel.so use_uid group=<group_name>

Run the following command and verify that the group specified in <group_name>
contains no users:
# grep <group_name> /etc/group

Verify the output does not contain any users in the relevant group:
<group_name>:x:<GID>:

Page 559

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 Remediation:
Create an empty group that will be specified for use of the su command. The group
should be named according to site policy.
Example:
# groupadd sugroup

Add the following line to the /etc/pam.d/su file, specifying the empty group:
auth required pam_wheel.so use_uid group=sugroup

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0005 M1026

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 5.3 Pluggable Authentication Modules

Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) is a service that implements modular

authentication modules on Linux systems. PAM is implemented as a set of shared
objects that are loaded and executed when a program needs to authenticate a user.
Files for PAM are typically located in the /etc/pam.d directory. PAM must be carefully
configured to secure system authentication. While this section covers some of PAM,
please consult other PAM resources to fully understand the configuration capabilities.
Note: This section includes guidance that requires the additional modules and the latest
version of software packages as covered in the "Configure PAM software packages"
section

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 5.3.1 Configure PAM software packages

Updated versions of PAM include additional functionality

Page 562

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 5.3.1.1 Ensure latest version of pam is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Linux Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) is a suite of libraries that allow a Linux
system administrator to configure methods to authenticate users. It provides a flexible
and centralized way to switch authentication methods for secured applications by using
configuration files instead of changing application code
The libpam-runtime provides the runtime support for the PAM library

Rationale:
Older versions of the libpam-runtime package may not include the latest security and
feature patches and updates.
Note: This Benchmark includes Recommendations that depend on newer libpam-
runtime features. These Recommendation were written and tested against version
1.3.1-5ubuntu4.7. Latest available version of the package should be used

Audit:
Run the following command to verify libpam-runtime is installed:
# dpkg-query -s libpam-runtime &>/dev/null && echo "libpam-runtime is installed"

libpam-runtime is installed

Run the following command to verify libpam-runtime is the latest version:

# apt list --upgradable 2>&1 | grep -P '^libpam-runtime\b'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to install the latest version of libpam-runtime:
# apt install libpam-runtime

References:

1. PAM(7)

Page 563

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 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 564

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 5.3.1.2 Ensure latest version of libpam-modules is installed
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
libpam-modules is a package containing a set of Pluggable Authentication Modules
(PAM) which allows system administrators to configure different authentication methods
for user logins, providing flexibility in how users can access applications by using
various authentication modules to include password checks and other security
mechanisms.
Rationale:
Older versions of the libpam-modules package may not include the latest security and
feature patches and updates.
Note: This Benchmark includes Recommendations that depend on newer libpam-
modules features. Theses recommendations were written and tested against version
1.3.1-5ubuntu4.7. The latest available version should be used.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify libpam-modules is installed:
# dpkg-query -s libpam-modules &>/dev/null && echo "libpam-modules is installed"

libpam-modules is installed

Run the following command to verify libpam-modules is the latest version:

# apt list --upgradable 2>&1 | grep -P '^libpam-modules\b'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to install the latest version of libpam-modules:
# apt install libpam-modules

Page 565

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 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 566

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 5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
libpwquality provides common functions for password quality checking and scoring
them based on their apparent randomness. The library also provides a function for
generating random passwords with good pronounceability.
This module can be plugged into the password stack of a given service to provide some
plug-in strength-checking for passwords. The code was originally based on
pam_cracklib module and the module is backwards compatible with its options.

Rationale:
Strong passwords reduce the risk of systems being hacked through brute force
methods.
Older versions of the libpam-pwquality package may not include the latest security
and feature patches and updates.
Recommendations were written and tested against version 1.3.1-5ubuntu4.7. The
latest available version should be used.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify libpam-pwquality is installed:
# dpkg-query -s libpam-pwquality &>/dev/null && echo "libpam-pwquality is installed"

libpam-pwquality is installed

Run the following command to verify libpam-pwquality is the latest version:

# apt list --upgradable 2>&1 | grep -P '^libpam-pwquality\b'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to install the latest version of libpam-pwquality:
# apt install libpam-pwquality

References:

1. https://packages.debian.org/buster/libpam-pwquality

Page 567

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

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 5.3.2 Configure pam-auth-update profiles

pam-auth-update is a utility that permits configuring the central authentication policy

for the system using pre-defined profiles as supplied by PAM module packages.
Profiles - Shipped in the /usr/share/pam-configs/ directory specify the modules,
with options, to enable; the preferred ordering with respect to other profiles; and
whether a profile should be enabled by default. Packages providing PAM modules
register their profiles at install time by calling pam-auth-update --package.
Selection of profiles is done using the standard debconf interface. The profile selection
question will be asked at medium priority when packages are added or removed, so no
user interaction is required by default. Users may invoke pam-auth-update directly to
change their authentication configuration.
The pam-auth-update script makes every effort to respect local changes to
/etc/pam.d/common-*. Local modifications to the list of module options will be
preserved, and additions of modules within the managed portion of the stack will cause
pam-auth-update to treat the config files as locally modified and not make further
changes to the config files unless given the --force option.
If the user specifies that pam-auth-update should override local configuration changes,
the locally-modified files will be saved in /etc/pam.d/ with a suffix of .pam-old.

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 5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
pam_unix is the standard Unix authentication module. It uses standard calls from the
system's libraries to retrieve and set account information as well as authentication.
Usually this is obtained from the /etc/passwd and if shadow is enabled, the
/etc/shadow file as well.
The account component performs the task of establishing the status of the user's
account and password based on the following shadow elements: expire,
last_change, max_change, min_change, warn_change. In the case of the latter, it may
offer advice to the user on changing their password or, through the
PAM_AUTHTOKEN_REQD return, delay giving service to the user until they have
established a new password. The entries listed above are documented in the shadow(5)
manual page. Should the user's record not contain one or more of these entries, the
corresponding shadow check is not performed.
The authentication component performs the task of checking the users credentials
(password). The default action of this module is to not permit the user access to a
service if their official password is blank.
Rationale:
The system should only provide access after performing authentication of a user.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that pam_unix is enabled:
# grep -PH -- '\bpam_unix\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-{account,auth,password,session,session-noninteractive}

Output should be simular to:

/etc/pam.d/common-account:account [success=1 new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
/etc/pam.d/common-auth:auth [success=2 default=ignore] pam_unix.so try_first_pass
/etc/pam.d/common-password:password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok
try_first_pass yescrypt
/etc/pam.d/common-session:session required pam_unix.so
/etc/pam.d/common-session-noninteractive:session required pam_unix.so

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 Remediation:
Run the following command to enable the pam_unix module:
# pam-auth-update --enable unix

Note: If a site specific custom profile is being used in your environment to configure
PAM that includes the configuration for the pam_faillock module, enable that module
instead
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5(1)

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

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 5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The pam_faillock.so module maintains a list of failed authentication attempts per
user during a specified interval and locks the account in case there were more than the
configured number of consecutive failed authentications (this is defined by the deny
parameter in the faillock configuration). It stores the failure records into per-user files in
the tally directory.
Rationale:
Locking out user IDs after n unsuccessful consecutive login attempts mitigates brute
force password attacks against your systems.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that pam_faillock is enabled:
# grep -P -- '\bpam_faillock\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-{auth,account}

Output should be similar to:

/etc/pam.d/common-auth:auth requisite pam_faillock.so preauth
/etc/pam.d/common-auth:auth [default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail
/etc/pam.d/common-account:account required pam_faillock.so

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 Remediation:
Create two pam-auth-update profiles in /usr/share/pam-configs/:

1. Create the faillock profile in /usr/share/pam-configs/ with the following

lines:
Name: Enable pam_faillock to deny access
Default: yes
Priority: 0
Auth-Type: Primary
Auth:
[default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail

Example Script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
arr=('Name: Enable pam_faillock to deny access' 'Default: yes' 'Priority: 0' 'Auth-Type: Primary' 'Auth:' '
[default=die] pam_faillock.so authfail')
printf '%s\n' "${arr[@]}" > /usr/share/pam-configs/faillock
}

2. Create the faillock_notify profile in /usr/share/pam-configs/ with the

following lines:
Name: Notify of failed login attempts and reset count upon success
Default: yes
Priority: 1024
Auth-Type: Primary
Auth:
requisite pam_faillock.so preauth
Account-Type: Primary
Account:
required pam_faillock.so

Example Script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
arr=('Name: Notify of failed login attempts and reset count upon success' 'Default: yes' 'Priority: 1024'
'Auth-Type: Primary' 'Auth:' ' requisite pam_faillock.so preauth' 'Account-Type:
Primary' 'Account:' ' required pam_faillock.so')
printf '%s\n' "${arr[@]}" > /usr/share/pam-configs/faillock_notify
}

Run the following command to update the common-auth and common-account PAM
files with the new profiles:
# pam-auth-update --enable <profile_filename>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable faillock
# pam-auth-update --enable faillock_notify

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 Note:

• The name used for the file must be used in the pam-auth-update --enable
command
• The Name: line should be easily recognizable and understood
• The Priority: Line is important as it effects the order of the lines in the
/etc/pam.d/ files
• If a site specific custom profile is being used in your environment to configure
PAM that includes the configuration for the pam_faillock module, enable that
module instead

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.2 Establish an Access Revoking Process

Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for revoking access to
v8 enterprise assets, through disabling accounts immediately upon termination, rights ● ● ●
revocation, or role change of a user. Disabling accounts, instead of deleting
accounts, may be necessary to preserve audit trails.

16.7 Establish Process for Revoking Access

Establish and follow an automated process for revoking system access by
v7 disabling accounts immediately upon termination or change of responsibilities of an ● ●
employee or contractor . Disabling these accounts, instead of deleting accounts,
allows preservation of audit trails.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1027
T1110.003

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 5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The pam_pwquality.so module performs password quality checking. This module can
be plugged into the password stack of a given service to provide strength-checking for
passwords. The code was originally based on pam_cracklib module and the module is
backwards compatible with its options.
The action of this module is to prompt the user for a password and check its strength
against a system dictionary and a set of rules for identifying poor choices.
The first action is to prompt for a single password, check its strength and then, if it is
considered strong, prompt for the password a second time (to verify that it was typed
correctly on the first occasion). All being well, the password is passed on to subsequent
modules to be installed as the new authentication token.
Rationale:
Use of a unique, complex passwords helps to increase the time and resources required
to compromise the password.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that pam_pwhistory is enabled:
# grep -P -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Output should be similar to:

password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3

Page 575

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 Remediation:
Run the following script to verify the pam_pwquality.so line exists in a pam-auth-
update profile:
# grep -P -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Output should be similar to:

/usr/share/pam-configs/pwquality: requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3
/usr/share/pam-configs/pwquality: requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3

- IF - similar output is returned:

Run the following command to update /etc/pam.d/common-password with the
returned profile:
# pam-auth-update --enable {PROFILE_NAME}

Example:
# pam-auth-update pwquality

- IF - similar output is NOT returned:

Create a pam-auth-update profile in /usr/share/pam-configs/ with the following
lines:
Name: Pwquality password strength checking
Default: yes
Priority: 1024
Conflicts: cracklib
Password-Type: Primary
Password:
requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3

Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
arr=('Name: Pwquality password strength checking' 'Default: yes' 'Priority: 1024' 'Conflicts: cracklib'
'Password-Type: Primary' 'Password:' ' requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3')
printf '%s\n' "${arr[@]}" > /usr/share/pam-configs/pwquality
}

Run the following command to update /etc/pam.d/common-password with the

pwquality profile:
# pam-auth-update --enable pwquality

Note:

• The name used for the file must be used in the pam-auth-update --enable
command
• The Name: line should be easily recognizable and understood
• The Priority: Line is important as it effects the order of the lines in the
/etc/pam.d/ files
• If a site specific custom profile is being used in your environment to configure
PAM that includes the configuration for the pam_pwquality module, enable that
module instead

Page 576

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

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 5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The pam_pwhistory.so module saves the last passwords for each user in order to
force password change history and keep the user from alternating between the same
password too frequently.
This module does not work together with kerberos. In general, it does not make much
sense to use this module in conjunction with NIS or LDAP, since the old passwords are
stored on the local machine and are not available on another machine for password
history checking.
Rationale:
Use of a unique, complex passwords helps to increase the time and resources required
to compromise the password.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that pam_pwhistory.so is enabled:
# grep -P -- '\bpam_pwhistory\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Output should be similar to:

password requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok

Page 578

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 Remediation:
Run the following script to verify the pam_pwhistory.so line exists in a pam-auth-
update profile:
# grep -P -- '\bpam_pwhistory\.so\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Output should be similar to:

/usr/share/pam-configs/pwhistory: requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok

- IF - similar output is returned:

Run the following command to update /etc/pam.d/common-password with the
returned profile:
# pam-auth-update --enable {PROFILE_NAME}

Example:
# pam-auth-update pwhistory

- IF - similar output is NOT returned:

Create a pwhistory profile in /usr/share/pam-configs/ with the following lines:
Name: pwhistory password history checking
Default: yes
Priority: 1024
Password-Type: Primary
Password: requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok

Example Script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
arr=('Name: pwhistory password history checking' 'Default: yes' 'Priority: 1024' 'Password-Type: Primary'
'Password:' ' requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root
use_authtok')
printf '%s\n' "${arr[@]}" > /usr/share/pam-configs/pwhistory
}

Run the following command to update /etc/pam.d/common-password with the

pwhistory profile:
# pam-auth-update --enable pwhistory

Note:

• The name used for the file must be used in the pam-auth-update --enable
command
• The Name: line should be easily recognizable and understood
• The Priority: Line is important as it effects the order of the lines in the
/etc/pam.d/ files
• If a site specific custom profile is being used in your environment to configure
PAM that includes the configuration for the pam_pwhistory module, enable that
module instead

Page 579

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 580

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 5.3.3 Configure PAM Arguments

Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) uses arguments to pass information to a

pluggable module during authentication for a particular module type. These arguments
allow the PAM configuration files for particular programs to use a common PAM module
but in different ways.
Invalid arguments are ignored and do not otherwise affect the success or failure of the
PAM module. When an invalid argument is passed, an error is usually written to
/var/log/messages file. However, since the reporting method is controlled by the PAM
module, the module must be written correctly to log the error to this file.
Note: If custom PAM files are being used, for this section's remediation, the
corresponding files in /etc/pam.d/ would need to be edited directly, and the pam-
auth-update --enable <EDITED_PROFILE_NAME> command skipped

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 5.3.3.1 Configure pam_faillock module
pam_faillock.so provides a way to configure the default settings for locking the user
after multiple failed authentication attempts.
Options:

• <dir=/path/to/tally-directory> - The directory where the user files with the

failure records are kept. The default is /var/run/faillock. Note: These files will
disappear after reboot on systems configured with directory /var/run/faillock
mounted on virtual memory.
• audit - Will log the user name into the system log if the user is not found.
• silent - Don't print informative messages to the user. Please note that when
this option is not used there will be difference in the authentication behavior for
users which exist on the system and non-existing users.
• no_log_info - Don't log informative messages via syslog(3).
• local_users_only - Only track failed user authentications attempts for local
users in /etc/passwd and ignore centralized (AD, IdM, LDAP, etc.) users. The
faillock(8) command will also no longer track user failed authentication attempts.
Enabling this option will prevent a double-lockout scenario where a user is locked
out locally and in the centralized mechanism.
• nodelay - Don't enforce a delay after authentication failures.
• deny=<n> - Deny access if the number of consecutive authentication failures for
this user during the recent interval exceeds . The default is 3.
• fail_interval=n - The length of the interval during which the consecutive
authentication failures must happen for the user account lock out is n seconds.
The default is 900 (15 minutes).
• unlock_time=n - The access will be re-enabled after n seconds after the lock
out. The value 0 has the same meaning as value never - the access will not be
re-enabled without resetting the faillock entries by the faillock(8) command. The
default is 600 (10 minutes). Note that the default directory that pam_faillock uses
is usually cleared on system boot so the access will be also re-enabled after
system reboot. If that is undesirable a different tally directory must be set with the
dir option. Also note that it is usually undesirable to permanently lock out users
as they can become easily a target of denial of service attack unless the
usernames are random and kept secret to potential attackers.
• even_deny_root - Root account can become locked as well as regular accounts.
• root_unlock_time=n - This option implies even_deny_root option. Allow access
after n seconds to root account after the account is locked. In case the option is
not specified the value is the same as of the unlock_time option.
• admin_group=name - If a group name is specified with this option, members of
the group will be handled by this module the same as the root account (the
options even_deny_root and root_unlock_time will apply to them. By default the
option is not set.

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 5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The deny=<n> option will deny access if the number of consecutive authentication
failures for this user during the recent interval exceeds .
Rationale:
Locking out user IDs after n unsuccessful consecutive login attempts mitigates brute
force password attacks against your systems.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that Number of failed logon attempts before the
account is locked is no greater than 5 and meets local site policy:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*deny\h*=\h*[1-5]\b' /etc/security/faillock.conf

deny = 5

Run the following command to verify that the deny argument has not been set, or 5 or
less and meets local site policy:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*auth\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_faillock\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?deny\h*=\h*(0|[6-
9]|[1-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-auth

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Create or edit the following line in /etc/security/faillock.conf setting the deny
option to 5 or less:
deny = 5

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_faillock\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?deny\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the deny=<N> arguments from the
pam_faillock.so line(s):

Default Value:
deny = 3

Page 583

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
If a user has been locked out because they have reached the maximum consecutive
failure count defined by deny= in the pam_faillock.so module, the user can be
unlocked by issuing the command faillock --user <USERNAME> --reset. This
command sets the failed count to 0, effectively unlocking the user.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.2 Establish an Access Revoking Process

Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for revoking access to
v8 enterprise assets, through disabling accounts immediately upon termination, rights ● ● ●
revocation, or role change of a user. Disabling accounts, instead of deleting
accounts, may be necessary to preserve audit trails.

16.7 Establish Process for Revoking Access

Establish and follow an automated process for revoking system access by
v7 disabling accounts immediately upon termination or change of responsibilities of an ● ●
employee or contractor . Disabling these accounts, instead of deleting accounts,
allows preservation of audit trails.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1027
T1110.003

Page 584

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 5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
unlock_time=<n> - The access will be re-enabled after seconds after the lock out. The
value 0 has the same meaning as value never - the access will not be re-enabled
without resetting the faillock entries by the faillock(8) command.
Note:

• The default directory that pam_faillock uses is usually cleared on system boot so
the access will be also re-enabled after system reboot. If that is undesirable a
different tally directory must be set with the dir option.
• It is usually undesirable to permanently lock out users as they can become easily
a target of denial of service attack unless the usernames are random and kept
secret to potential attackers.
• The maximum configurable value for unlock_time is 604800

Rationale:
Locking out user IDs after n unsuccessful consecutive login attempts mitigates brute
force password attacks against your systems.
Impact:
Use of unlock_time=0 may allow an attacker to cause denial of service to legitimate
users. This will also require a systems administrator with elevated privileges to unlock
the account.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the time in seconds before the account is
unlocked is either 0 (never) or 900 (15 minutes) or more and meets local site policy:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*unlock_time\h*=\h*(0|9[0-9][0-9]|[1-9][0-9]{3,})\b' /etc/security/faillock.conf

unlock_time = 900

Run the following command to verify that the unlock_time argument has not been set,
or is either 0 (never) or 900 (15 minutes) or more and meets local site policy:
# grep -Pi --
'^\h*auth\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_faillock\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?unlock_time\h*=\h*([1-9]|[1-
9][0-9]|[1-8][0-9][0-9])\b' /etc/pam.d/common-auth

Nothing should be returned

Page 585

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Set password unlock time to conform to site policy. unlock_time should be 0 (never),
or 900 seconds or greater.
Edit /etc/security/faillock.conf and update or add the following line:
unlock_time = 900

Run the following command: remove the unlock_time argument from the
pam_faillock.so module in the PAM files:
# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_faillock\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?unlock_time\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the unlock_time=<N> argument from the
pam_faillock.so line(s):

Default Value:
unlock_time = 600
Additional Information:
If a user has been locked out because they have reached the maximum consecutive
failure count defined by deny= in the pam_faillock.so module, the user can be
unlocked by issuing the command faillock --user <USERNAME> --reset. This
command sets the failed count to 0, effectively unlocking the user.

Page 586

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.2 Establish an Access Revoking Process

Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for revoking access to
v8 enterprise assets, through disabling accounts immediately upon termination, rights ● ● ●
revocation, or role change of a user. Disabling accounts, instead of deleting
accounts, may be necessary to preserve audit trails.

16.7 Establish Process for Revoking Access

Establish and follow an automated process for revoking system access by
v7 disabling accounts immediately upon termination or change of responsibilities of an ● ●
employee or contractor . Disabling these accounts, instead of deleting accounts,
allows preservation of audit trails.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1027
T1110.003

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 5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root
account (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
even_deny_root - Root account can become locked as well as regular accounts
root_unlock_time=n - This option implies even_deny_root option. Allow access after n
seconds to root account after the account is locked. In case the option is not specified
the value is the same as of the unlock_time option.
Rationale:
Locking out user IDs after n unsuccessful consecutive login attempts mitigates brute
force password attacks against your systems.
Impact:
Use of unlock_time=0 or root_unlock_time=0 may allow an attacker to cause denial
of service to legitimate users.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that even_deny_root and/or root_unlock_time
is enabled:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*(even_deny_root|root_unlock_time\h*=\h*\d+)\b' /etc/security/faillock.conf

Example output:
even_deny_root

--AND/OR--

root_unlock_time = 60

Run the following command to verify that - IF - root_unlock_time is set, it is set to 60

(One minute) or more:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*root_unlock_time\h*=\h*([1-9]|[1-5][0-9])\b' /etc/security/faillock.conf

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to check the pam_faillock.so module for the
root_unlock_time argument. Verify -IF- root_unlock_time is set, it is set to 60 (One
minute) or more:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*auth\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)pam_faillock\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?root_unlock_time\h*=\h*([1-9]|[1-
5][0-9])\b' /etc/pam.d/common-auth

Nothing should be returned

Page 588

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit /etc/security/faillock.conf:

• Remove or update any line containing root_unlock_time, - OR - set it to a

value of 60 or more
• Update or add the following line:
even_deny_root

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_faillock\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(even_deny_root|root_unlock_time)' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the even_deny_root and root_unlock_time
arguments from the pam_faillock.so line(s):

Default Value:
disabled
Additional Information:
If a user has been locked out because they have reached the maximum consecutive
failure count defined by deny= in the pam_faillock.so module, the user can be
unlocked by issuing the command faillock --user <USERNAME> --reset. This
command sets the failed count to 0, effectively unlocking the user.

Page 589

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

6.2 Establish an Access Revoking Process

Establish and follow a process, preferably automated, for revoking access to
v8 enterprise assets, through disabling accounts immediately upon termination, rights ● ● ●
revocation, or role change of a user. Disabling accounts, instead of deleting
accounts, may be necessary to preserve audit trails.

16.7 Establish Process for Revoking Access

Establish and follow an automated process for revoking system access by
v7 disabling accounts immediately upon termination or change of responsibilities of an ● ●
employee or contractor . Disabling these accounts, instead of deleting accounts,
allows preservation of audit trails.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1027
T1110.003

Page 590

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 5.3.3.2 Configure pam_pwquality module
The pam_pwquality.so module checks the strength of passwords. It performs checks
such as making sure a password is not a dictionary word, it is a certain length, contains
a mix of characters (e.g. alphabet, numeric, other) and more.
These checks are configurable by either:

• use of the module arguments

• modifying the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
• creating a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory.

Note: The module arguments override the settings in the

/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file. Settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file override settings in a .conf file in
the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory.
The possible options in the file are:

• difok - Number of characters in the new password that must not be present in
the old password. (default 1). The special value of 0 disables all checks of
similarity of the new password with the old password except the new password
being exactly the same as the old one.
• minlen - Minimum acceptable size for the new password (plus one if credits are
not disabled which is the default). (See pam_pwquality(8).) Cannot be set to
lower value than 6. (default 8)
• dcredit - The maximum credit for having digits in the new password. If less than
0 it is the minimum number of digits in the new password. (default 0)
• ucredit - The maximum credit for having uppercase characters in the new
password. If less than 0 it is the minimum number of uppercase characters in the
new password. (default 0)
• lcredit - The maximum credit for having lowercase characters in the new
password. If less than 0 it is the minimum number of lowercase characters in the
new password. (default 0)
• ocredit - The maximum credit for having other characters in the new password.
If less than 0 it is the minimum number of other characters in the new password.
(default 0)
• minclass - The minimum number of required classes of characters for the new
password (digits, uppercase, lowercase, others). (default 0)
• maxrepeat - The maximum number of allowed same consecutive characters in
the new password. The check is disabled if the value is 0. (default 0)
• maxsequence - The maximum length of monotonic character sequences in the
new password. Examples of such sequence are '12345' or 'fedcb'. Note that most
such passwords will not pass the simplicity check unless the sequence is only a
minor part of the password. The check is disabled if the value is 0. (default 0)

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 • maxclassrepeat - The maximum number of allowed consecutive characters of
the same class in the new password. The check is disabled if the value is 0.
(default 0)
• gecoscheck - If nonzero, check whether the words longer than 3 characters from
the GECOS field of the user's passwd(5) entry are contained in the new
password. The check is disabled if the value is 0. (default 0)
• dictcheck - If nonzero, check whether the password (with possible
modifications) matches a word in a dictionary. Currently the dictionary check is
performed using the cracklib library. (default 1)
• usercheck=<N> - If nonzero, check whether the password (with possible
modifications) contains the user name in some form. It is not performed for user
names shorter than 3 characters. (default 1)
• usersubstr=<N> - If greater than 3 (due to the minimum length in usercheck),
check whether the password contains a substring of at least N length in some
form. (default 0)
• enforcing=<N> - If nonzero, reject the password if it fails the checks, otherwise
only print the warning. This setting applies only to the pam_pwquality module and
possibly other applications that explicitly change their behavior based on it. It
does not affect pwmake(1) and pwscore(1). (default 1)
• badwords - Space separated list of words that must not be contained in the
password. These are additional words to the cracklib dictionary check. This
setting can be also used by applications to emulate the gecos check for user
accounts that are not created yet.
• dictpath - Path to the cracklib dictionaries. Default is to use the cracklib default.
• retry=<N> - Prompt user at most N times before returning with error. The default
is 1.
• enforce_for_root - The module will return error on failed check even if the user
changing the password is root. This option is off by default which means that just
the message about the failed check is printed but root can change the password
anyway. Note that root is not asked for an old password so the checks that
compare the old and new password are not performed.
• local_users_only - The module will not test the password quality for users that
are not present in the /etc/passwd file. The module still asks for the password so
the following modules in the stack can use the use_authtok option. This option is
off by default.

Page 592

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 5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is
configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The pwquality difok option sets the number of characters in a password that must not
be present in the old password.
Rationale:
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to
compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the
effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.
Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack
a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible
combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Page 593

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the difok option is set to 2 or more and
follows local site policy:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*difok\h*=\h*([2-9]|[1-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Example output:
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwdifok.conf:difok = 2

Verify returned value(s) are 2 or more and meet local site policy
Run the following command to verify that difok is not set, is 2 or more, and conforms to
local site policy:
grep -Psi --
'^\h*password\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?difok\h*=\h*([0-1])\b'
/etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• settings should be configured in only one location for clarity

• Settings observe an order of precedence:
o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Page 594

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create or modify a file ending in .conf in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory or the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following
line to set difok to 2 or more. Ensure setting conforms to local site policy:
Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sed -ri 's/^\s*difok\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '\n%s' "difok = 2" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwdifok.conf
}

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?difok\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the difok argument from the pam_pwquality.so
line(s):
Default Value:
difok = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1110, T1110.001, T1110.002,

T1110.003, T1178.001,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.002, T1178.003,
T1178.004

Page 595

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The minimum password length setting determines the lowers number of characters that
make up a password for a user account. There are many different theories about how to
determine the best password length for an organization, but perhaps "passphrase" is a
better term than "password".
The minlen option sets the minimum acceptable size for the new password (plus one if
credits are not disabled which is the default). Cannot be set to lower value than 6.
Rationale:
Strong passwords help protect systems from password attacks. Types of password
attacks include dictionary attacks, which attempt to use common words and phrases,
and brute force attacks, which try every possible combination of characters. Also
attackers may try to obtain the account database so they can use tools to discover the
accounts and passwords.
Impact:
In general, it is true that longer passwords are better (harder to crack), but it is also true
that forced password length requirements can cause user behavior that is predictable
and undesirable. For example, requiring users to have a minimum 16-character
password may cause them to choose repeating patterns like fourfourfourfour or
passwordpassword that meet the requirement but aren’t hard to guess. Additionally,
length requirements increase the chances that users will adopt other insecure practices,
like writing them down, re-using them or storing them unencrypted in their documents.
Having a reasonable minimum length with no maximum character limit increases the
resulting average password length used (and therefore the strength).6

Page 596

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that password length is 14 or more characters, and
conforms to local site policy:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*minlen\h*=\h*(1[4-9]|[2-9][0-9]|[1-9][0-9]{2,})\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Example output:
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwlength.conf:minlen = 14

Verify returned value(s) are no less than 14 characters and meet local site policy
Run the following command to verify that minlen is not set, or is 14 or more characters,
and conforms to local site policy:
# grep -Psi --
'^\h*password\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?minlen\h*=\h*([0-9]|1[0-
3])\b' /etc/pam.d/system-auth /etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• settings should be configured in only one location for clarity

• Settings observe an order of precedence:
o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Page 597

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create or modify a file ending in .conf in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory or the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following
line to set password length of 14 or more characters. Ensure that password length
conforms to local site policy:
Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sed -ri 's/^\s*minlen\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '\n%s' "minlen = 14" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwlength.conf
}

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?minlen\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the minlen argument from the pam_pwquality.so
line(s):
Default Value:
minlen = 8
References:

1. pam_pwquality(8)
2. CIS Password Policy Guide
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5(1)

Page 598

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 599

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 5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Password complexity can be set through:

• minclass - The minimum number of classes of characters required in a new

password. (digits, uppercase, lowercase, others). e.g. minclass = 4 requires
digits, uppercase, lower case, and special characters.
• dcredit - The maximum credit for having digits in the new password. If less than
0 it is the minimum number of digits in the new password. e.g. dcredit = -1
requires at least one digit
• ucredit - The maximum credit for having uppercase characters in the new
password. If less than 0 it is the minimum number of uppercase characters in the
new password. e.g. ucredit = -1 requires at least one uppercase character
• ocredit - The maximum credit for having other characters in the new password.
If less than 0 it is the minimum number of other characters in the new password.
e.g. ocredit = -1 requires at least one special character
• lcredit - The maximum credit for having lowercase characters in the new
password. If less than 0 it is the minimum number of lowercase characters in the
new password. e.g. lcredit = -1 requires at least one lowercase character

Rationale:
Strong passwords protect systems from being hacked through brute force methods.
Requiring at least one non-alphabetic character increases the search space beyond
pure dictionary words, which makes the resulting password harder to crack.
Forcing users to choose an excessively complex password, e.g. some combination of
upper-case, lower-case, numbers, and special characters, has a negative impact. It
places an extra burden on users and many will use predictable patterns (for example, a
capital letter in the first position, followed by lowercase letters, then one or two numbers,
and a “special character” at the end). Attackers know this, so dictionary attacks will
often contain these common patterns and use the most common substitutions like, $ for
s, @ for a, 1 for l, 0 for o.
Impact:
Passwords that are too complex in nature make it harder for users to remember, leading
to bad practices. In addition, composition requirements provide no defense against
common attack types such as social engineering or insecure storage of passwords

Page 600

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 Audit:
Run the following command to verify:

• dcredit, ucredit, lcredit, and ocredit are not set to a value greater than 0
• Complexity conforms to local site policy:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*(minclass|[dulo]credit)\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Example output:
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwcomplexity.conf:minclass = 3
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwcomplexity.conf:ucredit = -2
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwcomplexity.conf:lcredit = -2
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwcomplexity.conf:dcredit = -1
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwcomplexity.conf:ocredit = 0

The example represents a requirement of three character classes, with passwords

requiring two upper case, two lower case, and one numeric character.
Run the following command to verify that module arguments in the configuration file(s)
are not being overridden by arguments in /etc/pam.d/common-password:
# grep -Psi --
'^\h*password\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(minclass=\d*|[dulo]credit
=-?\d*)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• settings should be configured in only one location for clarity

• Settings observe an order of precedence:
o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Page 601

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(minclass|[dulo]credit)\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the minclass, dcredit, ucredit, lcredit, and
ocredit arguments from the pam_pwquality.so line(s)
Create or modify a file ending in .conf in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory or the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following
line(s) to set complexity according to local site policy:

• minclass = _N_
• dcredit = _N_ # Value should be either 0 or a number proceeded by a minus (-
) symbol
• ucredit = -1 # Value should be either 0 or a number proceeded by a minus (-)
symbol
• ocredit = -1 # Value should be either 0 or a number proceeded by a minus (-)
symbol
• lcredit = -1 # Value should be either 0 or a number proceeded by a minus (-)
symbol

Example 1 - Set minclass = 3:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sed -ri 's/^\s*minclass\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
sed -ri 's/^\s*[dulo]credit\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '\n%s' "minclass = 3" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwcomplexity.conf
}

Example 2 - set dcredit = -1, ucredit = -1, and lcredit = -1:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sed -ri 's/^\s*minclass\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
sed -ri 's/^\s*[dulo]credit\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '%s\n' "dcredit = -1" "ucredit = -1" "lcredit = -1" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-
pwcomplexity.conf
}

Default Value:
minclass = 0
dcredit = 0
ucredit = 0
ocredit = 0
lcredit = 0

Page 602

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. pam_pwquality(8)
2. PWQUALITY.CONF(5)
3. https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/white-papers/cis-password-policy-guide
4. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 603

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is
configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The pwquality maxrepeat option sets the maximum number of allowed same
consecutive characters in a new password.
Rationale:
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to
compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the
effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.
Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack
a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible
combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Page 604

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the maxrepeat option is set to 3 or less, not 0,
and follows local site policy:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*maxrepeat\h*=\h*[1-3]\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Example output:
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwrepeat.conf:maxrepeat = 3

Verify returned value(s) are 3 or less, not 0, and meet local site policy
Run the following command to verify that maxrepeat is not set, is 3 or less, not 0, and
conforms to local site policy:
# grep -Psi --
'^\h*password\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?maxrepeat\h*=\h*(0|[4-
9]|[1-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• settings should be configured in only one location for clarity

• Settings observe an order of precedence:
o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Page 605

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create or modify a file ending in .conf in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory or the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following
line to set maxrepeat to 3 or less and not 0. Ensure setting conforms to local site policy:
Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sed -ri 's/^\s*maxrepeat\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '\n%s' "maxrepeat = 3" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwrepeat.conf
}

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?maxrepeat\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the maxrepeat argument from the
pam_pwquality.so line(s):

Default Value:
maxrepeat = 0
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 606

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 607

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is
configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The pwquality maxsequence option sets the maximum length of monotonic character
sequences in the new password. Examples of such sequence are 12345 or fedcb. The
check is disabled if the value is 0.
Note: Most such passwords will not pass the simplicity check unless the sequence is
only a minor part of the password.
Rationale:
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to
compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the
effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.
Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack
a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible
combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Page 608

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the maxsequence option is set to 3 or less, not
0, and follows local site policy:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*maxsequence\h*=\h*[1-3]\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Example output:
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwmaxsequence.conf:maxsequence = 3

Verify returned value(s) are 3 or less, not 0, and meet local site policy
Run the following command to verify that maxsequence is not set, is 3 or less, not 0, and
conforms to local site policy:
# grep -Psi --
'^\h*password\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?maxsequence\h*=\h*(0|[4-
9]|[1-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• settings should be configured in only one location for clarity

• Settings observe an order of precedence:
o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Page 609

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create or modify a file ending in .conf in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory or the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following
line to set maxsequence to 3 or less and not 0. Ensure setting conforms to local site
policy:
Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
sed -ri 's/^\s*maxsequence\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '\n%s' "maxsequence = 3" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwmaxsequence.conf
}

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?maxsequence\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the maxsequence argument from the
pam_pwquality.so line(s):

Default Value:
maxsequence = 0
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 610

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 611

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The pwquality dictcheck option sets whether to check for the words from the
cracklib dictionary.

Rationale:
If the operating system allows the user to select passwords based on dictionary words,
this increases the chances of password compromise by increasing the opportunity for
successful guesses, and brute-force attacks.

Page 612

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the dictcheck option is not set to 0 (disabled)
in a pwquality configuration file:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*dictcheck\h*=\h*0\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify that the dictcheck option is not set to 0 (disabled)
as a module argument in a PAM file:
# grep -Psi --
'^\h*password\h+(requisite|required|sufficient)\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?dictcheck\h*=\h*0\b'
/etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Note:

• Settings observe an order of precedence:

o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Remediation:
Edit any file ending in .conf in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
and/or the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and comment out or remove any
instance of dictcheck = 0:
Example:
# sed -ri 's/^\s*dictcheck\s*=/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Run the following command:

# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?dictcheck\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the dictcheck argument from the
pam_pwquality.so line(s)

Default Value:
dictcheck = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 613

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 614

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The pam_pwquality module can be configured to either reject a password if it fails the
checks, or only print a warning.
This is configured by setting the enforcing=<N> argument. If nonzero, a password will
be rejected if it fails the checks, otherwise only a warning message will be provided.
This setting applies only to the pam_pwquality module and possibly other applications
that explicitly change their behavior based on it. It does not affect pwmake(1) and
pwscore(1).
Rationale:
Strong passwords help protect systems from password attacks. Types of password
attacks include dictionary attacks, which attempt to use common words and phrases,
and brute force attacks, which try every possible combination of characters. Also
attackers may try to obtain the account database so they can use tools to discover the
accounts and passwords.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that enforcing=0 has not been set in a
pwquality configuration file:
# grep -PHsi -- '^\h*enforcing\h*=\h*0\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify that the enforcing=0 argument has not been set
on the pam_pwquality module:
# grep -PHsi -- '^\h*password\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?enforcing=0\b'
/etc/pam.d/common-password

Nothing should be returned

Page 615

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# grep -Pl -- '\bpam_pwquality\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?enforcing=0\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and remove the enforcing=0 argument from the
pam_pwquality.so line(s)
Edit /etc/security/pwquality.conf and all files ending in .conf in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory and remove or comment out any line
containing the enforcing = 0 argument:
Example:
# sed -ri 's/^\s*enforcing\s*=\s*0/# &/' /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Default Value:
enforcing=1
References:

1. pam_pwquality(8)
2. PWQUALITY.CONF(5)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

Page 616

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
If the pwquality enforce_for_root option is enabled, the module will return error on
failed check even if the user changing the password is root.
This option is off by default which means that just the message about the failed check is
printed but root can change the password anyway.
Note: The root is not asked for an old password so the checks that compare the old and
new password are not performed.
Rationale:
Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to
compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the
effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.
Password complexity is one factor of several that determines how long it takes to crack
a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible
combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Page 617

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the enforce_for_root option is enabled in a
pwquality configuration file:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*enforce_for_root\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/*.conf

Example output:
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwroot.conf:enforce_for_root

Note:

• Settings observe an order of precedence:

o module arguments override the settings in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
o settings in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf configuration file
override settings in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory
o settings in a .conf file in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
directory are read in canonical order, with last read file containing the
setting taking precedence
• It is recommended that settings be configured in a .conf file in the
/etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ directory for clarity, convenience, and
durability.

Remediation:
Edit or add the following line in a *.conf file in /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d or
in /etc/security/pwquality.conf:
Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
[ ! -d /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/
printf '\n%s\n' "enforce_for_root" > /etc/security/pwquality.conf.d/50-pwroot.conf
}

Default Value:
disabled
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 618

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

Page 619

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.3 Configure pam_pwhistory module
pam_pwhistory - PAM module to remember last passwords
pam_history.so module - This module saves the last passwords for each user in order
to force password change history and keep the user from alternating between the same
password too frequently.
This module does not work together with kerberos. In general, it does not make much
sense to use this module in conjunction with NIS or LDAP, since the old passwords are
stored on the local machine and are not available on another machine for password
history checking.
Options:

• debug - Turns on debugging via syslog(3).

• use_authtok - When password changing enforce the module to use the new
password provided by a previously stacked password module (this is used in the
example of the stacking of the pam_passwdqc module documented below).
• enforce_for_root - If this option is set, the check is enforced for root, too.
• remember=<N> - The last <N> passwords for each user are saved. The default is
10. Value of 0 makes the module to keep the existing contents of the opasswd
file unchanged.
• retry=<N> - Prompt user at most <N> times before returning with error. The
default is 1.
• authtok_type=<STRING> - See pam_get_authtok(3) for more details.

Examples:
An example password section would be:

#%PAM-1.0
password required pam_pwhistory.so
password required pam_unix.so use_authtok

In combination with pam_passwdqc:

#%PAM-1.0
password required pam_passwdqc.so config=/etc/passwdqc.conf
password required pam_pwhistory.so use_authtok
password required pam_unix.so use_authtok

Page 620

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The /etc/security/opasswd file stores the users' old passwords and can be checked
to ensure that users are not recycling recent passwords. The number of passwords
remembered is set via the remember argument value in set for the pam_pwhistory
module.

• remember=<N> - <N> is the number of old passwords to remember

Rationale:
Requiring users not to reuse their passwords make it less likely that an attacker will be
able to guess the password or use a compromised password.
Note: These change only apply to accounts configured on the local system.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify:

• The pwhistory line in /etc/pam.d/common-password includes remember=<N>

• The value of <N> is 24 or more
• The value meets local site policy
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*password\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_pwhistory\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?remember=\d+\b'
/etc/pam.d/common-password

Output should be similar to:

password requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok

Page 621

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# awk '/Password-Type:/{ f = 1;next } /-Type:/{ f = 0 } f {if (/pam_pwhistory\.so/) print FILENAME}'
/usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and edit or add the remember= argument, with a value of 24 or
more, that meets local site policy to the pam_pwhistory line in the Password section:
Example File:
Name: pwhistory password history checking
Default: yes
Priority: 1024
Password-Type: Primary
Password:
requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok # <- **ensure line includes
remember=<N>**

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <MODIFIED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable pwhistory

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5(1)

Page 622

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
T1078.002, T1078.003,
T1078.004, T1110,
T1110.004

Page 623

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
If the pwhistory enforce_for_root option is enabled, the module will enforce
password history for the root user as well
Rationale:
Requiring users not to reuse their passwords make it less likely that an attacker will be
able to guess the password or use a compromised password
Note: These change only apply to accounts configured on the local system.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the enforce_for_root argument is exists on
the pwhistory line in /etc/pam.d/common-password:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*password\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_pwhistory\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?enforce_for_root\b'
/etc/pam.d/common-password

Output should be similar to:

password requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok

Page 624

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# awk '/Password-Type:/{ f = 1;next } /-Type:/{ f = 0 } f {if (/pam_pwhistory\.so/) print FILENAME}'
/usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and add the enforce_for_root argument to the
pam_pwhistory line in the Password section:
Example File:
Name: pwhistory password history checking
Default: yes
Priority: 1024
Password-Type: Primary
Password:
requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok # <- **ensure line includes
enforce_for_root**

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <MODIFIED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable pwhistory

Default Value:
disabled
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 625

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
T1110.002, T1110.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1178.001, T1178.002,
T1178.003, T1178.004

Page 626

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
use_authtok - When password changing enforce the module to set the new password
to the one provided by a previously stacked password module
Rationale:
use_authtok allows multiple pam modules to confirm a new password before it is
accepted.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the use_authtok argument exists on the
pwhistory line in /etc/pam.d/common-password:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*password\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_pwhistory\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?use_authtok\b' /etc/pam.d/common-
password

Output should be similar to:

password requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok

Remediation:
Run the following command:
# awk '/Password-Type:/{ f = 1;next } /-Type:/{ f = 0 } f {if (/pam_pwhistory\.so/) print FILENAME}'
/usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any returned files and add the use_authtok argument to the pam_pwhistory line
in the Password section:
Example File:
Name: pwhistory password history checking
Default: yes
Priority: 1024
Password-Type: Primary
Password:
requisite pam_pwhistory.so remember=24 enforce_for_root use_authtok # <- **ensure line includes
use_authtok**

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <MODIFIED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable pwhistory

Page 627

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

Encrypt sensitive data at rest on servers, applications, and databases containing
sensitive data. Storage-layer encryption, also known as server-side encryption,
v8 meets the minimum requirement of this Safeguard. Additional encryption methods ● ●
may include application-layer encryption, also known as client-side encryption,
where access to the data storage device(s) does not permit access to the plain-text
data.

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 628

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.4 Configure pam_unix module
The pam_unix.so module is the standard Unix authentication module. It uses standard
calls from the system's libraries to retrieve and set account information as well as
authentication. Usually this is obtained from the /etc/passwd and the /etc/shadow file
as well if shadow is enabled.

Page 629

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nullok argument overrides the default action of pam_unix.so to not permit the
user access to a service if their official password is blank.
Rationale:
Using a strong password is essential to helping protect personal and sensitive
information from unauthorized access
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the nullok argument is not set on the
pam_unix.so module:
# grep -PHs -- '^\h*[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_unix\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?nullok\b' /etc/pam.d/common-
{password,auth,account,session,session-noninteractive}

Nothing should be returned

Page 630

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# grep -PH -- '^\h*([^#\n\r]+\h+)?pam_unix\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?nullok\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any files returned and remove the nullok argument for the pam_unix lines
Example File:
Name: Unix authentication
Default: yes
Priority: 256
Auth-Type: Primary
Auth:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so try_first_pass # <- **ensure line does not include nullok
nullok**
Auth-Initial:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so # <- **ensure line does not include nullok nullok**
Account-Type: Primary
Account:
[success=end new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Account-Initial:
[success=end new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Session-Type: Additional
Session:
required pam_unix.so
Session-Initial:
required pam_unix.so
Password-Type: Primary
Password:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok try_first_pass yescrypt
Password-Initial:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure yescrypt

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <EDITED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable unix

Note: If custom files are being used, the corresponding files in /etc/pam.d/ would
need to be edited directly, and the pam-auth-update --enable
<EDITED_PROFILE_NAME> command skipped

Page 631

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 632

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The remember=n argument saves the last n passwords for each user in
/etc/security/opasswd in order to force password change history and keep the user
from alternating between the same password too frequently. The MD5 password hash
algorithm is used for storing the old passwords. Instead of this option the
pam_pwhistory module should be used. The pam_pwhistory module saves the last n
passwords for each user in /etc/security/opasswd using the password hash
algorithm set on the pam_unix module. This allows for the yescrypt or sha512 hash
algorithm to be used.
Rationale:
The remember=n argument should be removed to ensure a strong password hashing
algorithm is being used. A stronger hash provides additional protection to the system by
increasing the level of effort needed for an attacker to successfully determine local
user's old passwords stored in /etc/security/opasswd.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the remember argument is not set on the
pam_unix.so module:
# grep -PHs -- '^\h*^\h*[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_unix\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?remember=\d+\b' /etc/pam.d/common-
{password,auth,account,session,session-noninteractive}

Nothing should be returned

Page 633

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# grep -PH -- '^\h*([^#\n\r]+\h+)?pam_unix\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?remember\b' /usr/share/pam-configs/*

Edit any files returned and remove the remember=_<N>_ argument for the pam_unix
lines
Example output:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok try_first_pass yescrypt remember=5 # **<- remove
remember=<N>**
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure yescrypt remember=5 # **<- remove remember=<N>**

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <EDITED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable unix

Note: If custom files are being used, the corresponding files in /etc/pam.d/ would
need to be edited directly, and the pam-auth-update --enable
<EDITED_PROFILE_NAME> command skipped

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 634

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing
algorithm (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
A cryptographic hash function converts an arbitrary-length input into a fixed length
output. Password hashing performs a one-way transformation of a password, turning
the password into another string, called the hashed password.
The pam_unix module can be configured to use one of the following hashing algorithms
for user's passwords:

• md5 - When a user changes their password next, encrypt it with the MD5
algorithm.
• bigcrypt - When a user changes their password next, encrypt it with the DEC C2
algorithm.
• sha256 - When a user changes their password next, encrypt it with the SHA256
algorithm. The SHA256 algorithm must be supported by the crypt(3) function.
• sha512 - When a user changes their password next, encrypt it with the SHA512
algorithm. The SHA512 algorithm must be supported by the crypt(3) function.
• blowfish - When a user changes their password next, encrypt it with the
blowfish algorithm. The blowfish algorithm must be supported by the crypt(3)
function.

Rationale:
The SHA-512 algorithm provides a stronger hash than other algorithms used for
password hash generation. A stronger hash provides additional protection to the system
by increasing the level of effort needed for an attacker to successfully determine local
user passwords.
Note: These changes only apply to the local system.

Page 635

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that a strong password hashing algorithm is set on
the pam_unix.so module:
# grep -PH -- '^\h*password\h+([^#\n\r]+)\h+pam_unix\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(sha512)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-
password

Output should be similar to:

/etc/pam.d/common-password:password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok
try_first_pass yescrypt

Verify that the line(s) includes sha512

Note: yescrypt will be acceptable - IF - it becomes supported

Remediation:
Run the following command:
# awk '/Password-Type:/{ f = 1;next } /-Type:/{ f = 0 } f {if (/pam_unix\.so/) print FILENAME}' /usr/share/pam-
configs/*

Edit any returned files and edit or add a the strong sha512 hashing algorithm to the
pam_unix lines in the Password section:
Example File:
Name: Unix authentication
Default: yes
Priority: 256
Auth-Type: Primary # <- Start of "Auth" section
Auth:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so try_first_pass
Auth-Initial:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Account-Type: Primary # <- Start of "Account" section
Account:
[success=end new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Account-Initial:
[success=end new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Session-Type: Additional # <- Start of "Session" section
Session:
required pam_unix.so
Session-Initial:
required pam_unix.so
Password-Type: Primary # <- Start of "Password" section
Password:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok try_first_pass sha512 # <- **ensure
hashing algorithm is sha512**
Password-Initial:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure sha512 # <- **ensure hashing algorithm is sha512**

Note: yescrypt will be acceptable - IF - it becomes supported

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <MODIFIED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable unix

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 636

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
The following command may be used to expire all non-system user ID's immediately
and force them to change their passwords on next login. Any system accounts that
need to be expired should be carefully done separately by the system administrator to
prevent any potential problems.
# awk -F: '( $3<'"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' && $1 != "nfsnobody" ) { print $1 }'
/etc/passwd | xargs -n 1 chage -d 0

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

Encrypt sensitive data at rest on servers, applications, and databases containing
sensitive data. Storage-layer encryption, also known as server-side encryption,
v8 meets the minimum requirement of this Safeguard. Additional encryption methods ● ●
may include application-layer encryption, also known as client-side encryption,
where access to the data storage device(s) does not permit access to the plain-text
data.

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 637

Internal Only - General

 5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
use_authtok - When password changing enforce the module to set the new password
to the one provided by a previously stacked password module
Rationale:
use_authtok allows multiple pam modules to confirm a new password before it is
accepted.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that use_authtok is set on the pam_unix.so
module lines in the password stack:
# grep -PH -- '^\h*password\h+([^#\n\r]+)\h+pam_unix\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?use_authtok\b' /etc/pam.d/common-
password

Output should be similar to:

/etc/pam.d/common-password:password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok
try_first_pass yescrypt

Verify that the line(s) include use_authtok

Page 638

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command:
# awk '/Password-Type:/{ f = 1;next } /-Type:/{ f = 0 } f {if (/pam_unix\.so/) print FILENAME}' /usr/share/pam-
configs/*

Edit any returned files add use_authtok to the pam_unix line in the Password section
under Password: subsection:
Note: The if the file's Password section includes a Password-Initial: subsection,
use_authtok should not be added to the pam_unix line in the Password-Initial:
subsection
Example File:
Name: Unix authentication
Default: yes
Priority: 256
Auth-Type: Primary # <- Start of "Auth" section
Auth:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so try_first_pass
Auth-Initial:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Account-Type: Primary # <- Start of "Account" section
Account:
[success=end new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Account-Initial:
[success=end new_authtok_reqd=done default=ignore] pam_unix.so
Session-Type: Additional # <- Start of "Session" section
Session:
required pam_unix.so
Session-Initial:
required pam_unix.so
Password-Type: Primary # <- Start of "Password" section
Password:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure use_authtok try_first_pass yescrypt # <- **ensure
line includes use_authtok**
Password-Initial:
[success=end default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure yescrypt # <- **Password-Initial: subsection does
not include use_authtok

Run the following command to update the files in the /etc/pam.d/ directory:
# pam-auth-update --enable <MODIFIED_PROFILE_NAME>

Example:
# pam-auth-update --enable unix

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 639

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

Encrypt sensitive data at rest on servers, applications, and databases containing
sensitive data. Storage-layer encryption, also known as server-side encryption,
v8 meets the minimum requirement of this Safeguard. Additional encryption methods ● ●
may include application-layer encryption, also known as client-side encryption,
where access to the data storage device(s) does not permit access to the plain-text
data.

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 640

Internal Only - General

 5.4 User Accounts and Environment

This section provides guidance on setting up secure defaults for system and user
accounts and their environment.

Page 641

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1 Configure shadow password suite parameters

While a majority of the password control parameters have been moved to PAM, some
parameters are still available through the shadow password suite. Any changes made to
/etc/login.defs will only be applied if the usermod command is used. If user IDs are
added a different way, use the chage command to effect changes to individual user IDs.

Page 642

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The PASS_MAX_DAYS parameter in /etc/login.defs allows an administrator to force
passwords to expire once they reach a defined age.
PASS_MAX_DAYS <N> - The maximum number of days a password may be used. If the
password is older than this, a password change will be forced. If not specified, -1 will be
assumed (which disables the restriction).
Rationale:
The window of opportunity for an attacker to leverage compromised credentials or
successfully compromise credentials via an online brute force attack is limited by the
age of the password. Therefore, reducing the maximum age of a password also reduces
an attacker's window of opportunity.
We recommend a yearly password change. This is primarily because for all their good
intentions users will share credentials across accounts. Therefore, even if a breach is
publicly identified, the user may not see this notification, or forget they have an account
on that site. This could leave a shared credential vulnerable indefinitely. Having an
organizational policy of a 1-year (annual) password expiration is a reasonable
compromise to mitigate this with minimal user burden.
Impact:
The password expiration must be greater than the minimum days between password
changes or users will be unable to change their password.
Excessive password expiration requirements do more harm than good, because these
requirements make users select predictable passwords, composed of sequential words
and numbers that are closely related to each other. In these cases, the next password
can be predicted based on the previous one (incrementing a number used in the
password for example). Also, password expiration requirements offer no containment
benefits because attackers will often use credentials as soon as they compromise them.
Instead, immediate password changes should be based on key events including, but not
limited to:

• Indication of compromise
• Change of user roles
• When a user leaves the organization.

Page 643

Internal Only - General

 Not only does changing passwords every few weeks or months frustrate the user, but
it’s also been suggested that it does more harm than good, because it could lead to bad
practices by the user such as adding a character to the end of their existing password.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify PASS_MAX_DAYS is set to 365 days or less and
conforms to local site policy:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*PASS_MAX_DAYS\h+\d+\b' /etc/login.defs

Example output:
PASS_MAX_DAYS 365

Run the following command to verify all /etc/shadow passwords PASS_MAX_DAYS:

• is greater than 0 days

• is less than or equal to 365 days
• conforms to local site policy
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($5 > 365 || $5 < 1)print "User: " $1 " PASS_MAX_DAYS: " $5}' /etc/shadow

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Set the PASS_MAX_DAYS parameter to conform to site policy in /etc/login.defs :
PASS_MAX_DAYS 365

Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match:
# chage --maxdays 365 <user>

Edit /etc/login.defs and set PASS_MAX_DAYS to a value greater than 0 that follows
local site policy:
Example:
PASS_MAX_DAYS 365

Run the following command to modify user parameters for all users with a password set
to a maximum age no greater than 365 or less than 1 that follows local site policy:
# chage --maxdays <N> <user>

Example:
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($5 > 365 || $5 < 1)system ("chage --maxdays 365 " $1)}' /etc/shadow

Warning: If a password has been set at system install or kickstart, the last change
date field is not set, In this case, setting PASS_MAX_DAYS will immediately expire the
password. One possible solution is to populate the last change date field through a
command like: chage -d "$(date +%Y-%m-%d)" root

Default Value:
PASS_MAX_DAYS 99999

Page 644

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. CIS Password Policy Guide

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Additional Information:
A value of -1 will disable password expiration.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
T1078.002, T1078.003,
T1078.004, T1110,
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 645

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
PASS_MIN_DAYS <N> - The minimum number of days allowed between password
changes. Any password changes attempted sooner than this will be rejected. If not
specified, 0 will be assumed (which disables the restriction).
Rationale:
Users may have favorite passwords that they like to use because they are easy to
remember and they believe that their password choice is secure from compromise.
Unfortunately, passwords are compromised and if an attacker is targeting a specific
individual user account, with foreknowledge of data about that user, reuse of old,
potentially compromised passwords, may cause a security breach.
By restricting the frequency of password changes, an administrator can prevent users
from repeatedly changing their password in an attempt to circumvent password reuse
controls
Impact:
If a users password is set by other personnel as a procedure in dealing with a lost or
expired password, the user should be forced to update this "set" password with their
own password. e.g. force "change at next logon".
If it is not possible to have a user set their own password immediately, and this
recommendation or local site procedure may cause a user to continue using a third
party generated password, PASS_MIN_DAYS for the effected user should be temporally
changed to 0via chage --mindays <user>, to allow a user to change their password
immediately.
For applications where the user is not using the password at console, the ability to
"change at next logon" may be limited. This may cause a user to continue to use a
password created by other personnel.

Page 646

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify that PASS_MIN_DAYS is set to a value greater than
0and follows local site policy:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*PASS_MIN_DAYS\h+\d+\b' /etc/login.defs

Example output:
PASS_MIN_DAYS 1

Run the following command to verify all passwords have a PASS_MIN_DAYS greater than
0:
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($4 < 1)print "User: " $1 " PASS_MIN_DAYS: " $4}' /etc/shadow

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit /etc/login.defs and set PASS_MIN_DAYS to a value greater than 0 that follows
local site policy:
Example:
PASS_MIN_DAYS 1

Run the following command to modify user parameters for all users with a password set
to a minimum days greater than zero that follows local site policy:
# chage --mindays <N> <user>

Example:
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($4 < 1)system ("chage --mindays 1 " $1)}' /etc/shadow

Default Value:
PASS_MIN_DAYS 0
References:

1. CIS Password Policy Guide

2. NIST SP 800-53 :: IA-5 (1) (d)
3. NIST SP 800-53A :: IA-5 (1).1 (v)
4. STIG ID: RHEL-08-020180 | Rule ID: SV-230364r627750 | CAT II
5. STIG ID: RHEL-08-020190 | Rule ID: SV-230365r858727 | CAT II
6. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010007 | Rule ID: SV-238202r1015140 | CAT III
7. STIG ID: UBTU-22-411025 | Rule ID: SV-260545r1015007 | CAT III

Page 647

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
T1078.002, T1078.003,
TA0006 M1027
T1078.004, T1110,
T1110.004

Page 648

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The PASS_WARN_AGE parameter in /etc/login.defs allows an administrator to notify
users that their password will expire in a defined number of days.
PASS_WARN_AGE <N> - The number of days warning given before a password expires. A
zero means warning is given only upon the day of expiration, a negative value means
no warning is given. If not specified, no warning will be provided.
Rationale:
Providing an advance warning that a password will be expiring gives users time to think
of a secure password. Users caught unaware may choose a simple password or write it
down where it may be discovered.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify PASS_WARN_AGE is 7 or more and follows local
site policy:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*PASS_WARN_AGE\h+\d+\b' /etc/login.defs

Example output:
PASS_WARN_AGE 7

Run the following command to verify all passwords have a PASS_WARN_AGE of 7 or

more:
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($6 < 7)print "User: " $1 " PASS_WARN_AGE: " $6}' /etc/shadow

Nothing should be returned

Page 649

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit /etc/login.defs and set PASS_WARN_AGE to a value of 7 or more that follows
local site policy:
Example:
PASS_WARN_AGE 7

Run the following command to modify user parameters for all users with a password set
to a minimum warning to 7 or more days that follows local site policy:
# chage --warndays <N> <user>

Example:
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($6 < 7)system ("chage --warndays 7 " $1)}' /etc/shadow

Default Value:
PASS_WARN_AGE 7
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078 TA0006 M1027

Page 650

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
A cryptographic hash function converts an arbitrary-length input into a fixed length
output. Password hashing performs a one-way transformation of a password, turning
the password into another string, called the hashed password.
ENCRYPT_METHOD (string) - This defines the system default encryption algorithm for
encrypting passwords (if no algorithm are specified on the command line). It can take
one of these values:

• MD5 - MD5-based algorithm will be used for encrypting password

• SHA256 - SHA256-based algorithm will be used for encrypting password
• SHA512 - SHA512-based algorithm will be used for encrypting password
• BCRYPT - BCRYPT-based algorithm will be used for encrypting password
• YESCRYPT - YESCRYPT-based algorithm will be used for encrypting password
• DES - DES-based algorithm will be used for encrypting password (default)

Note:

• This parameter overrides the deprecated MD5_CRYPT_ENAB variable.

• This parameter will only affect the generation of group passwords.
• The generation of user passwords is done by PAM and subject to the PAM
configuration.
• It is recommended to set this variable consistently with the PAM configuration.

Rationale:
The SHA-512 and yescrypt algorithms provide a stronger hash than other algorithms
used by Linux for password hash generation. A stronger hash provides additional
protection to the system by increasing the level of effort needed for an attacker to
successfully determine local group passwords.

Page 651

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following command to verify the hashing algorithm is sha512 or yescrypt in
/etc/login.defs:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*ENCRYPT_METHOD\h+(SHA512|yescrypt)\b' /etc/login.defs

Example output:
ENCRYPT_METHOD SHA512
- OR -
ENCRYPT_METHOD YESCRYPT

Remediation:
Edit /etc/login.defs and set the ENCRYPT_METHOD to SHA512 or YESCRYPT:
ENCRYPT_METHOD <HASHING_ALGORITHM>

Example:
ENCRYPT_METHOD YESCRYPT

Note:

• This only effects local groups' passwords created after updating the file to use
sha512 or yescrypt.
• If it is determined that the password algorithm being used is not sha512 or
yescrypt, once it is changed, it is recommended that all group passwords be
updated to use the stronger hashing algorithm.
• It is recommended that the chosen hashing algorithm is consistent across
/etc/login.defs and the PAM configuration

Default Value:
ENCRYPT_METHOD SHA512
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 652

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

Encrypt sensitive data at rest on servers, applications, and databases containing
sensitive data. Storage-layer encryption, also known as server-side encryption,
v8 meets the minimum requirement of this Safeguard. Additional encryption methods ● ●
may include application-layer encryption, also known as client-side encryption,
where access to the data storage device(s) does not permit access to the plain-text
data.

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 653

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
User accounts that have been inactive for over a given period of time can be
automatically disabled.
INACTIVE - Defines the number of days after the password exceeded its maximum age
where the user is expected to replace this password.
The value is stored in the shadow password file. An input of 0 will disable an expired
password with no delay. An input of -1 will blank the respective field in the shadow
password file.
Rationale:
Inactive accounts pose a threat to system security since the users are not logging in to
notice failed login attempts or other anomalies.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify INACTIVE conforms to site policy (no more than
45 days):
# useradd -D | grep INACTIVE

INACTIVE=45

Verify all users with a password have Password inactive no more than 45 days after
password expires
Verify all users with a password have Password inactive no more than 45 days after
password expires: Run the following command and Review list of users and INACTIVE
to verify that all users INACTIVE conforms to site policy (no more than 45 days):
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($7 > 45 || $7 < 0)print "User: " $1 " INACTIVE: " $7 "Days"}' /etc/shadow

Nothing should be returned

Page 654

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command to set the default password inactivity period to 45 days or
less that meets local site policy:
# useradd -D -f <N>

Example:
# useradd -D -f 45

Run the following command to modify user parameters for all users with a password set
to a inactive age of 45 days or less that follows local site policy:
# chage --inactive <N> <user>

Example:
# awk -F: '($2~/^\$.+\$/) {if($7 > 45 || $7 < 0)system ("chage --inactive 45 " $1)}' /etc/shadow

Default Value:
INACTIVE=-1
References:

1. CIS Password Policy Guide

Additional Information:
A value of -1 would disable this setting.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1078, T1078.002, T1078.003 TA0001 M1027

Page 655

Internal Only - General

 5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
All users should have a password change date in the past.
Rationale:
If a user's recorded password change date is in the future, then they could bypass any
set password expiration.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify nothing is returned:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
while IFS= read -r l_user; do
l_change=$(date -d "$(chage --list $l_user | grep '^Last password change' | cut -d: -f2 | grep -v
'never$')" +%s)
if [[ "$l_change" -gt "$(date +%s)" ]]; then
echo "User: \"$l_user\" last password change was \"$(chage --list $l_user | grep '^Last password
change' | cut -d: -f2)\""
fi
done < <(awk -F: '$2~/^\$.+\$/{print $1}' /etc/shadow)
}

Remediation:
Investigate any users with a password change date in the future and correct them.
Locking the account, expiring the password, or resetting the password manually may be
appropriate.

Page 656

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
T1078.002, T1078.003,
T1078.004, T1110,
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 657

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2 Configure root and system accounts and environment

Page 658

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Any account with UID 0 has superuser privileges on the system.
Rationale:
This access must be limited to only the default root account and only from the system
console. Administrative access must be through an unprivileged account using an
approved mechanism as noted in the Recommendation "Ensure access to the su
command is restricted".
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that only "root" is returned:
# awk -F: '($3 == 0) { print $1 }' /etc/passwd

root

Remediation:
Run the following command to change the root account UID to 0:
# usermod -u 0 root

Modify any users other than root with UID 0 and assign them a new UID.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 659

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.000 TA0001 M1026

Page 660

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The usermod command can be used to specify which group the root account belongs
to. This affects permissions of files that are created by the root account.

Rationale:
Using GID 0 for the root account helps prevent root -owned files from accidentally
becoming accessible to non-privileged users.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the root user's primary GID is 0, and no other
user's have GID 0 as their primary GID:
# awk -F: '($1 !~ /^(sync|shutdown|halt|operator)/ && $4=="0") {print $1":"$4}' /etc/passwd

root:0

Note: User's: sync, shutdown, halt, and operator are excluded from the check for other
user's with GID 0

Remediation:
Run the following command to set the root user's GID to 0:
# usermod -g 0 root

Run the following command to set the root group's GID to 0:

# groupmod -g 0 root

Remove any users other than the root user with GID 0 or assign them a new GID if
appropriate.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 661

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.000 TA0005 M1026

Page 662

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The groupmod command can be used to specify which group the root group belongs
to. This affects permissions of files that are group owned by the root group.

Rationale:
Using GID 0 for the root group helps prevent root group owned files from accidentally
becoming accessible to non-privileged users.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify no group other than root is assigned GID 0:
# awk -F: '$3=="0"{print $1":"$3}' /etc/group

root:0

Remediation:
Run the following command to set the root group's GID to 0:
# groupmod -g 0 root

Remove any groups other than the root group with GID 0 or assign them a new GID if
appropriate.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 663

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.000 TA0005 M1026

Page 664

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
There are a number of methods to access the root account directly. Without a password
set any user would be able to gain access and thus control over the entire system.
Rationale:
Access to root should be secured at all times.

Impact:
If there are any automated processes that relies on access to the root account without
authentication, they will fail after remediation.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that either the root user's password is set or the
root user's account is locked:
# passwd -S root | awk '$2 ~ /^(P|L)/ {print "User: \"" $1 "\" Password is status: " $2}'

Verify the output is either:

User: "root" Password is status: P
- OR -
User: "root" Password is status: L

Note:

• P - Password is set
• L - Password is locked

Remediation:
Run the following command to set a password for the root user:
# passwd root

- OR -
Run the following command to lock the root user account:
# usermod -L root

Page 665

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078 TA0005 M1026

Page 666

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.5 Ensure root path integrity (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The root user can execute any command on the system and could be fooled into
executing programs unintentionally if the PATH is not set correctly.

Rationale:
Including the current working directory (.) or other writable directory in root's
executable path makes it likely that an attacker can gain superuser access by forcing an
administrator operating as root to execute a Trojan horse program.

Page 667

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to verify root's path does not include:

• Locations that are not directories

• An empty directory (::)
• A trailing (:)
• Current working directory (.)
• Non root owned directories
• Directories that less restrictive than mode 0755

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output2=""
l_pmask="0022"
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
l_root_path="$(sudo -Hiu root env | grep '^PATH' | cut -d= -f2)"
unset a_path_loc && IFS=":" read -ra a_path_loc <<< "$l_root_path"
grep -q "::" <<< "$l_root_path" && l_output2="$l_output2\n - root's path contains a empty directory (::)"
grep -Pq ":\h*$" <<< "$l_root_path" && l_output2="$l_output2\n - root's path contains a trailing (:)"
grep -Pq '(\h+|:)\.(:|\h*$)' <<< "$l_root_path" && l_output2="$l_output2\n - root's path contains current
working directory (.)"
while read -r l_path; do
if [ -d "$l_path" ]; then
while read -r l_fmode l_fown; do
[ "$l_fown" != "root" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - Directory: \"$l_path\" is owned by:
\"$l_fown\" should be owned by \"root\""
[ $(( $l_fmode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - Directory: \"$l_path\" is mode:
\"$l_fmode\" and should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive"
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%#a %U' "$l_path")"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_path\" is not a directory"
fi
done <<< "$(printf "%s\n" "${a_path_loc[@]}")"
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n *** PASS ***\n - Root's path is correctly configured\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2\n"
fi
}

Remediation:
Correct or justify any:

• Locations that are not directories

• Empty directories (::)
• Trailing (:)
• Current working directory (.)
• Non root owned directories
• Directories that less restrictive than mode 0755

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 668

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0006 M1022

Page 669

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The user file-creation mode mask (umask) is used to determine the file permission for
newly created directories and files. In Linux, the default permissions for any newly
created directory is 0777 (rwxrwxrwx), and for any newly created file it is 0666 (rw-rw-
rw-). The umask modifies the default Linux permissions by restricting (masking) these
permissions. The umask is not simply subtracted, but is processed bitwise. Bits set in
the umask are cleared in the resulting file mode.
umask can be set with either Octal or Symbolic values:

• Octal (Numeric) Value - Represented by either three or four digits. ie umask

0027 or umask 027. If a four digit umask is used, the first digit is ignored. The
remaining three digits effect the resulting permissions for user, group, and
world/other respectively.
• Symbolic Value - Represented by a comma separated list for User u, group g,
and world/other o. The permissions listed are not masked by umask. ie a umask
set by umask u=rwx,g=rx,o= is the Symbolic equivalent of the Octal umask
027. This umask would set a newly created directory with file mode drwxr-x---
and a newly created file with file mode rw-r-----.

root user Shell Configuration Files:

• /root/.bash_profile - Is executed to configure the root users' shell before the

initial command prompt. Is only read by login shells.
• /root/.bashrc - Is executed for interactive shells. only read by a shell that's
both interactive and non-login

umask is set by order of precedence. If umask is set in multiple locations, this order of
precedence will determine the system's default umask.
Order of precedence:

1. /root/.bash_profile
2. /root/.bashrc
3. The system default umask

Page 670

Internal Only - General

 Rationale:
Setting a secure value for umask ensures that users make a conscious choice about
their file permissions. A permissive umask value could result in directories or files with
excessive permissions that can be read and/or written to by unauthorized users.
Audit:
Run the following to verify the root user umask is set to enforce a newly created
directories' permissions to be 750 (drwxr-x---), and a newly created file's
permissions be 640 (rw-r-----), or more restrictive:
# grep -Psi -- '^\h*umask\h+(([0-7][0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-7][0-7][0-7][0-6]\b)|([0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-7][0-7][0-
6]\b)|(u=[rwx]{1,3},)?(((g=[rx]?[rx]?w[rx]?[rx]?\b)(,o=[rwx]{1,3})?)|((g=[wrx]{1,3},)?o=[wrx]{1,3}\b)))'
/root/.bash_profile /root/.bashrc /etc/login.defs

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Edit /root/.bash_profile and /root/.bashrc and remove, comment out, or update
any line with umask to be 0027 or more restrictive.

Default Value:
System default umask

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data access control lists, ● ● ●
also known as access permissions, to local and remote file systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, claims, application, or
v7 database specific access control lists. These controls will enforce the principle that only authorized ● ● ●
individuals should have access to the information based on their need to access the information as a
part of their responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-techniques Tactics Mitigations

T1083 TA0007

Page 671

Internal Only - General

 5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
There are a number of accounts provided with most distributions that are used to
manage applications and are not intended to provide an interactive shell. Furthermore,
a user may add special accounts that are not intended to provide an interactive shell.
Rationale:
It is important to make sure that accounts that are not being used by regular users are
prevented from being used to provide an interactive shell. By default, most distributions
set the password field for these accounts to an invalid string, but it is also recommended
that the shell field in the password file be set to the nologin shell. This prevents the
account from potentially being used to run any commands.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify system accounts, except for root, halt, sync,
shutdown or nfsnobody, do not have a valid login shell:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_valid_shells="^($(awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' | paste
-s -d '|' - ))$"
awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1!~/^(root|halt|sync|shutdown|nfsnobody)$/ && ($3<'"$(awk
'/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' || $3 == 65534) && $(NF) ~ pat) {print "Service account: \"" $1
"\" has a valid shell: " $7}' /etc/passwd
}

Nothing should be returned

Page 672

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command to set the shell for any service accounts returned by the
audit to nologin:
# usermod -s $(command -v nologin) <user>

Example script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1!~/^(root|halt|sync|shutdown|nfsnobody)$/ && ($3<'"$(awk
'/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' || $3 == 65534) && $(NF) ~ pat) {system ("usermod -s '"$(command -
v nologin)"' " $1)}' /etc/passwd
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-2(5), AC-3, AC-11, MP-2

Additional Information:
The root, sync, shutdown, and halt users are exempted from requiring a non-login
shell.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1026
T1078.003

Page 673

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 5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
There are a number of accounts provided with most distributions that are used to
manage applications and are not intended to provide an interactive shell. Furthermore,
a user may add special accounts that are not intended to provide an interactive shell.
Rationale:
It is important to make sure that accounts that are not being used by regular users are
prevented from being used to provide an interactive shell. By default, most distributions
set the password field for these accounts to an invalid string, but it is also recommended
that the shell field in the password file be set to the nologin shell. This prevents the
account from potentially being used to run any commands.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify all non-root accounts without a valid login shell are
locked.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_valid_shells="^($(awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' | paste
-s -d '|' - ))$"
while IFS= read -r l_user; do
passwd -S "$l_user" | awk '$2 !~ /^L/ {print "Account: \"" $1 "\" does not have a valid login shell and
is not locked"}'
done < <(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1 != "root" && $(NF) !~ pat) {print $1}' /etc/passwd)
}

Nothing should be returned

Page 674

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following command to lock any non-root accounts without a valid login shell
returned by the audit:
# usermod -L <user>

Example script::
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_valid_shells="^($(awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' | paste
-s -d '|' - ))$"
while IFS= read -r l_user; do
passwd -S "$l_user" | awk '$2 !~ /^L/ {system ("usermod -L " $1)}'
done < <(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1 != "root" && $(NF) !~ pat) {print $1}' /etc/passwd)
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-2(5), AC-3, AC-11, MP-2

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1026
T1078.003

Page 675

Internal Only - General

 5.4.3 Configure user default environment

Page 676

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 5.4.3.1 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
/etc/shells is a text file which contains the full pathnames of valid login shells. This
file is consulted by chsh and available to be queried by other programs.
Be aware that there are programs which consult this file to find out if a user is a normal
user; for example, FTP daemons traditionally disallow access to users with shells not
included in this file.
Rationale:
A user can use chsh to change their configured shell.
If a user has a shell configured that isn't in in /etc/shells, then the system assumes
that they're somehow restricted. In the case of chsh it means that the user cannot
change that value.
Other programs might query that list and apply similar restrictions.
By putting nologin in /etc/shells, any user that has nologin as its shell is
considered a full, unrestricted user. This is not the expected behavior for nologin.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify that nologin is not listed in the /etc/shells file:
# grep -Ps '^\h*([^#\n\r]+)?\/nologin\b' /etc/shells

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit /etc/shells and remove any lines that include nologin

References:

1. shells(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 677

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 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

Page 678

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 5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
TMOUT is an environmental setting that determines the timeout of a shell in seconds.

• TMOUT=n - Sets the shell timeout to n seconds. A setting of TMOUT=0 disables

timeout.
• readonly TMOUT- Sets the TMOUT environmental variable as readonly,
preventing unwanted modification during run-time.
• export TMOUT - exports the TMOUT variable

System Wide Shell Configuration Files:

• /etc/profile - used to set system wide environmental variables on users

shells. The variables are sometimes the same ones that are in the
.bash_profile, however this file is used to set an initial PATH or PS1 for all
shell users of the system. is only executed for interactive login shells, or
shells executed with the --login parameter.
• /etc/profile.d - /etc/profile will execute the scripts within
/etc/profile.d/*.sh. It is recommended to place your configuration in a shell
script within /etc/profile.d to set your own system wide environmental
variables.
• /etc/bash.bashrc - System wide version of .bashrc. In Fedora derived
distributions, /etc/bashrc also invokes /etc/profile.d/*.sh if non-login shell, but
redirects output to /dev/null if non-interactive. Is only executed for
interactive shells or if BASH_ENV is set to /etc/bash.bashrc.

Rationale:
Setting a timeout value reduces the window of opportunity for unauthorized user access
to another user's shell session that has been left unattended. It also ends the inactive
session and releases the resources associated with that session.

Page 679

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 Audit:
Run the following script to verify that TMOUT is configured to: include a timeout of no
more than 900 seconds, to be readonly, to be exported, and is not being changed to
a longer timeout.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=(); l_tmout_set="900"
f_tmout_read_chk()
{
a_out=(); a_out2=()
l_tmout_readonly="$(grep -P -- '^\h*(typeset\h\-xr\hTMOUT=\d+|([^#\n\r]+)?\breadonly\h+TMOUT\b)'
"$l_file")"
l_tmout_export="$(grep -P -- '^\h*(typeset\h\-xr\hTMOUT=\d+|([^#\n\r]+)?\bexport\b([^#\n\r]+\b)?TMOUT\b)'
"$l_file")"
if [ -n "$l_tmout_readonly" ]; then
a_out+=(" - Readonly is set as: \"$l_tmout_readonly\" in: \"$l_file\"")
else
a_out2+=(" - Readonly is not set in: \"$l_file\"")
fi
if [ -n "$l_tmout_export" ]; then
a_out+=(" - Export is set as: \"$l_tmout_export\" in: \"$l_file\"")
else
a_out2+=(" - Export is not set in: \"$l_file\"")
fi
}
while IFS= read -r l_file; do
l_tmout_value="$(grep -Po -- '^([^#\n\r]+)?\bTMOUT=\d+\b' "$l_file" | awk -F= '{print $2}')"
f_tmout_read_chk
if [ -n "$l_tmout_value" ]; then
if [[ "$l_tmout_value" -le "$l_tmout_set" && "$l_tmout_value" -gt "0" ]]; then
a_output+=(" - TMOUT is set to: \"$l_tmout_value\" in: \"$l_file\"")
[ "${#a_out[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output+=("${a_out[@]}")
[ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_out[@]}")
fi
if [[ "$l_tmout_value" -gt "$l_tmout_set" || "$l_tmout_value" -le "0" ]]; then
a_output2+=(" - TMOUT is incorrectly set to: \"$l_tmout_value\" in: \"$l_file\"")
[ "${#a_out[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=(" ** Incorrect TMOUT value **" "${a_out[@]}")
[ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_out2[@]}")
fi
else
[ "${#a_out[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=(" - TMOUT is not set" "${a_out[@]}")
[ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=(" - TMOUT is not set" "${a_out2[@]}")
fi
done < <(grep -Pls -- '^([^#\n\r]+)?\bTMOUT\b' /etc/*bashrc /etc/profile /etc/profile.d/*.sh)
[[ "${#a_output[@]}" -le 0 && "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]] && a_output2+=(" - TMOUT is not configured")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " * Reasons for audit failure *" "${a_output2[@]}" ""
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

Note: If TMOUT is set as readonly through readonly TMOUT and/or typeset -xr in
more than once, you will receive an error message when logging into a terminal session
or connecting with openSSH. It is recommended that TMOUT be set only once in only
one file.

Page 680

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 Remediation:
Review /etc/bashrc, /etc/profile, and all files ending in *.sh in the
/etc/profile.d/ directory and remove or edit all TMOUT=_n_ entries to follow local site
policy. TMOUT should not exceed 900 or be equal to 0.
Configure TMOUT in one of the following files:

• A file in the /etc/profile.d/ directory ending in .sh

• /etc/profile
• /etc/bashrc

Example command to set TMOUT to 900 seconds in a file in /etc/profile.d/:

# printf '%s\n' "# Set TMOUT to 900 seconds" "typeset -xr TMOUT=900" > /etc/profile.d/50-tmout.sh

TMOUT configuration examples:

typeset -xr TMOUT=900

Deprecated methods:

• As multiple lines:
TMOUT=900
readonly TMOUT
export TMOUT

• As a single line:
readonly TMOUT=900 ; export TMOUT

Additional Information:
The audit and remediation in this recommendation apply to bash and shell. If other
shells are supported on the system, it is recommended that their configuration files also
are checked. Other methods of setting a timeout exist for other shells not covered here.
Ensure that the timeout conforms to your local policy.

Page 681

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.3 Configure Automatic Session Locking on Enterprise

Assets
v8 Configure automatic session locking on enterprise assets after a defined period ● ● ●
of inactivity. For general purpose operating systems, the period must not exceed
15 minutes. For mobile end-user devices, the period must not exceed 2 minutes.

v7 16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity ● ● ●

Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078 TA0005 M1026

Page 682

Internal Only - General

 5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The user file-creation mode mask (umask) is used to determine the file permission for
newly created directories and files. In Linux, the default permissions for any newly
created directory is 0777 (rwxrwxrwx), and for any newly created file it is 0666 (rw-rw-
rw-). The umask modifies the default Linux permissions by restricting (masking) these
permissions. The umask is not simply subtracted, but is processed bitwise. Bits set in
the umask are cleared in the resulting file mode.
umask can be set with either Octal or Symbolic values:

• Octal (Numeric) Value - Represented by either three or four digits. ie umask

0027 or umask 027. If a four digit umask is used, the first digit is ignored. The
remaining three digits effect the resulting permissions for user, group, and
world/other respectively.
• Symbolic Value - Represented by a comma separated list for User u, group g,
and world/other o. The permissions listed are not masked by umask. ie a umask
set by umask u=rwx,g=rx,o= is the Symbolic equivalent of the Octal umask
027. This umask would set a newly created directory with file mode drwxr-x---
and a newly created file with file mode rw-r-----.

The default umask can be set to use the pam_umask module or in a System Wide
Shell Configuration File. The user creating the directories or files has the
discretion of changing the permissions via the chmod command, or choosing a different
default umask by adding the umask command into a User Shell Configuration
File, ( .bash_profile or .bashrc), in their home directory.
Setting the default umask:

• pam_umask module:
o will set the umask according to the system default in /etc/login.defs
and user settings, solving the problem of different umask settings with
different shells, display managers, remote sessions etc.
o umask=<mask> value in the /etc/login.defs file is interpreted as Octal
o Setting USERGROUPS_ENAB to yes in /etc/login.defs (default):
▪ will enable setting of the umask group bits to be the same as owner
bits. (examples: 022 -> 002, 077 -> 007) for non-root users, if the
uid is the same as gid, and username is the same as the
<primary group name>

Page 683

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 ▪ userdel will remove the user's group if it contains no more
members, and useradd will create by default a group with the name
of the user
• System Wide Shell Configuration File:
o /etc/profile - used to set system wide environmental variables on
users shells. The variables are sometimes the same ones that are in the
.bash_profile, however this file is used to set an initial PATH or PS1 for
all shell users of the system. is only executed for interactive login
shells, or shells executed with the --login parameter.
o /etc/profile.d - /etc/profile will execute the scripts within
/etc/profile.d/*.sh. It is recommended to place your configuration in
a shell script within /etc/profile.d to set your own system wide
environmental variables.
o /etc/bashrc - System wide version of .bashrc. In Fedora derived
distributions, etc/bashrc also invokes /etc/profile.d/*.sh if non-login shell,
but redirects output to /dev/null if non-interactive. Is only executed for
interactive shells or if BASH_ENV is set to /etc/bashrc.

User Shell Configuration Files:

• ~/.bash_profile - Is executed to configure your shell before the initial

command prompt. Is only read by login shells.
• ~/.bashrc - Is executed for interactive shells. only read by a shell that's both
interactive and non-login

umask is set by order of precedence. If umask is set in multiple locations, this order of
precedence will determine the system's default umask.
Order of precedence:

1. A file in /etc/profile.d/ ending in .sh - This will override any other system-
wide umask setting
2. In the file /etc/profile
3. On the pam_umask.so module in /etc/pam.d/postlogin
4. In the file /etc/login.defs
5. In the file /etc/default/login

Rationale:
Setting a secure default value for umask ensures that users make a conscious choice
about their file permissions. A permissive umask value could result in directories or files
with excessive permissions that can be read and/or written to by unauthorized users.

Page 684

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following to verify the default user umask is set to 027(octal) or u=rwx,g=rx,o=
(Symbolic) to enforce newly created directories' permissions to be 750 (drwxr-x---),
and newly created file's permissions be 640 (rw-r-----), or more restrictive:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
file_umask_chk()
{
if grep -Psiq -- '^\h*umask\h+(0?[0-7][2-7]7|u(=[rwx]{0,3}),g=([rx]{0,2}),o=)(\h*#.*)?$' "$l_file"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - umask is set correctly in \"$l_file\""
elif grep -Psiq -- '^\h*umask\h+(([0-7][0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-7][0-7][0-7][0-6]\b)|([0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-
7][0-7][0-
6]\b)|(u=[rwx]{1,3},)?(((g=[rx]?[rx]?w[rx]?[rx]?\b)(,o=[rwx]{1,3})?)|((g=[wrx]{1,3},)?o=[wrx]{1,3}\b)))'
"$l_file"; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - umask is incorrectly set in \"$l_file\""
fi
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
file_umask_chk
done < <(find /etc/profile.d/ -type f -name '*.sh' -print0)
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_file="/etc/profile" && file_umask_chk
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_file="/etc/bashrc" && file_umask_chk
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_file="/etc/bash.bashrc" && file_umask_chk
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_file="/etc/pam.d/postlogin"
if [ -z "$l_output" ]; then
if grep -Psiq -- '^\h*session\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_umask\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?umask=(0?[0-7][2-7]7)\b'
"$l_file"; then
l_output1="$l_output1\n - umask is set correctly in \"$l_file\""
elif grep -Psiq '^\h*session\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_umask\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?umask=(([0-7][0-7][01][0-
7]\b|[0-7][0-7][0-7][0-6]\b)|([0-7][01][0-7]\b))' "$l_file"; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - umask is incorrectly set in \"$l_file\""
fi
fi
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_file="/etc/login.defs" && file_umask_chk
[ -z "$l_output" ] && l_file="/etc/default/login" && file_umask_chk
[[ -z "$l_output" && -z "$l_output2" ]] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - umask is not set"
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Page 685

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following script and perform the instructions in the output to set the default
umask to 027 or more restrictive:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_out=""
file_umask_chk()
{
if grep -Psiq -- '^\h*umask\h+(0?[0-7][2-7]7|u(=[rwx]{0,3}),g=([rx]{0,2}),o=)(\h*#.*)?$' "$l_file"; then
l_out="$l_out\n - umask is set correctly in \"$l_file\""
elif grep -Psiq -- '^\h*umask\h+(([0-7][0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-7][0-7][0-7][0-6]\b)|([0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-
7][0-7][0-
6]\b)|(u=[rwx]{1,3},)?(((g=[rx]?[rx]?w[rx]?[rx]?\b)(,o=[rwx]{1,3})?)|((g=[wrx]{1,3},)?o=[wrx]{1,3}\b)))'
"$l_file"; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\""
fi
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
file_umask_chk
done < <(find /etc/profile.d/ -type f -name '*.sh' -print0)
[ -n "$l_out" ] && l_output="$l_out"
l_file="/etc/profile" && file_umask_chk
l_file="/etc/bashrc" && file_umask_chk
l_file="/etc/bash.bashrc" && file_umask_chk
l_file="/etc/pam.d/postlogin"
if grep -Psiq '^\h*session\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_umask\.so\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?umask=(([0-7][0-7][01][0-7]\b|[0-
7][0-7][0-7][0-6]\b)|([0-7][01][0-7]\b))' "$l_file"; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\""
fi
l_file="/etc/login.defs" && file_umask_chk
l_file="/etc/default/login" && file_umask_chk
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e " - No files contain a UMASK that is not restrictive enough\n No UMASK updates required to
existing files"
else
echo -e "\n - UMASK is not restrictive enough in the following file(s):$l_output2\n\n- Remediation
Procedure:\n - Update these files and comment out the UMASK line\n or update umask to be \"0027\" or more
restrictive"
fi
if [ -n "$l_output" ]; then
echo -e "$l_output"
else
echo -e " - Configure UMASK in a file in the \"/etc/profile.d/\" directory ending in \".sh\"\n\n
Example Command (Hash to represent being run at a root prompt):\n\n# printf '%s\\\n' \"umask 027\" >
/etc/profile.d/50-systemwide_umask.sh\n"
fi
}

Notes:

• This method only applies to bash and shell. If other shells are supported on the
system, it is recommended that their configuration files also are checked
• If the pam_umask.so module is going to be used to set umask, ensure that it's not
being overridden by another setting. Refer to the PAM_UMASK(8) man page for
more information

Default Value:
UMASK 022
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 686

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:

• Other methods of setting a default user umask exist

• If other methods are in use in your environment they should be audited
• The default user umask can be overridden with a user specific umask
• The user creating the directories or files has the discretion of changing the
permissions:
o Using the chmod command
o Setting a different default umask by adding the umask command into a
User Shell Configuration File, (.bashrc), in their home directory
o Manually changing the umask for the duration of a login session by
running the umask command

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1083 TA0007

Page 687

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 6 Logging and Auditing
The items in this section describe how to configure logging, log monitoring, and
auditing, using tools included in most distributions.
It is recommended that rsyslog be used for logging (with logwatch providing
summarization) and auditd be used for auditing (with aureport providing
summarization) to automatically monitor logs for intrusion attempts and other suspicious
system behavior.
In addition to the local log files created by the steps in this section, it is also
recommended that sites collect copies of their system logs on a secure, centralized log
server via an encrypted connection. Not only does centralized logging help sites
correlate events that may be occurring on multiple systems, but having a second copy
of the system log information may be critical after a system compromise where the
attacker has modified the local log files on the affected system(s). If a log correlation
system is deployed, configure it to process the logs described in this section.
Because it is often necessary to correlate log information from many different systems
(particularly after a security incident) it is recommended that the time be synchronized
among systems and devices connected to the local network. The standard Internet
protocol for time synchronization is the Network Time Protocol (NTP), which is
supported by most network-ready devices. Reference <http://chrony.tuxfamily.org/>
manual page for more information on configuring chrony.
It is important that all logs described in this section be monitored on a regular basis and
correlated to determine trends. A seemingly innocuous entry in one log could be more
significant when compared to an entry in another log.
Note on log file permissions: There really isn't a "one size fits all" solution to the
permissions on log files. Many sites utilize group permissions so that administrators who
are in a defined security group, such as "wheel" do not have to elevate privileges to root
in order to read log files. Also, if a third party log aggregation tool is used, it may need to
have group permissions to read the log files, which is preferable to having it run setuid
to root. Therefore, there are two remediation and audit steps for log file permissions.
One is for systems that do not have a secured group method implemented that only
permits root to read the log files (root:root 600). The other is for sites that do have
such a setup and are designated as root:securegrp 640 where securegrp is the
defined security group (in some cases wheel).

Page 688

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 6.1 Configure Integrity Checking

AIDE is a file integrity checking tool, similar in nature to Tripwire. While it cannot prevent
intrusions, it can detect unauthorized changes to configuration files by alerting when the
files are changed. When setting up AIDE, decide internally what the site policy will be
concerning integrity checking. Review the AIDE quick start guide and AIDE
documentation before proceeding.

Page 689

Internal Only - General

 6.1.1 Ensure AIDE is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
AIDE takes a snapshot of filesystem state including modification times, permissions,
and file hashes which can then be used to compare against the current state of the
filesystem to detect modifications to the system.
Rationale:
By monitoring the filesystem state compromised files can be detected to prevent or limit
the exposure of accidental or malicious misconfigurations or modified binaries.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify aide is installed:
# dpkg-query -s aide &>/dev/null && echo "aide is installed"

aide is installed

Run the following command to verify aide-common is installed:

# dpkg-query -s aide-common &>/dev/null && echo "aide-common is installed"

aide-common is installed

Remediation:
Install AIDE using the appropriate package manager or manual installation:
# apt install aide aide-common

Configure AIDE as appropriate for your environment. Consult the AIDE documentation
for options.
Run the following commands to initialize AIDE:
# aideinit
# mv /var/lib/aide/aide.db.new /var/lib/aide/aide.db

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010450 | Rule ID: SV-238371r958944 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-651010 | Rule ID: SV-260582r958944 | CAT II

Page 690

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
The prelinking feature can interfere with AIDE because it alters binaries to speed up
their start up times. Run prelink -ua to restore the binaries to their prelinked state,
thus avoiding false positives from AIDE.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 3.14 Log Sensitive Data Access ●

Log sensitive data access, including modification and disposal.

14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to

Sensitive Data
v7 Enforce detailed audit logging for access to sensitive data or changes to ●
sensitive data (utilizing tools such as File Integrity Monitoring or Security
Information and Event Monitoring).

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1565, T1565.001 TA0001 M1022

Page 691

Internal Only - General

 6.1.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Periodic checking of the filesystem integrity is needed to detect changes to the
filesystem.
Rationale:
Periodic file checking allows the system administrator to determine on a regular basis if
critical files have been changed in an unauthorized fashion.
Audit:
Run the following command:
# systemctl list-unit-files | awk '$1~/^dailyaidecheck\.(timer|service)$/{print $1 "\t" $2}'

Example output:
dailyaidecheck.service static
dailyaidecheck.timer enabled

Verify dailyaidecheck.timer is enabled and dailyaidecheck.service is either

static or enabled.
Run the following command to verify dailyaidecheck.timer is active:
# systemctl is-active dailyaidecheck.timer

active

Remediation:
Run the following command to unmask dailyaidecheck.timer and
dailyaidecheck.service:
# systemctl unmask dailyaidecheck.timer dailyaidecheck.service

Run the following command to enable and start dailyaidecheck.timer:

# systemctl --now enable dailyaidecheck.timer

References:

1. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/config/aidecheck.service
2. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/config/aidecheck.timer
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2

Page 692

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
The checking in this recommendation occurs every day at 5am. Alter the frequency and
time of the checks in compliance with site policy
systemd timers, timer file aidecheck.timer and service file aidecheck.service, have
been included as an optional alternative to using cron
Ubuntu advises using /usr/bin/aide.wrapper rather than calling /usr/bin/aide
directly in order to protect the database and prevent conflicts
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

v8 3.14 Log Sensitive Data Access ●

Log sensitive data access, including modification and disposal.

14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to

Sensitive Data
v7 Enforce detailed audit logging for access to sensitive data or changes to ●
sensitive data (utilizing tools such as File Integrity Monitoring or Security
Information and Event Monitoring).

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1036, T1036.002,
T1036.003, T1036.004,
TA0040 M1022
T1036.005, T1565,
T1565.001

Page 693

Internal Only - General

 6.1.3 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect the
integrity of audit tools (Automated)
• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Audit tools include, but are not limited to, vendor-provided and open source audit tools
needed to successfully view and manipulate audit information system activity and
records. Audit tools include custom queries and report generators.
Rationale:
Protecting the integrity of the tools used for auditing purposes is a critical step toward
ensuring the integrity of audit information. Audit information includes all information
(e.g., audit records, audit settings, and audit reports) needed to successfully audit
information system activity.
Attackers may replace the audit tools or inject code into the existing tools with the
purpose of providing the capability to hide or erase system activity from the audit logs.
Audit tools should be cryptographically signed in order to provide the capability to
identify when the audit tools have been modified, manipulated, or replaced. An example
is a checksum hash of the file or files.
Audit:
Verify that Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment (AIDE) is properly configured .
Run the following command to verify that AIDE is configured to use cryptographic
mechanisms to protect the integrity of audit tools:
# grep -Ps -- '(\/sbin\/(audit|au)\H*\b)' /etc/aide.conf /etc/aide/aide.conf
/etc/aide.conf.d/*.conf /etc/aide/aide.conf.d/*
Verify the output includes:
/sbin/auditctl p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/auditd p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/ausearch p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/aureport p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/autrace p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/augenrules p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512

Page 694

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Add or update the following selection lines for to a file ending in .conf in the
/etc/aide/aide.conf.d/ or to /etc/aide/aide.conf to protect the integrity of the audit
tools:
# Audit Tools
/sbin/auditctl p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/auditd p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/ausearch p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/aureport p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/autrace p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512
/sbin/augenrules p+i+n+u+g+s+b+acl+xattrs+sha512

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 695

Internal Only - General

 6.2 System Logging

Logging services should be configured to prevent information leaks and to aggregate

logs on a remote server so that they can be reviewed in the event of a system
compromise. A centralized log server provides a single point of entry for further
analysis, monitoring and filtering.
Security principals for logging

• Ensure transport layer security is implemented between the client and the log
server.
• Ensure that logs are rotated as per the environment requirements.
• Ensure all locally generated logs have the appropriate permissions.
• Ensure all security logs are sent to a remote log server.
• Ensure the required events are logged.

What is covered
This section will cover the minimum best practices for the usage of either rsyslog - OR
- journald. The recommendations are written such that each is wholly independent of
each other and only one is implemented.

• If your organization makes use of an enterprise wide logging system completely

outside of rsyslog or journald, then the following recommendations do not
directly apply. However, the principals of the recommendations should be
followed regardless of what solution is implemented. If the enterprise solution
incorporates either of these tools, careful consideration should be given to the
following recommendations to determine exactly what applies.
• Should your organization make use of both rsyslog and journald, take care
how the recommendations may or may not apply to you.

What is not covered

• Enterprise logging systems not utilizing rsyslog or journald. As logging is very

situational and dependent on the local environment, not everything can be
covered here.
• Transport layer security should be applied to all remote logging functionality.
Both rsyslog and journald supports secure transport and should be configured
as such.
• The log server. There are a multitude of reasons for a centralized log server (and
keeping a short period logging on the local system), but the log server is out of
scope for these recommendations.

Page 696

Internal Only - General

 6.2.1 Configure systemd-journald service

systemd-journald is a system service that collects and stores logging data. It creates
and maintains structured, indexed journals based on logging information that is received
from a variety of sources:

• Kernel log messages, via kmsg

• Simple system log messages, via the libc syslog call
• Structured system log messages via the native Journal API
• Standard output and standard error of service units
• Audit records, originating from the kernel audit subsystem

The daemon will implicitly collect numerous metadata fields for each log messages in a
secure and unfakeable way. See systemd.journal-fields man page for more information
about the collected metadata.
The journal service stores log data either persistently below /var/log/journal or in a
volatile way below /run/log/journal/. By default, log data is stored persistently if
/var/log/journal/ exists during boot, with an implicit fallback to volatile storage. Use
Storage= in journald.conf to configure where log data is placed, independently of
the existence of /var/log/journal/.
On systems where /var/log/journal/ does not exist but where persistent logging is
desired, and the default journald.conf is used, it is sufficient to create the directory
and ensure it has the correct access modes and ownership.
Note: systemd-journald.service must be configured appropriately for either
journald - OR - rsyslog to operate effectively.

Page 697

Internal Only - General

 6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Ensure that the systemd-journald service is enabled to allow capturing of logging
events.
Rationale:
If the systemd-journald service is not enabled to start on boot, the system will not
capture logging events.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify systemd-journald is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-journald.service

static

Note: By default the systemd-journald service does not have an [Install] section
and thus cannot be enabled / disabled. It is meant to be referenced as Requires or
Wants by other unit files. As such, if the status of systemd-journald is not static,
investigate why
Run the following command to verify systemd-journald is active:
# systemctl is-active systemd-journald.service

active

Remediation:
Run the following commands to unmask and start systemd-journald.service
# systemctl unmask systemd-journald.service
# systemctl start systemd-journald.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7 AU-12

Page 698

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0005 M1029
T1562.001

Page 699

Internal Only - General

 6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Journald will create logfiles that do not already exist on the system. This setting controls
what permissions will be applied to these newly created files.
Rationale:
It is important to ensure that log files have the correct permissions to ensure that
sensitive data is archived and protected.

Page 700

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to verify:

• systemd-journald logfiles are mode 0640 or more restrictive

• Directories /run/ and /var/lib/systemd/ are mode 0755 or more restrictive
• All other configured directories are mode 2755, 0750, or more restrictive

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=()
l_systemd_config_file="/etc/tmpfiles.d/systemd.conf" l_analyze_cmd="$(readlink -f /bin/systemd-analyze)"
f_file_chk()
{
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_perm_mask )) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_perm_mask )) -le 0 ] || [[ "$l_type" = "Directory" && "$l_mode" =~ 275(0|5) ]];
then
a_out+=(" - $l_type \"$l_logfile\" access is:" \
" mode: \"$l_mode\", owned by: \"$l_user\", and group owned by: \"$l_group\"")
else
a_out2+=(" - $l_type \"$l_logfile\" access is:" \
" mode: \"$l_mode\", owned by: \"$l_user\", and group owned by: \"$l_group\"" \
" should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive")
fi
}
while IFS= read -r l_file; do
l_file="$(tr -d '# ' <<< "$l_file")" a_out=() a_out2=()
l_logfile_perms_line="$(awk '($1~/^(f|d)$/ && $2~/\/\S+/ && $3~/[0-9]{3,}/){print $2 ":" $3 ":" $4 ":"
$5}' "$l_file")"
while IFS=: read -r l_logfile l_mode l_user l_group; do
if [ -d "$l_logfile" ]; then
l_perm_mask="0027" l_type="Directory"
grep -Psq '^(\/run|\/var\/lib\/systemd)\b' <<< "$l_logfile" && l_perm_mask="0022"
else
l_perm_mask="0137" l_type="File"
fi
grep -Psq '^(\/run|\/var\/lib\/systemd)\b' <<< "$l_logfile" && l_perm_mask="0022"
f_file_chk
done <<< "$l_logfile_perms_line"
[ "${#a_out[@]}" -gt "0" ] && a_output+=(" - File: \"$l_file\" sets:" "${a_out[@]}")
[ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt "0" ] && a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_file\" sets:" "${a_out2[@]}")
done < <($l_analyze_cmd cat-config "$l_systemd_config_file" | tac | grep -Pio
'^\h*#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b')
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** REVIEW **" \
" - Review file access to ensure they are set IAW site policy:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

Review the output

Remediation:
If the default configuration is not appropriate for the site specific requirements, copy
/usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/systemd.conf to /etc/tmpfiles.d/systemd.conf and
modify as required. Recommended mode for logfiles is 0640 or more restrictive.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AU-2, AU-12, MP-2, SI-5

Page 701

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 Additional Information:
See man 5 tmpfiles.d for detailed information on the permission sets for the relevant
log files. Further information with examples can be found at
https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/tmpfiles.d.html
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 702

Internal Only - General

 6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Journald includes the capability of rotating log files regularly to avoid filling up the
system with logs or making the logs unmanageably large. The file
/etc/systemd/journald.conf is the configuration file used to specify how logs
generated by Journald should be rotated.
Rationale:
By keeping the log files smaller and more manageable, a system administrator can
easily archive these files to another system and spend less time looking through
inordinately large log files.

Page 703

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Review the systemd-journald configuration. Verify logs are rotated according to site
policy. The specific parameters for log rotation are:
Run the following script and review the output to ensure logs are rotated according to
site policy:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() l_analyze_cmd="$(readlink -f /bin/systemd-analyze)"
l_systemd_config_file="systemd/journald.conf"
a_parameters=("SystemMaxUse=^.+$" "SystemKeepFree=^.+$" "RuntimeMaxUse=^.+$" "RuntimeKeepFree=^.+$"
"MaxFileSec=^.+$")
f_config_file_parameter_chk()
{
l_used_parameter_setting=""
while IFS= read -r l_file; do
l_file="$(tr -d '# ' <<< "$l_file")"
l_used_parameter_setting="$(grep -PHs -- '^\h*'"$l_parameter_name"'\b' "$l_file" | tail -n 1)"
[ -n "$l_used_parameter_setting" ] && break
done < <($l_analyze_cmd cat-config "$l_systemd_config_file" | tac | grep -Pio
'^\h*#\h*\/[^#\n\r\h]+\.conf\b')
if [ -n "$l_used_parameter_setting" ]; then
while IFS=: read -r l_file_name l_file_parameter; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_file_parameter_name l_file_parameter_value; do
if grep -Pq -- "$l_parameter_value" <<< "$l_file_parameter_value"; then
a_output+=(" - Parameter: \"${l_file_parameter_name// /}\"" \
" set to: \"${l_file_parameter_value// /}\"" \
" in the file: \"$l_file_name\"")
fi
done <<< "$l_file_parameter"
done <<< "$l_used_parameter_setting"
else
a_output2+=(" - Parameter: \"$l_parameter_name\" is not set in an included file" \
" *** Note: ***" " \"$l_parameter_name\" May be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure")
fi
}
for l_input_parameter in "${a_parameters[@]}"; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_parameter_name l_parameter_value; do # Assess and check parameters
l_parameter_name="${l_parameter_name// /}"; l_parameter_value="${l_parameter_value// /}"
l_value_out="${l_parameter_value//-/ through }"; l_value_out="${l_value_out//|/ or }"
l_value_out="$(tr -d '(){}' <<< "$l_value_out")"
f_config_file_parameter_chk
done <<< "$l_input_parameter"
done
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}" ""
fi
}

Page 704

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit /etc/systemd/journald.conf or a file ending in .conf the
/etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ directory. Set the following parameters in the
[Journal] section to ensure logs are rotated according to site policy. The settings
should be carefully understood as there are specific edge cases and prioritization of
parameters.
Example Configuration:
[Journal]
SystemMaxUse=1G
SystemKeepFree=500M
RuntimeMaxUse=200M
RuntimeKeepFree=50M
MaxFileSec=1month

Example script to create systemd drop-in configuration file:

{
a_settings=("SystemMaxUse=1G" "SystemKeepFree=500M" "RuntimeMaxUse=200M" "RuntimeKeepFree=50M"
"MaxFileSec=1month")
[ ! -d /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ ] && mkdir /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/
if grep -Psq -- '^\h*\[Journal\]' /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/60-journald.conf; then
printf '%s\n' "" "${a_settings[@]}" >> /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/60-journald.conf
else
printf '%s\n' "" "[Journal]" "${a_settings[@]}" >> /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/60-journald.conf
fi
}

Note:

• If these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten
• Logfile size and configuration to move logfiles to a remote log server should be
accounted for when configuring these settings

Run to following command to update the parameters in the service:

# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-journald

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7, AU-12

Additional Information:
See man 5 journald.conf for detailed information regarding the parameters in use.

Page 705

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002 TA0040 M1022

Page 706

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2 Configure journald

Included in the systemd suite is a journaling service called systemd-journald.service for

the collection and storage of logging data. It creates and maintains structured, indexed
journals based on logging information that is received from a variety of sources such as:
Classic RFC3164 BSD syslog via the /dev/log socket STDOUT/STDERR of programs
via StandardOutput=journal + StandardError=journal in service files (both of which are
default settings) Kernel log messages via the /dev/kmsg device node Audit records via
the kernel’s audit subsystem Structured log messages via journald’s native protocol Any
changes made to the systemd-journald configuration will require a re-start of systemd-
journald
Note:
- IF - rsyslog will be used for remote logging on the system this subsection can be
skipped

Page 707

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.1 Configure systemd-journal-remote
The systemd-journal-remote package includes systemd-journal-upload.
systemd-journal-upload will upload journal entries to the URL specified with --url=.
This program reads journal entries from one or more journal files, similarly to journalctl.
systemd-journal-upload transfers the raw content of journal file and uses HTTP as a
transport protocol.
systemd-journal-upload.service is a system service that uses systemd-journal-
upload to upload journal entries to a server. It uses the configuration in journal-
upload.conf.
Note:

• - IF - rsyslog is in use this subsection can be skipped.

• systemd-journal-remote package is part of the universe component, this
may impact support and update frequency which should be considered when
assessing organizational risk.

Page 708

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Journald systemd-journal-remote supports the ability to send log events it gathers to
a remote log host or to receive messages from remote hosts, thus enabling centralized
log management.
Rationale:
Storing log data on a remote host protects log integrity from local attacks. If an attacker
gains root access on the local system, they could tamper with or remove log data that is
stored on the local system.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
- IF - journald will be used for logging on the system:
Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-remote is installed.
# dpkg-query -s systemd-journal-remote &>/dev/null && echo "systemd-journal-remote is installed"

Verify the output matches:

systemd-journal-remote is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install systemd-journal-remote:
# apt install systemd-journal-remote

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7 AU-12

Page 709

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 710

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Journald systemd-journal-upload supports the ability to send log events it gathers to
a remote log host.
Rationale:
Storing log data on a remote host protects log integrity from local attacks. If an attacker
gains root access on the local system, they could tamper with or remove log data that is
stored on the local system.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-upload authentication is
configured:
# grep -Psi "URL=|ServerKeyFile=|ServerCertificateFile=|TrustedCertificateFile=" /etc/systemd/journald.conf
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf.d/*

Example output:
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf.d/60-journald_upload.conf:URL=192.168.50.42
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf.d/60-journald_upload.conf:ServerKeyFile=/etc/ssl/private/journal-upload.pem
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf.d/60-journald_upload.conf:ServerCertificateFile=/etc/ssl/certs/journal-
upload.pem
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf.d/60-journald_upload.conf:TrustedCertificateFile=/etc/ssl/ca/trusted.pem

Review the output to ensure it matches your environments' certificate locations and the
URL of the log server.

Page 711

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf file or a file in
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf.d ending in .conf and ensure the following
lines are set in the [Upload] section per your environment:
Example settings:
[Upload]
URL=192.168.50.42
ServerKeyFile=/etc/ssl/private/journal-upload.pem
ServerCertificateFile=/etc/ssl/certs/journal-upload.pem
TrustedCertificateFile=/etc/ssl/ca/trusted.pem

Run the following command to update the parameters in the service:

# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-journal-upload

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 712

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Journald systemd-journal-upload supports the ability to send log events it gathers to
a remote log host.
Rationale:
Storing log data on a remote host protects log integrity from local attacks. If an attacker
gains root access on the local system, they could tamper with or remove log data that is
stored on the local system.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-upload is enabled.
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-journal-upload.service

enabled

Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-upload is active:

# systemctl is-active systemd-journal-upload.service

active

Remediation:
Run the following commands to unmask, enable and start systemd-journal-upload:
# systemctl unmask systemd-journal-upload.service
# systemctl --now enable systemd-journal-upload.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12

Page 713

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 714

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Journald systemd-journal-remote supports the ability to receive messages from
remote hosts, thus acting as a log server. Clients should not receive data from other
hosts.
Note:

• The same package, systemd-journal-remote, is used for both sending logs to

remote hosts and receiving incoming logs.
• With regards to receiving logs, there are two services; systemd-journal-
remote.socket and systemd-journal-remote.service.

Rationale:
If a client is configured to also receive data, thus turning it into a server, the client
system is acting outside it's operational boundary.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-remote.socket and systemd-
journal-remote.service are not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-journal-remote.socket systemd-journal-remote.service | grep -P -- '^enabled'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-remote.socket and systemd-
journal-remote.service are not active:
# systemctl is-active systemd-journal-remote.socket systemd-journal-remote.service | grep -P -- '^active'

Nothing should be returned

Page 715

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Run the following commands to stop and mask systemd-journal-remote.socket and
systemd-journal-remote.service:
# systemctl stop systemd-journal-remote.socket systemd-journal-remote.service
# systemctl mask systemd-journal-remote.socket systemd-journal-remote.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7 AU-12

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 716

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Data from journald should be kept in the confines of the service and not forwarded to
other services.
Rationale:
- IF - journald is the method for capturing logs, all logs of the system should be
handled by journald and not forwarded to other logging mechanisms.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
- IF - journald is the method for capturing logs
Run the following command to verify ForwardToSyslog is set to no:
# grep -Psi "^ForwardToSyslog=no" /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify the output matches:

ForwardToSyslog=no

Remediation:
- IF - rsyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs, this section and
Recommendation should be skipped and the "Configure rsyslog" section followed.
- IF - journald is the preferred method for capturing logs:
Set the following parameter in the [Journal] section in
/etc/systemd/journald.conf or a file in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ ending
in .conf:
ForwardToSyslog=no

Note: If this setting appears in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten
Run to following command to update the parameters in the service:
# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-journald

Default Value:
ForwardToSyslog=no

Page 717

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-6, AU-7, AU-12

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 718

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The journald system includes the capability of compressing overly large files to avoid
filling up the system with logs or making the logs unmanageably large.
Rationale:
Uncompressed large files may unexpectedly fill a filesystem leading to resource
unavailability. Compressing logs prior to write can prevent sudden, unexpected
filesystem impacts.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
- IF - journald is the method for capturing logs
Run the following command to verify Compress is set to yes:
# grep -Psi "^Compress=yes" /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify the output matches:

Compress=yes

Remediation:
- IF - rsyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs, this section and
Recommendation should be skipped and the "Configure rsyslog" section followed.
- IF - journald is the preferred method for capturing logs:
Set the following parameter in the [Journal] section in
/etc/systemd/journald.conf or a file in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ ending
in .conf:
Compress=yes

Note: If this setting appears in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten
Run to following command to update the parameters in the service:
# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-journald

Default Value:
Compress=yes

Page 719

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-4

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs

v7 Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the ● ●
logs generated.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0040 M1053

Page 720

Internal Only - General

 6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Data from journald may be stored in volatile memory or persisted locally on the server.
Logs in memory will be lost upon a system reboot. By persisting logs to local disk on the
server they are protected from loss due to a reboot.
Rationale:
Writing log data to disk will provide the ability to forensically reconstruct events which
may have impacted the operations or security of a system even after a system crash or
reboot.
Note: This recommendation only applies if journald is the chosen method for
client side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if rsyslog is used.

Audit:
- IF - journald is the method for capturing logs
Run the following script to verify Storage is set to persistent:
# grep -Psi "^Storage=persistent" /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify the output matches:

Storage=persistent

Remediation:
- IF - rsyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs, this section and
Recommendation should be skipped and the "Configure rsyslog" section followed.
- IF - journald is the preferred method for capturing logs:
Set the following parameter in the [Journal] section in
/etc/systemd/journald.conf or a file in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ ending
in .conf:
Storage=persistent

Note: If this setting appears in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten
Run to following command to update the parameters in the service:
# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-journald

Default Value:
Storage=persistent

Page 721

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0005 M1022
T1562.006

Page 722

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3 Configure rsyslog

The rsyslog software package may be used instead of the default journald logging
mechanism.
Rsyslog has evolved over several decades. For this reason it supports three different
configuration formats (“languages”):

• basic - previously known as the sysklogd format, this is the format best used to
express basic things, such as where the statement fits on a single line.
o It stems back to the original syslog.conf format, in use now for several
decades.
o The most common use case is matching on facility/severity and writing
matching messages to a log file.
• advanced - previously known as the RainerScript format, this format was first
available in rsyslog v6 and is the current, best and most precise format for non-
trivial use cases where more than one line is needed.
o Prior to v7, there was a performance impact when using this format that
encouraged use of the basic format for best results. Current versions of
rsyslog do not suffer from this (historical) performance impact.
o This new style format is specifically targeted towards more advanced use
cases like forwarding to remote hosts that might be partially offline.
• obsolete legacy - previously known simply as the legacy format, this format is
exactly what its name implies: it is obsolete and should not be used when writing
new configurations. It was created in the early days (up to rsyslog version 5)
where we expected that rsyslog would extend sysklogd just mildly. Consequently,
it was primarily aimed at small additions to the original sysklogd format.
o Practice has shown that it was notoriously hard to use for more advanced
use cases, and thus we replaced it with the advanced format.
o In essence, everything that needs to be written on a single line that starts
with a dollar sign is legacy format. Users of this format are encouraged to
migrate to the basic or advanced formats.

Note: This section only applies if rsyslog is the chosen method for client side logging.
Do not apply this section if journald is used.

Page 723

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Once the rsyslog package is installed, ensure that the service is enabled.

Rationale:
If the rsyslog service is not enabled to start on boot, the system will not capture
logging events.
Audit:
- IF - rsyslog is being used for logging on the system:
Run the following command to verify rsyslog.service is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled rsyslog

enabled

Run the following command to verify rsyslog.service is active:

# systemctl is-active rsyslog.service

active

Remediation:
- IF - rsyslog is being used for logging on the system:
Run the following commands to unmask, enable, and start rsyslog.service:
# systemctl unmask rsyslog.service
# systemctl enable rsyslog.service
# systemctl start rsyslog.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-3, AU-12

Page 724

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1211,

TA0005 M1029
T1562, T1562.001

Page 725

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rsyslog software is recommended in environments where journald does not
meet operation requirements.
Rationale:
The security enhancements of rsyslog such as connection-oriented (i.e. TCP)
transmission of logs, the option to log to database formats, and the encryption of log
data en route to a central logging server) justify installing and configuring the package.
Audit:
- IF - rsyslog is being used for logging on the system:
Run the following command to verify rsyslog is installed:
# dpkg-query -s rsyslog &>/dev/null && echo "rsyslog is installed"

Verify the output matches:

rsyslog is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install rsyslog:
# apt install rsyslog

Default Value:
Installed
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-3, AU-12

2. Ubuntu 20.04 STIG Vuln ID: V-238353 Rule ID: SV-238353r991562 STIG ID:
UBTU-20-010432
3. Ubuntu 22.04 STIG Vuln ID: V-260588 Rule ID: SV-260588r991562 STIG ID:
UBTU-22-652010

Page 726

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1005, T1005.000, T1070,

TA0005 M1029, M1057
T1070.002

Page 727

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Data from systemd-journald may be stored in volatile memory or persisted locally on
the server. Utilities exist to accept remote export of systemd-journald logs, however,
use of the rsyslog service provides a consistent means of log collection and export.

Rationale:
- IF - rsyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs, all logs of the system should
be sent to it for further processing.
Note: This recommendation only applies if rsyslog is the chosen method for client
side logging. Do not apply this recommendation if systemd-journald is used.

Audit:
- IF - rsyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs
Run the following command to verify systemd-journald.service and
rsyslog.service are loaded and active:
# systemctl list-units --type service | grep -P -- '(journald|rsyslog)'

Output should be similar to:

rsyslog.service loaded active running System Logging Service
systemd-journald.service loaded active running Journal Service

Run the following command to verify that logs are forwarded to rsyslog by setting
ForwardToSyslog to yes in the systemd-journald configuration:
# grep -Psi "^ForwardToSyslog=yes" /etc/systemd/journal.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify the output matches:

ForwardToSyslog=yes

Page 728

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
- IF - Journald is the preferred method for capturing logs, this section and
Recommendation should be skipped and the "Configure Journald" section followed.
- IF - rsyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs:
Set the following parameter in the [Journal] section in
/etc/systemd/journald.conf or a file in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ ending
in .conf:
ForwardToSyslog=yes

Note: If this setting appears in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, the
setting will be overwritten
Run to following command to update the parameters in the service:
Restart systemd-journald.service:
# systemctl reload-or-restart systemd-journald.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AU-2, AU-4, AU-12, MP-2

2. SYSTEMD-JOURNALD.SERVICE(8)
3. JOURNALD.CONF(5)

Additional Information:
As noted in the systemd-journald man pages, systemd-journald logs may be
exported to rsyslog either through the process mentioned here, or through a facility
like systemd-journald.service. There are trade-offs involved in each
implementation, where ForwardToSyslog will immediately capture all events (and
forward to an external log server, if properly configured), but may not capture all boot-up
activities. Mechanisms such as systemd-journald.service, on the other hand, will
record bootup events, but may delay sending the information to rsyslog, leading to the
potential for log manipulation prior to export. Be aware of the limitations of all tools
employed to secure a system.

Page 729

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

8.9 Centralize Audit Logs

v8 Centralize, to the extent possible, audit log collection and retention across ● ●
enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

6.5 Central Log Management

v7 Ensure that appropriate logs are being aggregated to a central log ● ●
management system for analysis and review.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006, T1565

Page 730

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The $FileCreateMode parameter allows to specify the creation mode with which
rsyslogd creates new files.

Rationale:
It is important to ensure that log files have the correct permissions to ensure that
sensitive data is archived and protected.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify $FileCreateMode to set to mode 0640 or more
restrictive:
# grep ^\$FileCreateMode /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

Verify the output matches:

$FileCreateMode 0640

Should a site policy dictate less restrictive permissions, ensure to follow said policy.
Note: More restrictive permissions such as 0600 is implicitly sufficient.

Remediation:
Edit either /etc/rsyslog.conf or a dedicated .conf file in /etc/rsyslog.d/ and set
$FileCreateMode to 0640 or more restrictive:
$FileCreateMode 0640

Reload the service:

# systemctl reload-or-restart rsyslog

References:

1. RSYSLOG.CONF(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AC-6, MP-2
3. https://www.rsyslog.com/doc/configuration/action/rsconf1_filecreatemode.html

Page 731

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

5.1 Establish Secure Configurations

v7 Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all ● ● ●
authorized operating systems and software.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 732

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rsyslog and configuration files specifies rules for logging and which files are to be
used to log certain classes of messages.
Rationale:
A great deal of important security-related information is sent via rsyslog (e.g.,
successful and failed su attempts, failed login attempts, root login attempts, etc.).
Audit:
Review the contents of /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files to
ensure appropriate logging is set. In addition, run the following command and verify that
the log files are logging information as expected:
# ls -l /var/log/

Example output:
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:auth,authpriv.* /var/log/secure
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:mail.* -/var/log/mail
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:mail.info -/var/log/mail.info
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:mail.warning -/var/log/mail.warn
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:mail.err /var/log/mail.err
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:cron.* /var/log/cron
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:*.=warning;*.=err -/var/log/warn
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:*.crit /var/log/warn
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:*.*;mail.none;news.none -/var/log/messages
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:local0,local1.* -/var/log/localmessages
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:local2,local3.* -/var/log/localmessages
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:local4,local5.* -/var/log/localmessages
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:local6,local7.* -/var/log/localmessages
/etc/rsyslog.d/50-default.conf:auth,authpriv.* /var/log/auth.log #<- Will be ignored
/etc/rsyslog.d/50-default.conf:*.*;auth,authpriv.none -/var/log/syslog
/etc/rsyslog.d/50-default.conf:kern.* -/var/log/kern.log
/etc/rsyslog.d/50-default.conf:mail.* -/var/log/mail.log #<- Will be ignored
/etc/rsyslog.d/50-default.conf:mail.err /var/log/mail.err #<- Will be ignored

Note:

• Output is generated as <CONFIGURATION_FILE>:<PARAMETER>

• Files are listed in order of precedence. If the same parameter is listed multiple
times, only the first occurrence will be used be the rsyslog daemon

Page 733

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 Remediation:
Edit the following lines in the configuration file(s) returned by the audit as appropriate for
your environment.
Note: The below configuration is shown for example purposes only. Due care should be
given to how the organization wishes to store log data.
*.emerg :omusrmsg:*
auth,authpriv.* /var/log/secure
mail.* -/var/log/mail
mail.info -/var/log/mail.info
mail.warning -/var/log/mail.warn
mail.err /var/log/mail.err
cron.* /var/log/cron
*.=warning;*.=err -/var/log/warn
*.crit /var/log/warn
*.*;mail.none;news.none -/var/log/messages
local0,local1.* -/var/log/localmessages
local2,local3.* -/var/log/localmessages
local4,local5.* -/var/log/localmessages
local6,local7.* -/var/log/localmessages

Run the following command to reload the rsyslogd configuration:

# systemctl reload-or-restart rsyslog

References:

1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7, AU-12

Page 734

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002 TA0005 M1047

Page 735

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
host (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
rsyslog supports the ability to send log events it gathers to a remote log host or to
receive messages from remote hosts, thus enabling centralized log management.
Rationale:
Storing log data on a remote host protects log integrity from local attacks. If an attacker
gains root access on the local system, they could tamper with or remove log data that is
stored on the local system.
Audit:
Run the following command and review the output of rsyslog configuration. Verify that
logs are sent to a central host used by your organization:
basic format
# grep "^*.*[^I][^I]*@" /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

Output should include @@<FQDN or IP of remote loghost>, for example

*.* @@loghost.example.com

Output should include @@<FQDN or IP of remote loghost>:

Example output:
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:*.* @@loghost.example.com

- OR -
Run the following command and review the output of rsyslog configuration. Verify that
logs are sent to a central host used by your organization:
advanced format
# grep -E '^\s*([^#]+\s+)?action\(([^#]+\s+)?\btarget=\"?[^#"]+\"?\b' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

Output should include target=<FQDN or IP of remote loghost>:

Example output:
/etc/rsyslog.d/60-rsyslog.conf:*.* action(type="omfwd" target="loghost.example.com" port="514" protocol="tcp"

Page 736

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit the rsyslog configuration and add the following line (where
loghost.example.com is the name of your central log host). The target directive may
either be a fully qualified domain name or an IP address.
*.* action(type="omfwd" target="192.168.2.100" port="514" protocol="tcp"
action.resumeRetryCount="100"
queue.type="LinkedList" queue.size="1000")

Run the following command to reload rsyslog.service:

# systemctl reload-or-restart rsyslog.service

References:

1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-6
3. https://www.rsyslog.com/doc/

Additional Information:
In addition, see the rsyslog documentation for implementation details of TLS.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 737

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
remote client (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
rsyslog supports the ability to receive messages from remote hosts, thus acting as a
log server. Clients should not receive data from other hosts.
Rationale:
If a client is configured to also receive data, thus turning it into a server, the client
system is acting outside its operational boundary.
Audit:
Unless the system's primary function is to serve as a logfile server, run the following
script to review the rsyslog configuration and verify that the system is not configured to
accept incoming logs.
advanced format
# grep -P -- '^\h*module\(load="imtcp"\)|^\h*module\(load="imudp"\)' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf
# grep -P -- '^\h*input\(type="imtcp" port="514"\)|^\h*input\(type="imudp" port="514"\)' /etc/rsyslog.conf
/etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

No output expected.
obsolete legacy format
# grep -P -- '(^\$ModLoad imtcp|^\$InputTCPServerRun)' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf
# grep -P -- '(^\$ModLoad imudp|^\$UDPServerRun)' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

No output expected.

Page 738

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Unless the system's primary function is to serve as a logfile server , modify the files
returned by the Audit Procedure and remove the specific lines highlighted by the audit.
Verify none of the following entries are present in the rsyslog configuration.
advanced format
# module(load="imtcp")
# input(type="imtcp" port="514")
# module(load="imudp")
# input(type="imudp" port="514")

Note: obsolete legacy - previously known as the legacy format. This format is
obsolete and should not be used when writing new configurations. It was aimed at small
additions to the original sysklogd format and has been replaced due to its limitations.
Reload the service:
# systemctl reload-or-restart rsyslog

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7, AU-12, CM-6

2. https://www.rsyslog.com/doc/index.html
3. https://www.rsyslog.com/doc/configuration/conf_formats.html

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

Enterprise Assets and Software
v8 Uninstall or disable unnecessary services on enterprise assets and software, ● ●
such as an unused file sharing service, web application module, or service
function.

9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services

v7 Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system
● ●
with validated business needs, are running on each system.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0005, TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 739

Internal Only - General

 6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The system includes the capability of rotating log files regularly to avoid filling up the
system with logs or making the logs unmanageably large. The file
/etc/logrotate.d/rsyslog is the configuration file used to rotate log files created by
rsyslog.

Rationale:
By keeping the log files smaller and more manageable, a system administrator can
easily archive these files to another system and spend less time looking through
inordinately large log files.
Audit:
Run the following script to analyze the logrotate configuration:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_analyze_cmd="$(readlink -f /bin/systemd-analyze)" l_config_file="/etc/logrotate.conf"
l_include="$(awk '$1~/^\s*include$/{print$2}' "$l_config_file" 2>/dev/null)"
[ -d "$l_include" ] && l_include="$l_include/*"
$l_analyze_cmd cat-config "$l_config_file" $l_include
}

Note: The last occurrence of a argument is the one used for the logrotate
configuration
Remediation:
Edit /etc/logrotate.conf, or the appropriate configuration file provided by the script
in the Audit Procedure, as necessary to ensure logs are rotated according to site policy.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

Additional Information:
If no maxage setting is set for logrotate a situation can occur where logrotate is
interrupted and fails to delete rotated log files. It is recommended to set this to a value
greater than the longest any log file should exist on your system to ensure that any such
log file is removed but standard rotation settings are not overridden.

Page 740

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs

v7 Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the ● ●
logs generated.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002 TA0040 M1022

Page 741

Internal Only - General

 6.2.4 Configure Logfiles

Page 742

Internal Only - General

 6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Log files contain information from many services on the the local system, or in the event
of a centralized log server, others systems logs as well.
In general log files are found in /var/log/, although application can be configured to
store logs elsewhere. Should your application store logs in another, ensure to run the
same test on that location.
Rationale:
It is important that log files have the correct permissions to ensure that sensitive data is
protected and that only the appropriate users / groups have access to them.

Page 743

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to verify that files in /var/log/ have appropriate permissions
and ownership:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=(); a_output2=()
f_file_test_chk()
{
a_out2=()
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
[ $(( $l_mode & $perm_mask )) -gt 0 ] && \
a_out2+=(" o Mode: \"$l_mode\" should be \"$maxperm\" or more restrictive")
[[ ! "$l_user" =~ $l_auser ]] && \
a_out2+=(" o Owned by: \"$l_user\" and should be owned by \"${l_auser//|/ or }\"")
[[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_agroup ]] && \
a_out2+=(" o Group owned by: \"$l_group\" and should be group owned by \"${l_agroup//|/ or }\"")
[ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_fname\" is:" "${a_out2[@]}")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
while IFS=: read -r l_fname l_mode l_user l_group; do
if grep -Pq -- '\/(apt)\h*$' <<< "$(dirname "$l_fname")"; then
perm_mask='0133' l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|adm)"; f_file_test_chk
else
case "$(basename "$l_fname")" in
lastlog | lastlog.* | wtmp | wtmp.* | wtmp-* | btmp | btmp.* | btmp-* | README)
perm_mask='0113' l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|utmp)"
f_file_test_chk ;;
cloud-init.log* | localmessages* | waagent.log*)
perm_mask='0133' l_auser="(root|syslog)" l_agroup="(root|adm)"
f_file_test_chk ;;
secure{,*.*,.*,-*} | auth.log | syslog | messages)
perm_mask='0137' l_auser="(root|syslog)" l_agroup="(root|adm)"
f_file_test_chk ;;
SSSD | sssd)
perm_mask='0117' l_auser="(root|SSSD)" l_agroup="(root|SSSD)"
f_file_test_chk ;;
gdm | gdm3)
perm_mask='0117' l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|gdm|gdm3)"
f_file_test_chk ;;
*.journal | *.journal~)
perm_mask='0137' l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|systemd-journal)"
f_file_test_chk ;;
*)
perm_mask='0137' l_auser="(root|syslog)" l_agroup="(root|adm)"
if [ "$l_user" = "root" ] || ! grep -Pq -- "^\h*$(awk -F: '$1=="'"$l_user"'" {print $7}'
/etc/passwd)\b" /etc/shells; then
! grep -Pq -- "$l_auser" <<< "$l_user" && l_auser="(root|syslog|$l_user)"
! grep -Pq -- "$l_agroup" <<< "$l_group" && l_agroup="(root|adm|$l_group)"
fi
f_file_test_chk ;;
esac
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%n:%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
done < <(find -L /var/log -type f \( -perm /0137 -o ! -user root -o ! -group root \) -print0)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
a_output+=(" - All files in \"/var/log/\" have appropriate permissions and ownership")
printf '\n%s' "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}" ""
else
printf '\n%s' "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}" ""
fi
}

Page 744

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 Remediation:
Run the following script to update permissions and ownership on files in /var/log.
Although the script is not destructive, ensure that the output of the audit procedure is
captured in the event that the remediation causes issues.

Page 745

Internal Only - General

 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=()
f_file_test_fix()
{
a_out2=()
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $perm_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
a_out2+=(" o Mode: \"$l_mode\" should be \"$maxperm\" or more restrictive" " x Removing excess
permissions")
chmod "$l_rperms" "$l_fname"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_user" =~ $l_auser ]]; then
a_out2+=(" o Owned by: \"$l_user\" and should be owned by \"${l_auser//|/ or }\"" " x Changing
ownership to: \"$l_fix_account\"")
chown "$l_fix_account" "$l_fname"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_agroup ]]; then
a_out2+=(" o Group owned by: \"$l_group\" and should be group owned by \"${l_agroup//|/ or }\"" "
x Changing group ownership to: \"$l_fix_account\"")
chgrp "$l_fix_account" "$l_fname"
fi
[ "${#a_out2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=(" - File: \"$l_fname\" is:" "${a_out2[@]}")
}
l_fix_account='root'
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
while IFS=: read -r l_fname l_mode l_user l_group; do
if grep -Pq -- '\/(apt)\h*$' <<< "$(dirname "$l_fname")"; then
perm_mask='0133' l_rperms="u-x,go-wx" l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|adm)"; f_file_test_fix
else
case "$(basename "$l_fname")" in
lastlog | lastlog.* | wtmp | wtmp.* | wtmp-* | btmp | btmp.* | btmp-* | README)
perm_mask='0113' l_rperms="ug-x,o-wx" l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|utmp)"
f_file_test_fix ;;
cloud-init.log* | localmessages* | waagent.log*)
perm_mask='0133' l_rperms="u-x,go-wx" l_auser="(root|syslog)" l_agroup="(root|adm)"
file_test_fix ;;
secure | auth.log | syslog | messages)
perm_mask='0137' l_rperms="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx" l_auser="(root|syslog)" l_agroup="(root|adm)"
f_file_test_fix ;;
SSSD | sssd)
perm_mask='0117' l_rperms="ug-x,o-rwx" l_auser="(root|SSSD)" l_agroup="(root|SSSD)"
f_file_test_fix ;;
gdm | gdm3)
perm_mask='0117' l_rperms="ug-x,o-rwx" l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|gdm|gdm3)"
f_file_test_fix ;;
*.journal | *.journal~)
perm_mask='0137' l_rperms="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx" l_auser="root" l_agroup="(root|systemd-journal)"
f_file_test_fix ;;
*)
perm_mask='0137' l_rperms="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx" l_auser="(root|syslog)" l_agroup="(root|adm)"
if [ "$l_user" = "root" ] || ! grep -Pq -- "^\h*$(awk -F: '$1=="'"$l_user"'" {print $7}'
/etc/passwd)\b" /etc/shells; then
! grep -Pq -- "$l_auser" <<< "$l_user" && l_auser="(root|syslog|$l_user)"
! grep -Pq -- "$l_agroup" <<< "$l_group" && l_agroup="(root|adm|$l_group)"
fi
f_file_test_fix ;;
esac
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%n:%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
done < <(find -L /var/log -type f \( -perm /0137 -o ! -user root -o ! -group root \) -print0)
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then # If all files passed, then we report no changes
a_output+=(" - All files in \"/var/log/\" have appropriate permissions and ownership")
printf '\n%s' "- All files in \"/var/log/\" have appropriate permissions and ownership" " o No changes
required" ""
else
printf '\n%s' "${a_output2[@]}" ""
fi
}

Note: You may also need to change the configuration for your logging software or
services for any logs that had incorrect permissions.
If there are services that log to other locations, ensure that those log files have the
appropriate permissions.

Page 746

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1028
T1083.000

Page 747

Internal Only - General

 6.3 System Auditing

The Linux Auditing System operates on a set of rules that collects certain types of
system activity to facilitate incident investigation, detect unauthorized access or
modification of data. By default events will be logged to /var/log/audit/audit.log,
which can be configured in /etc/audit/auditd.conf.
The following types of audit rules can be specified:

• Control rules: Configuration of the auditing system.

• File system rules: Allow the auditing of access to a particular file or a directory.
Also known as file watches.
• System call rules: Allow logging of system calls that any specified program
makes.

Audit rules can be set:

• On the command line using the auditctl utility. These rules are not persistent
across reboots.
• In /etc/audit/audit.rules. These rules have to be merged and loaded before
they are active.

Notes:

• For 64 bit systems that have arch as a rule parameter, you will need two rules:
one for 64 bit and one for 32 bit systems calls.
• If the auditing system is configured to be locked (-e 2), a system reboot will be
required in order to load any changes.
• Key names are optional on the rules and will not be used as a compliance
auditing. The usage of key names is highly recommended as it facilitates
organization and searching, as such, all remediation steps will have key names
supplied.
• It is best practice to store the rules, in number prepended files, in
/etc/audit/rules.d/. Rules must end in a .rules suffix. This then requires
the use of augenrules to merge all the rules into /etc/audit/audit.rules
based on their their alphabetical (lexical) sort order. All benchmark
recommendations follow this best practice for remediation, specifically using the
prefix of 50 which is centre weighed if all rule sets make use of the number
prepending naming convention.
• Your system may have been customized to change the default UID_MIN. All
samples output uses 1000, but this value will not be used in compliance auditing.
To confirm the UID_MIN for your system, run the following command: awk
'/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs

Page 748

Internal Only - General

 Normalization
The Audit system normalizes some entries, so when you look at the sample output keep
in mind that:

• With regards to users whose login UID is not set, the values -1 / unset /
4294967295 are equivalent and normalized to -1.
• When comparing field types and both sides of the comparison is valid fields
types, such aseuid!=uid, then the auditing system may normalize such that the
output is uid!=euid.
• Some parts of the rule may be rearranged whilst others are dependant on
previous syntax. For example, the following two statements are the same:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F auid!=-1 -F key=user_emulation

and
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -C euid!=uid -F auid!=unset -S execve -k user_emulation

Capacity planning
The recommendations in this section implement auditing policies that not only produces
large quantities of logged data, but may also negatively impact system performance.
Capacity planning is critical in order not to adversely impact production environments.

• Disk space. If a significantly large set of events are captured, additional on

system or off system storage may need to be allocated. If the logs are not sent to
a remote log server, ensure that log rotation is implemented else the disk will fill
up and the system will halt. Even when logs are sent to a log server, ensure
sufficient disk space to allow caching of logs in the case of temporary network
outages.
• Disk IO. It is not just the amount of data collected that should be considered, but
the rate at which logs are generated.
• CPU overhead. System call rules might incur considerable CPU overhead. Test
the systems open/close syscalls per second with and without the rules to gauge
the impact of the rules.

Page 749

Internal Only - General

 6.3.1 Configure auditd Service

The capturing of system events provides system administrators with information to allow
them to determine if unauthorized access to their system is occurring.

Page 750

Internal Only - General

 6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
auditd is the userspace component to the Linux Auditing System. It's responsible for
writing audit records to the disk
Rationale:
The capturing of system events provides system administrators with information to allow
them to determine if unauthorized access to their system is occurring.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify auditd is installed:
# dpkg-query -s auditd &>/dev/null && echo auditd is installed

auditd is installed

Run the following command to verify audispd-plugins is installed:

# dpkg-query -s audispd-plugins &>/dev/null && echo audispd-plugins is installed

audispd-plugins is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to Install auditd and audispd-plugins
# apt install auditd audispd-plugins

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-3, AU-12, SI-5

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010182 | RULE ID: SV-238298r958506 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-653015 | RULE ID: SV-260591r1015023 | CAT II

Page 751

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1018

Page 752

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 6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Turn on the auditd daemon to record system events.

Rationale:
The capturing of system events provides system administrators with information to allow
them to determine if unauthorized access to their system is occurring.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify auditd is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled auditd | grep '^enabled'

enabled

Verify result is "enabled".

Run the following command to verify auditd is active:
# systemctl is-active auditd | grep '^active'

active

Verify result is active

Remediation:
Run the following commands to unmask, enable and start auditd:
# systemctl unmask auditd
# systemctl enable auditd
# systemctl start auditd

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010182 | RULE ID: SV-238298r958506 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-653015 | RULE ID: SV-260591r1015023 | CAT II

Page 753

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1028

Page 754

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 6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Configure grub2 so that processes that are capable of being audited can be audited
even if they start up prior to auditd startup.

Rationale:
Audit events need to be captured on processes that start up prior to auditd , so that
potential malicious activity cannot go undetected.
Audit:
Run the following command:
# find /boot -type f -name 'grub.cfg' -exec grep -Ph -- '^\h*linux' {} + | grep -v 'audit=1'

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/grub and add audit=1 to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX:
Example:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="audit=1"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-3, AU-12

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010198 | RULE ID: SV-238299r991555 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-212015 | RULE ID: SV-260471r991555 | CAT II

Additional Information:
This recommendation is designed around the grub2 bootloader, if another bootloader is
in use in your environment enact equivalent settings.

Page 755

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1047

Page 756

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 6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
In the kernel-level audit subsystem, a socket buffer queue is used to hold audit events.
Whenever a new audit event is received, it is logged and prepared to be added to this
queue.
The kernel boot parameter audit_backlog_limit=N, with N representing the amount of
messages, will ensure that a queue cannot grow beyond a certain size. If an audit event
is logged which would grow the queue beyond this limit, then a failure occurs and is
handled according to the system configuration
Rationale:
If an audit event is logged which would grow the queue beyond the
audit_backlog_limit, then a failure occurs, auditd records will be lost, and potential
malicious activity could go undetected.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify the audit_backlog_limit= parameter is set:
# find /boot -type f -name 'grub.cfg' -exec grep -Ph -- '^\h*linux' {} + | grep -Pv 'audit_backlog_limit=\d+\b'

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/grub and add audit_backlog_limit=N to
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX. The recommended size for N is 8192 or larger.
Example:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="audit_backlog_limit=8192"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

Default Value:
if audit_backlog_limit is not set, the system defaults to audit_backlog_limit=64

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-3, AU-12

Page 757

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event
source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and
● ●
other useful elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1028

Page 758

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 6.3.2 Configure Data Retention

When auditing, it is important to carefully configure the storage requirements for audit
logs. By default, auditd will max out the log files at 5MB and retain only 4 copies of
them. Older versions will be deleted. It is possible on a system that the 20 MBs of audit
logs may fill up the system causing loss of audit data. While the recommendations here
provide guidance, check your site policy for audit storage requirements.

Page 759

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 6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Configure the maximum size of the audit log file. Once the log reaches the maximum
size, it will be rotated and a new log file will be started.
Rationale:
It is important that an appropriate size is determined for log files so that they do not
impact the system and audit data is not lost.
Audit:
Run the following command and ensure output is in compliance with site policy:
# grep -Po -- '^\h*max_log_file\h*=\h*\d+\b' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

max_log_file = <MB>

Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/audit/auditd.conf in accordance with site
policy:
max_log_file = <MB>

Default Value:
max_log_file = 8

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

Additional Information:
The max_log_file parameter is measured in megabytes.
Other methods of log rotation may be appropriate based on site policy. One example is
time-based rotation strategies which don't have native support in auditd configurations.
Manual audit of custom configurations should be evaluated for effectiveness and
completeness.

Page 760

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 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs

v7 Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the ● ●
logs generated.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0040 M1053

Page 761

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 6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The max_log_file_action setting determines how to handle the audit log file reaching
the max file size. A value of keep_logs will rotate the logs but never delete old logs.

Rationale:
In high security contexts, the benefits of maintaining a long audit history exceed the cost
of storing the audit history.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output matches:
# grep max_log_file_action /etc/audit/auditd.conf

max_log_file_action = keep_logs

Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/audit/auditd.conf:
max_log_file_action = keep_logs

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

Page 762

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs

v7 Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the ● ●
logs generated.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1053

Page 763

Internal Only - General

 6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The auditd daemon can be configured to halt the system or put the system in single
user mode, if no free space is available or an error is detected on the partition that holds
the audit log files.
The disk_full_action parameter tells the system what action to take when no free
space is available on the partition that holds the audit log files. Valid values are ignore,
syslog, rotate, exec, suspend, single, and halt.

• ignore, the audit daemon will issue a syslog message but no other action is
taken
• syslog, the audit daemon will issue a warning to syslog
• rotate, the audit daemon will rotate logs, losing the oldest to free up space
• exec, /path-to-script will execute the script. You cannot pass parameters to the
script. The script is also responsible for telling the auditd daemon to resume
logging once its completed its action
• suspend, the audit daemon will stop writing records to the disk
• single, the audit daemon will put the computer system in single user mode
• halt, the audit daemon will shut down the system

The disk_error_action parameter tells the system what action to take when an error
is detected on the partition that holds the audit log files. Valid values are ignore,
syslog, exec, suspend, single, and halt.

• ignore, the audit daemon will not take any action

• syslog, the audit daemon will issue no more than 5 consecutive warnings to
syslog
• exec, /path-to-script will execute the script. You cannot pass parameters to the
script
• suspend, the audit daemon will stop writing records to the disk
• single, the audit daemon will put the computer system in single user mode
• halt, the audit daemon will shut down the system

Rationale:
In high security contexts, the risk of detecting unauthorized access or nonrepudiation
exceeds the benefit of the system's availability.

Page 764

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 Impact:
disk_full_action parameter:

• Set to halt - the auditd daemon will shutdown the system when the disk
partition containing the audit logs becomes full.
• Set to single - the auditd daemon will put the computer system in single user
mode when the disk partition containing the audit logs becomes full.

disk_error_action parameter:

• Set to halt - the auditd daemon will shutdown the system when an error is
detected on the partition that holds the audit log files.
• Set to single - the auditd daemon will put the computer system in single user
mode when an error is detected on the partition that holds the audit log files.
• Set to syslog - the auditd daemon will issue no more than 5 consecutive
warnings to syslog when an error is detected on the partition that holds the audit
log files.

Audit:
Run the following command and verify the disk_full_action is set to either halt or
single:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*disk_full_action\h*=\h*(halt|single)\b' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

disk_full_action = <halt|single>

Run the following command and verify the disk_error_action is set to syslog,
single, or halt:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*disk_error_action\h*=\h*(syslog|single|halt)\b' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

disk_error_action = <syslog|single|halt>

Remediation:
Set one of the following parameters in /etc/audit/auditd.conf depending on your
local security policies.
disk_full_action = <halt|single>
disk_error_action = <syslog|single|halt>

Example:
disk_full_action = halt
disk_error_action = halt

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-8, AU-12, SI-5

2. AUDITD.CONF(5)

Page 765

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1028

Page 766

Internal Only - General

 6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The auditd daemon can be configured to halt the system, put the system in single user
mode or send a warning message, if the partition that holds the audit log files is low on
space.
The space_left_action parameter tells the system what action to take when the
system has detected that it is starting to get low on disk space. Valid values are ignore,
syslog, rotate, email, exec, suspend, single, and halt.

• ignore, the audit daemon does nothing

• syslog, the audit daemon will issue a warning to syslog
• rotate, the audit daemon will rotate logs, losing the oldest to free up space
• email, the audit daemon will send a warning to the email account specified in
action_mail_acct as well as sending the message to syslog
• exec, /path-to-script will execute the script. You cannot pass parameters to the
script. The script is also responsible for telling the auditd daemon to resume
logging once its completed its action
• suspend, the audit daemon will stop writing records to the disk
• single, the audit daemon will put the computer system in single user mode
• halt, the audit daemon will shut down the system

The admin_space_left_action parameter tells the system what action to take when
the system has detected that it is low on disk space. Valid values are ignore, syslog,
rotate, email, exec, suspend, single, and halt.

• ignore, the audit daemon does nothing

• syslog, the audit daemon will issue a warning to syslog
• rotate, the audit daemon will rotate logs, losing the oldest to free up space
• email, the audit daemon will send a warning to the email account specified in
action_mail_acct as well as sending the message to syslog
• exec, /path-to-script will execute the script. You cannot pass parameters to the
script. The script is also responsible for telling the auditd daemon to resume
logging once its completed its action
• suspend, the audit daemon will stop writing records to the disk
• single, the audit daemon will put the computer system in single user mode
• halt, the audit daemon will shut down the system

Page 767

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 Rationale:
In high security contexts, the risk of detecting unauthorized access or nonrepudiation
exceeds the benefit of the system's availability.
Impact:
If the admin_space_left_action is set to single the audit daemon will put the
computer system in single user mode.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify the space_left_action is set to email, exec,
single, or halt:
grep -P -- '^\h*space_left_action\h*=\h*(email|exec|single|halt)\b' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

Verify the output is email, exec, single, or halt

Example output
space_left_action = email

Run the following command and verify the admin_space_left_action is set to single
- OR - halt:
grep -P -- '^\h*admin_space_left_action\h*=\h*(single|halt)\b' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

Verify the output is single or halt

Example output:
admin_space_left_action = single

Note: A Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) must be installed and configured properly to set
space_left_action = email

Remediation:
Set the space_left_action parameter in /etc/audit/auditd.conf to email, exec,
single, or halt:
Example:
space_left_action = email

Set the admin_space_left_action parameter in /etc/audit/auditd.conf to

single or halt:
Example:
admin_space_left_action = single

Note: A Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) must be installed and configured properly to set
space_left_action = email

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-8, AU-12, SI-5

2. AUDITD.CONF(5)

Page 768

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage

v8 Ensure that logging destinations maintain adequate storage to comply with ● ● ●
the enterprise’s audit log management process.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005

Page 769

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 6.3.3 Configure auditd Rules

The Audit system operates on a set of rules that define what is to be captured in the log
files.
The following types of Audit rules can be specified:

• Control rules: Allow the Audit system's behavior and some of its configuration to
be modified.
• File system rules: Allow the auditing of access to a particular file or a directory.
(Also known as file watches)
• System call rules: Allow logging of system calls that any specified program
makes.

Audit rules can be set:

• on the command line using the auditctl utility. Note that these rules are not
persistent across reboots.
• in a file ending in .rules in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory.

Note: The Linux Benchmarks are written and tested against x86_64 processor
architecture. If you are running a different processor type, please review and update the
audit rules for the processor architecture of the system

Page 770

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 6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope (sudoers)
is collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor scope changes for system administrators. If the system has been properly
configured to force system administrators to log in as themselves first and then use the
sudo command to execute privileged commands, it is possible to monitor changes in
scope. The file /etc/sudoers, or files in /etc/sudoers.d, will be written to when the
file(s) or related attributes have changed. The audit records will be tagged with the
identifier "scope".
Rationale:
Changes in the /etc/sudoers and /etc/sudoers.d files can indicate that an
unauthorized change has been made to the scope of system administrator activity.
Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&/\/etc\/sudoers/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-w /etc/sudoers -p wa -k scope
-w /etc/sudoers.d -p wa -k scope

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&/\/etc\/sudoers/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output matches:

-w /etc/sudoers -p wa -k scope
-w /etc/sudoers.d -p wa -k scope

Page 771

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 Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor scope changes for system administrators.
Example:
# printf "
-w /etc/sudoers -p wa -k scope
-w /etc/sudoers.d -p wa -k scope
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-scope.rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 772

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

4.8 Log and Alert on Changes to Administrative Group

v7 Membership
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert when an account is added to
● ●
or removed from any group assigned administrative privileges.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1047

Page 773

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
sudo provides users with temporary elevated privileges to perform operations, either as
the superuser or another user.
Rationale:
Creating an audit log of users with temporary elevated privileges and the operation(s)
they performed is essential to reporting. Administrators will want to correlate the events
written to the audit trail with the records written to sudo's logfile to verify if unauthorized
commands have been executed.
Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&(/ -C *euid!=uid/||/ -C *uid!=euid/) \
&&/ -S *execve/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -C euid!=uid -F auid!=unset -S execve -k user_emulation
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -C euid!=uid -F auid!=unset -S execve -k user_emulation

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&(/ -C *euid!=uid/||/ -C *uid!=euid/) \
&&/ -S *execve/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F auid!=-1 -F key=user_emulation
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F auid!=-1 -F key=user_emulation

Page 774

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 Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor elevated privileges.
Example:
# printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -C euid!=uid -F auid!=unset -S execve -k user_emulation
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -C euid!=uid -F auid!=unset -S execve -k user_emulation
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-user_emulation.rules

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 775

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account

v7 Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
● ●
administrative account.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1047

Page 776

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor the sudo log file. If the system has been properly configured to disable the use
of the su command and force all administrators to have to log in first and then use sudo
to execute privileged commands, then all administrator commands will be logged to
/var/log/sudo.log . Any time a command is executed, an audit event will be
triggered as the /var/log/sudo.log file will be opened for write and the executed
administration command will be written to the log.
Rationale:
Changes in /var/log/sudo.log indicate that an administrator has executed a
command or the log file itself has been tampered with. Administrators will want to
correlate the events written to the audit trail with the records written to
/var/log/sudo.log to verify if unauthorized commands have been executed.

Page 777

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Note: This recommendation requires that the sudo logfile is configured. See guidance
provided in the recommendation "Ensure sudo log file exists"
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
SUDO_LOG_FILE=$(grep -r logfile /etc/sudoers* | sed -e 's/.*logfile=//;s/,? .*//' -e 's/"//g' -e 's|/|\\/|g')
[ -n "${SUDO_LOG_FILE}" ] && awk "/^ *-w/ \
&&/"${SUDO_LOG_FILE}"/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'SUDO_LOG_FILE' is unset.\n"
}

Verify output of matches:

-w /var/log/sudo.log -p wa -k sudo_log_file

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
SUDO_LOG_FILE=$(grep -r logfile /etc/sudoers* | sed -e 's/.*logfile=//;s/,? .*//' -e 's/"//g' -e 's|/|\\/|g')
[ -n "${SUDO_LOG_FILE}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-w/ \
&&/"${SUDO_LOG_FILE}"/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'SUDO_LOG_FILE' is unset.\n"
}

Verify output matches:

-w /var/log/sudo.log -p wa -k sudo_log_file

Remediation:
Note: This recommendation requires that the sudo logfile is configured. See guidance
provided in the recommendation "Ensure sudo log file exists"
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor events that modify the sudo log file.
Example:
# {
SUDO_LOG_FILE=$(grep -r logfile /etc/sudoers* | sed -e 's/.*logfile=//;s/,? .*//' -e 's/"//g')
[ -n "${SUDO_LOG_FILE}" ] && printf "
-w ${SUDO_LOG_FILE} -p wa -k sudo_log_file
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-sudo.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'SUDO_LOG_FILE' is unset.\n"
}

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

Page 778

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account

v7 Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
● ●
administrative account.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004

Page 779

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Capture events where the system date and/or time has been modified. The parameters
in this section are set to determine if the;

• adjtimex - tune kernel clock

• settimeofday - set time using timeval and timezone structures
• stime - using seconds since 1/1/1970
• clock_settime - allows for the setting of several internal clocks and timers

system calls have been executed. Further, ensure to write an audit record to the
configured audit log file upon exit, tagging the records with a unique identifier such as
"time-change".
Rationale:
Unexpected changes in system date and/or time could be a sign of malicious activity on
the system.

Page 780

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/adjtimex/ \
||/settimeofday/ \
||/clock_settime/ ) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

awk '/^ *-w/ \

&&/\/etc\/localtime/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules
}

Verify output of matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S adjtimex,settimeofday -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S clock_settime -F a0=0x0 -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -F a0=0x0 -k time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/adjtimex/ \
||/settimeofday/ \
||/clock_settime/ ) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \

&&/\/etc\/localtime/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'
}

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S adjtimex,settimeofday -F key=time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S settimeofday,adjtimex -F key=time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S clock_settime -F a0=0x0 -F key=time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -F a0=0x0 -F key=time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change

Page 781

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor events that modify date and time information.
Example:
# printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S adjtimex,settimeofday -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S clock_settime -F a0=0x0 -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -F a0=0x0 -k time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-time-change.rules

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, CM-6

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 782

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

Systems
v7 Utilize a Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) compliant configuration ● ●
monitoring system to verify all security configuration elements, catalog approved
exceptions, and alert when unauthorized changes occur.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1047

Page 783

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
environment are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Record changes to network environment files or system calls. The below parameters
monitors the following system calls, and write an audit event on system call exit:

• sethostname - set the systems host name

• setdomainname - set the systems domain name

The files being monitored are:

• /etc/issue and /etc/issue.net - messages displayed pre-login

• /etc/hosts - file containing host names and associated IP addresses
• /etc/networks - symbolic names for networks
• /etc/network/ - directory containing network interface scripts and
configurations files
• /etc/netplan/ - central location for YAML networking configurations files

Rationale:
Monitoring system events that change network environments, such as sethostname
and setdomainname, helps identify unauthorized alterations to host and domain names,
which could compromise security settings reliant on these names. Changes to
/etc/hosts can signal unauthorized attempts to alter machine associations with IP
addresses, potentially redirecting users and processes to unintended destinations.
Surveillance of /etc/issue and /etc/issue.net is crucial to detect intruders inserting
false information to deceive users. Monitoring /etc/network/ reveals modifications to
network interfaces or scripts that may jeopardize system availability or security.
Additionally, tracking changes in the /etc/netplan/ directory ensures swift detection
of unauthorized adjustments to network configurations. All audit records should be
appropriately tagged for relevance

Page 784

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following commands to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/sethostname/ \
||/setdomainname/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

# awk '/^ *-w/ \

&&(/\/etc\/issue/ \
||/\/etc\/issue.net/ \
||/\/etc\/hosts/ \
||/\/etc\/network \
||/\/etc\/netplan) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S sethostname,setdomainname -k system-locale
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname,setdomainname -k system-locale
-w /etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/networks -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/network -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/netplan -p wa -k system-locale

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/sethostname/ \
||/setdomainname/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \

&&(/\/etc\/issue/ \
||/\/etc\/issue.net/ \
||/\/etc\/hosts/ \
||/\/etc\/network \
||/\/etc\/netplan) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S sethostname,setdomainname -F key=system-locale
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname,setdomainname -F key=system-locale
-w /etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/networks -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/network -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/netplan -p wa -k system-locale

Page 785

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor events that modify the system's network environment.
Example:
# printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S sethostname,setdomainname -k system-locale
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname,setdomainname -k system-locale
-w /etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/networks -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/network -p wa -k system-locale
-w /etc/netplan -p wa -k system-locale
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-system_locale.rules

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, CM-6

2. https://netplan.io/faq

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 786

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

Systems
v7 Utilize a Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) compliant configuration ● ●
monitoring system to verify all security configuration elements, catalog approved
exceptions, and alert when unauthorized changes occur.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0003 M1047

Page 787

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor privileged programs, those that have the setuid and/or setgid bit set on
execution, to determine if unprivileged users are running these commands.
Rationale:
Execution of privileged commands by non-privileged users could be an indication of
someone trying to gain unauthorized access to the system.
Impact:
Both the audit and remediation section of this recommendation will traverse all mounted
file systems that is not mounted with either noexec or nosuid mount options. If there
are large file systems without these mount options, such traversal will be significantly
detrimental to the performance of the system.
Before running either the audit or remediation section, inspect the output of the following
command to determine exactly which file systems will be traversed:
# findmnt -n -l -k -it $(awk '/nodev/ { print $2 }' /proc/filesystems | paste -sd,) | grep -Pv "noexec|nosuid"

To exclude a particular file system due to adverse performance impacts, update the
audit and remediation sections by adding a sufficiently unique string to the grep
statement. The above command can be used to test the modified exclusions.

Page 788

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 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following script to check on disk rules:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
for PARTITION in $(findmnt -n -l -k -it $(awk '/nodev/ { print $2 }' /proc/filesystems | paste -sd,) | grep
-Pv "noexec|nosuid" | awk '{print $1}'); do
for PRIVILEGED in $(find "${PARTITION}" -xdev -perm /6000 -type f); do
grep -qr "${PRIVILEGED}" /etc/audit/rules.d && printf "OK: '${PRIVILEGED}' found in auditing rules.\n"
|| printf "Warning: '${PRIVILEGED}' not found in on disk configuration.\n"
done
done
}

Verify that all output is OK.

Running configuration
Run the following script to check loaded rules:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
RUNNING=$(auditctl -l)
[ -n "${RUNNING}" ] && for PARTITION in $(findmnt -n -l -k -it $(awk '/nodev/ { print $2 }'
/proc/filesystems | paste -sd,) | grep -Pv "noexec|nosuid" | awk '{print $1}'); do
for PRIVILEGED in $(find "${PARTITION}" -xdev -perm /6000 -type f); do
printf -- "${RUNNING}" | grep -q "${PRIVILEGED}" && printf "OK: '${PRIVILEGED}' found in auditing
rules.\n" || printf "Warning: '${PRIVILEGED}' not found in running configuration.\n"
done
done \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'RUNNING' is unset.\n"
}

Verify that all output is OK.

Special mount points
If there are any special mount points that are not visible by default from findmnt as per
the above audit, said file systems would have to be manually audited.

Page 789

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor the use of privileged commands.
Example script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
AUDIT_RULE_FILE="/etc/audit/rules.d/50-privileged.rules"
NEW_DATA=()
for PARTITION in $(findmnt -n -l -k -it $(awk '/nodev/ { print $2 }' /proc/filesystems | paste -sd,) | grep -
Pv "noexec|nosuid" | awk '{print $1}'); do
readarray -t DATA < <(find "${PARTITION}" -xdev -perm /6000 -type f | awk -v UID_MIN=${UID_MIN} '{print "-a
always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>="UID_MIN" -F auid!=unset -k privileged" }')
for ENTRY in "${DATA[@]}"; do
NEW_DATA+=("${ENTRY}")
done
done
readarray &> /dev/null -t OLD_DATA < "${AUDIT_RULE_FILE}"
COMBINED_DATA=( "${OLD_DATA[@]}" "${NEW_DATA[@]}" )
printf '%s\n' "${COMBINED_DATA[@]}" | sort -u > "${AUDIT_RULE_FILE}"
}

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

Special mount points

If there are any special mount points that are not visible by default from just scanning /,
change the PARTITION variable to the appropriate partition and re-run the remediation.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-3(1)

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 790

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0002 M1026

Page 791

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor for unsuccessful attempts to access files. The following parameters are
associated with system calls that control files:

• creation - creat
• opening - open , openat
• truncation - truncate , ftruncate

An audit log record will only be written if all of the following criteria is met for the user
when trying to access a file:

• a non-privileged user (auid>=UID_MIN)

• is not a Daemon event (auid=4294967295/unset/-1)
• if the system call returned EACCES (permission denied) or EPERM (some other
permanent error associated with the specific system call)

Rationale:
Failed attempts to open, create or truncate files could be an indication that an individual
or process is trying to gain unauthorized access to the system.

Page 792

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&(/ -F *exit=-EACCES/||/ -F *exit=-EPERM/) \
&&/ -S/ \
&&/creat/ \
&&/open/ \
&&/truncate/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset
-k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset
-k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset
-k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset
-k access

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&(/ -F *exit=-EACCES/||/ -F *exit=-EPERM/) \
&&/ -S/ \
&&/creat/ \
&&/open/ \
&&/truncate/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S open,truncate,ftruncate,creat,openat -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F
key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S open,truncate,ftruncate,creat,openat -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F
key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open,truncate,ftruncate,creat,openat -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F
key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open,truncate,ftruncate,creat,openat -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F
key=access

Page 793

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor unsuccessful file access attempts.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F
auid!=unset -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F
auid!=unset -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F
auid!=unset -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat,open,openat,truncate,ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F
auid!=unset -k access
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-access.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 794

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to

Sensitive Data
v7 Enforce detailed audit logging for access to sensitive data or changes to ●
sensitive data (utilizing tools such as File Integrity Monitoring or Security
Information and Event Monitoring).

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0007 M1047

Page 795

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Record events affecting the modification of user or group information, including that of
passwords and old passwords if in use.

• /etc/group - system groups

• /etc/passwd - system users
• /etc/gshadow - encrypted password for each group
• /etc/shadow - system user passwords
• /etc/security/opasswd - storage of old passwords if the relevant PAM module
is in use
• /etc/nsswitch.conf - file configures how the system uses various databases
and name resolution mechanisms
• /etc/pam.conf - file determines the authentication services to be used, and the
order in which the services are used.
• /etc/pam.d - directory contains the PAM configuration files for each PAM-aware
application.

The parameters in this section will watch the files to see if they have been opened for
write or have had attribute changes (e.g. permissions) and tag them with the identifier
"identity" in the audit log file.
Rationale:
Unexpected changes to these files could be an indication that the system has been
compromised and that an unauthorized user is attempting to hide their activities or
compromise additional accounts.

Page 796

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/etc\/group/ \
||/\/etc\/passwd/ \
||/\/etc\/gshadow/ \
||/\/etc\/shadow/ \
||/\/etc\/security\/opasswd/ \
||/\/etc\/nsswitch.conf/ \
||/\/etc\/pam.conf/ \
||/\/etc\/pam.d/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-w /etc/group -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/gshadow -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/shadow -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/nsswitch.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.d -p wa -k identity

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/etc\/group/ \
||/\/etc\/passwd/ \
||/\/etc\/gshadow/ \
||/\/etc\/shadow/ \
||/\/etc\/security\/opasswd/ \
||/\/etc\/nsswitch.conf/ \
||/\/etc\/pam.conf/ \
||/\/etc\/pam.d/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output matches:

-w /etc/group -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/gshadow -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/shadow -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/nsswitch.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.d -p wa -k identity

Page 797

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor events that modify user/group information.
Example:
# printf "
-w /etc/group -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/gshadow -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/shadow -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/nsswitch.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.d -p wa -k identity
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-identity.rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

2. https://manpages.debian.org/bookworm/manpages/nsswitch.conf.5.en.html
3. https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-
us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/6/html/managing_smart_cards/pam_configuration_fil
es

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 798

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

4.8 Log and Alert on Changes to Administrative Group

v7 Membership
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert when an account is added to
● ●
or removed from any group assigned administrative privileges.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1047

Page 799

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
modification events are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor changes to file permissions, attributes, ownership and group. The parameters in
this section track changes for system calls that affect file permissions and attributes.
The following commands and system calls effect the permissions, ownership and
various attributes of files.

• chmod
• fchmod
• fchmodat
• chown
• fchown
• fchownat
• lchown
• setxattr
• lsetxattr
• fsetxattr
• removexattr
• lremovexattr
• fremovexattr

In all cases, an audit record will only be written for non-system user ids and will ignore
Daemon events. All audit records will be tagged with the identifier "perm_mod."
Rationale:
Monitoring for changes in file attributes could alert a system administrator to activity that
could indicate intruder activity or policy violation.

Page 800

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Note: Output showing all audited syscalls, e.g. (-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S
chmod,fchmod,fchmodat,chmod,fchmod,fchmodat,setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr
,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod) is also
acceptable. These have been separated by function on the displayed output for clarity.
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -S/ \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&(/chmod/||/fchmod/||/fchmodat/ \
||/chown/||/fchown/||/fchownat/||/lchown/ \
||/setxattr/||/lsetxattr/||/fsetxattr/ \
||/removexattr/||/lremovexattr/||/fremovexattr/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod,fchmod,fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown,fchown,lchown,fchownat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod,fchmod,fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lchown,fchown,chown,fchownat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F auid>=1000
-F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F auid>=1000
-F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -S/ \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&(/chmod/||/fchmod/||/fchmodat/ \
||/chown/||/fchown/||/fchownat/||/lchown/ \
||/setxattr/||/lsetxattr/||/fsetxattr/ \
||/removexattr/||/lremovexattr/||/fremovexattr/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod,fchmod,fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown,fchown,lchown,fchownat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod,fchmod,fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lchown,fchown,chown,fchownat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F auid>=1000
-F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F auid>=1000
-F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod

Page 801

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor discretionary access control permission modification
events.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod,fchmod,fchmodat -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown,fchown,lchown,fchownat -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod,fchmod,fchmodat -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lchown,fchown,chown,fchownat -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F
auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F
auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=perm_mod
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-perm_mod.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, CM-6

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 802

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

Systems
v7 Utilize a Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) compliant configuration ● ●
monitoring system to verify all security configuration elements, catalog approved
exceptions, and alert when unauthorized changes occur.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 803

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor the use of the mount system call. The mount (and umount ) system call controls
the mounting and unmounting of file systems. The parameters below configure the
system to create an audit record when the mount system call is used by a non-
privileged user
Rationale:
It is highly unusual for a non privileged user to mount file systems to the system. While
tracking mount commands gives the system administrator evidence that external media
may have been mounted (based on a review of the source of the mount and confirming
it's an external media type), it does not conclusively indicate that data was exported to
the media. System administrators who wish to determine if data were exported, would
also have to track successful open, creat and truncate system calls requiring write
access to a file under the mount point of the external media file system. This could give
a fair indication that a write occurred. The only way to truly prove it, would be to track
successful writes to the external media. Tracking write system calls could quickly fill up
the audit log and is not recommended. Recommendations on configuration options to
track data export to media is beyond the scope of this document.

Page 804

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&/mount/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k mounts
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k mounts

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&/mount/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=mounts
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=mounts

Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor successful file system mounts.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=$UID_MIN -F auid!=unset -k mounts
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid>=$UID_MIN -F auid!=unset -k mounts
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-mounts.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

Page 805

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
● ●
elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0010 M1034

Page 806

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor session initiation events. The parameters in this section track changes to the
files associated with session events.

• /var/run/utmp - tracks all currently logged in users.

• /var/log/wtmp - file tracks logins, logouts, shutdown, and reboot events.
• /var/log/btmp - keeps track of failed login attempts and can be read by
entering the command /usr/bin/last -f /var/log/btmp.

All audit records will be tagged with the identifier "session."

Rationale:
Monitoring these files for changes could alert a system administrator to logins occurring
at unusual hours, which could indicate intruder activity (i.e. a user logging in at a time
when they do not normally log in).

Page 807

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/var\/run\/utmp/ \
||/\/var\/log\/wtmp/ \
||/\/var\/log\/btmp/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-w /var/run/utmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/wtmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/btmp -p wa -k session

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/var\/run\/utmp/ \
||/\/var\/log\/wtmp/ \
||/\/var\/log\/btmp/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output matches:

-w /var/run/utmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/wtmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/btmp -p wa -k session

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor session initiation information.
Example:
# printf "
-w /var/run/utmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/wtmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/btmp -p wa -k session
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-session.rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010279 | RULE ID: SV-238317r991581 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010278 | RULE ID: SV-238316r991581 | CAT II
4. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010277 | RULE ID: SV-238315r991581 | CAT II
5. STIG ID: UBTU-22-654195 | RULE ID: SV-260641r991581 | CAT II
6. STIG ID: UBTU-22-654200 | RULE ID: SV-260642r991581 | CAT II
7. STIG ID: UBTU-22-654205 | RULE ID: SV-260643r991581 | CAT II

Page 808

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account

v7 Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
● ●
administrative account.

16.13 Alert on Account Login Behavior Deviation

v7 Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day, ●
workstation location and duration.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0001 M1047

Page 809

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor login and logout events. The parameters below track changes to files
associated with login/logout events.

• /var/log/lastlog - maintain records of the last time a user successfully logged

in.
• /var/run/faillock - directory maintains records of login failures via the
pam_faillock module.

Rationale:
Monitoring login/logout events could provide a system administrator with information
associated with brute force attacks against user logins.
Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/var\/log\/lastlog/ \
||/\/var\/run\/faillock/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-w /var/log/lastlog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/run/faillock -p wa -k logins

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/var\/log\/lastlog/ \
||/\/var\/run\/faillock/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output matches:

-w /var/log/lastlog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/run/faillock -p wa -k logins

Page 810

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor login and logout events.
Example:
# printf "
-w /var/log/lastlog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/run/faillock -p wa -k logins
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-login.rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 811

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account

v7 Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
● ●
administrative account.

v7 16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity ● ● ●

Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

16.13 Alert on Account Login Behavior Deviation

v7 Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day, ●
workstation location and duration.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0001 M1047

Page 812

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor the use of system calls associated with the deletion or renaming of files and file
attributes. This configuration statement sets up monitoring for:

• unlink - remove a file

• unlinkat - remove a file attribute
• rename - rename a file
• renameat rename a file attribute system calls and tags them with the identifier
"delete".

Rationale:
Monitoring these calls from non-privileged users could provide a system administrator
with evidence that inappropriate removal of files and file attributes associated with
protected files is occurring. While this audit option will look at all events, system
administrators will want to look for specific privileged files that are being deleted or
altered.

Page 813

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/unlink/||/rename/||/unlinkat/||/renameat/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S unlink,unlinkat,rename,renameat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink,unlinkat,rename,renameat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k delete

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/unlink/||/rename/||/unlinkat/||/renameat/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S rename,unlink,unlinkat,renameat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink,rename,unlinkat,renameat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=delete

Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor file deletion events by users.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S rename,unlink,unlinkat,renameat -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S rename,unlink,unlinkat,renameat -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -F key=delete
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-delete.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

Page 814

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-12, SC-7

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010267 | Rule ID: SV-238310r991577 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-654185 | Rule ID: SV-260639r991577 | CAT II

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1047

Page 815

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
Access Controls are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor AppArmor, an implementation of mandatory access controls. The parameters
below monitor any write access (potential additional, deletion or modification of files in
the directory) or attribute changes to the /etc/apparmor/ and /etc/apparmor.d/
directories.
Note: If a different Mandatory Access Control method is used, changes to the
corresponding directories should be audited.
Rationale:
Changes to files in the /etc/apparmor/ and /etc/apparmor.d/ directories could
indicate that an unauthorized user is attempting to modify access controls and change
security contexts, leading to a compromise of the system.
Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/etc\/apparmor/ \
||/\/etc\/apparmor.d/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-w /etc/apparmor/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
-w /etc/apparmor.d/ -p wa -k MAC-policy

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-w/ \
&&(/\/etc\/apparmor/ \
||/\/etc\/apparmor.d/) \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

Verify the output matches:

-w /etc/apparmor/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
-w /etc/apparmor.d/ -p wa -k MAC-policy

Page 816

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor events that modify the system's Mandatory Access
Controls.
Example:
# printf "
-w /etc/apparmor/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
-w /etc/apparmor.d/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-MAC-policy.rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, CM-6

Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.

Page 817

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

Systems
v7 Utilize a Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) compliant configuration ● ●
monitoring system to verify all security configuration elements, catalog approved
exceptions, and alert when unauthorized changes occur.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1022

Page 818

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
chcon command are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The operating system must generate audit records for successful/unsuccessful uses of
the chcon command.

Rationale:
The chcon command is used to change file security context. Without generating audit
records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would
be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident or
identify those responsible for one.
Audit records can be generated from various components within the information system
(e.g., module or policy filter).

Page 819

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/chcon/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chcon -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k perm_chng

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/chcon/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/chcon -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_chng

Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
chcon command.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chcon -F perm=x -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -k perm_chng
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-perm_chng.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Page 820

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 821

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
setfacl command are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The operating system must generate audit records for successful/unsuccessful uses of
the setfacl command

Rationale:
This utility sets Access Control Lists (ACLs) of files and directories. Without generating
audit records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it
would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an
incident or identify those responsible for one.
Audit records can be generated from various components within the information system
(e.g., module or policy filter).

Page 822

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/setfacl/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is
unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/setfacl -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k perm_chng

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/setfacl/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/setfacl -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_chng

Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
setfacl command.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/setfacl -F perm=x -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -k perm_chng
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-perm_chng.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Page 823

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 824

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
chacl command are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The operating system must generate audit records for successful/unsuccessful uses of
the chacl command.
chacl is an IRIX-compatibility command, and is maintained for those users who are
familiar with its use from either XFS or IRIX.
Rationale:
chacl changes the ACL(s) for a file or directory. Without generating audit records that
are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to
establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident or identify those
responsible for one.
Audit records can be generated from various components within the information system
(e.g., module or policy filter).

Page 825

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/chacl/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chacl -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k perm_chng

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/chacl/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/chacl -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_chng

Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
chacl command.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chacl -F perm=x -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -k perm_chng
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-perm_chng.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Page 826

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 827

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
usermod command are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The operating system must generate audit records for successful/unsuccessful uses of
the usermod command.

Rationale:
The usermod command modifies the system account files to reflect the changes that are
specified on the command line. Without generating audit records that are specific to the
security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to establish,
correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident or identify those responsible
for one.
Audit records can be generated from various components within the information system
(e.g., module or policy filter).

Page 828

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following command to check the on disk rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/sbin\/usermod/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/usermod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k usermod

Running configuration
Run the following command to check loaded rules:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/sbin\/usermod/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/sbin/usermod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=usermod

Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
usermod command.
Example:
# {
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/usermod -F perm=x -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -k usermod
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-usermod.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Page 829

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.2 Collect Audit Logs

v8 Collect audit logs. Ensure that logging, per the enterprise’s audit log ● ● ●
management process, has been enabled across enterprise assets.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 830

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and
modification is collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Monitor the loading and unloading of kernel modules. All the loading / listing /
dependency checking of modules is done by kmod via symbolic links.
The following system calls control loading and unloading of modules:

• init_module - load a module

• finit_module - load a module (used when the overhead of using
cryptographically signed modules to determine the authenticity of a module can
be avoided)
• delete_module - delete a module
• create_module - create a loadable module entry
• query_module - query the kernel for various bits pertaining to modules

Any execution of the loading and unloading module programs and system calls will
trigger an audit record with an identifier of modules.

Rationale:
Monitoring the use of all the various ways to manipulate kernel modules could provide
system administrators with evidence that an unauthorized change was made to a kernel
module, possibly compromising the security of the system.

Page 831

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
On disk configuration
Run the following script to check the on disk rules:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F auid!=unset/||/ -F auid!=-1/||/ -F auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/init_module/ \
||/finit_module/ \
||/delete_module/ \
||/create_module/ \
||/query_module/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)

[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/kmod/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module,finit_module,delete_module,create_module,query_module -F auid>=1000 -
F auid!=unset -k kernel_modules
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/kmod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -k kernel_modules

Running configuration
Run the following script to check loaded rules:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
auditctl -l | awk '/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&/ -F *arch=b(32|64)/ \
&&(/ -F auid!=unset/||/ -F auid!=-1/||/ -F auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -S/ \
&&(/init_module/ \
||/finit_module/ \
||/delete_module/ \
||/create_module/ \
||/query_module/) \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)'

UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)

[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-a *always,exit/ \
&&(/ -F *auid!=unset/||/ -F *auid!=-1/||/ -F *auid!=4294967295/) \
&&/ -F *auid>=${UID_MIN}/ \
&&/ -F *perm=x/ \
&&/ -F *path=\/usr\/bin\/kmod/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S create_module,init_module,delete_module,query_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -
F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
-a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/kmod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules

Page 832

Internal Only - General

 Symlink audit
Run the following script to audit if the symlinks kmod accepts are indeed pointing at it:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_files=("/usr/sbin/lsmod" "/usr/sbin/rmmod" "/usr/sbin/insmod" "/usr/sbin/modinfo" "/usr/sbin/modprobe"
"/usr/sbin/depmod")
for l_file in "${a_files[@]}"; do
if [ "$(readlink -f "$l_file")" = "$(readlink -f /bin/kmod)" ]; then
printf "OK: \"$l_file\"\n"
else
printf "Issue with symlink for file: \"$l_file\"\n"
fi
done
}

Verify the output states OK. If there is a symlink pointing to a different location it should
be investigated
Remediation:
Create audit rules
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension,
with the relevant rules to monitor kernel module modification.
Example:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
[ -n "${UID_MIN}" ] && printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module,finit_module,delete_module,create_module,query_module -F
auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -k kernel_modules
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/kmod -F perm=x -F auid>=${UID_MIN} -F auid!=unset -k kernel_modules
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-kernel_modules.rules || printf "ERROR: Variable 'UID_MIN' is unset.\n"
}

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, CM-6

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010296 | RULE ID: SV-238318r991586 | CAT II
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-654060 | RULE ID: SV-260614r991586 | CAT II

Page 833

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
System call structure
For performance (man 7 audit.rules) reasons it is preferable to have all the system
calls on one line. However, your configuration may have them on one line each or some
other combination. This is important to understand for both the auditing and remediation
sections as the examples given are optimized for performance as per the man page.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1047

Page 834

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Set system audit so that audit rules cannot be modified with auditctl . Setting the flag
"-e 2" forces audit to be put in immutable mode. Audit changes can only be made on
system reboot.
Note: This setting will require the system to be rebooted to update the active auditd
configuration settings.
Rationale:
In immutable mode, unauthorized users cannot execute changes to the audit system to
potentially hide malicious activity and then put the audit rules back. Users would most
likely notice a system reboot and that could alert administrators of an attempt to make
unauthorized audit changes.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output matches:
# grep -Ph -- '^\h*-e\h+2\b' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules | tail -1

-e 2

Remediation:
Edit or create the file /etc/audit/rules.d/99-finalize.rules and add the line -e
2 at the end of the file:
Example:
# printf '\n%s' "-e 2" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/99-finalize.rules

Load audit rules

Merge and load the rules into active configuration:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AU-3, AU-12, MP-2

Page 835

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
● ●
elements.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 836

Internal Only - General

 6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The Audit system have both on disk and running configuration. It is possible for these
configuration settings to differ.
Note: Due to the limitations of augenrules and auditctl, it is not absolutely
guaranteed that loading the rule sets via augenrules --load will result in all rules
being loaded or even that the user will be informed if there was a problem loading the
rules.
Rationale:
Configuration differences between what is currently running and what is on disk could
cause unexpected problems or may give a false impression of compliance
requirements.
Audit:
Merged rule sets
Ensure that all rules in /etc/audit/rules.d have been merged into
/etc/audit/audit.rules:
# augenrules --check

/usr/sbin/augenrules: No change

Should there be any drift, run augenrules --load to merge and load all rules.

Remediation:
If the rules are not aligned across all three () areas, run the following command to
merge and load all rules:
# augenrules --load

Check if reboot is required.

if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then echo "Reboot required to load rules"; fi

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 837

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
Potential reboot required
If the auditing configuration is locked (-e 2), then augenrules will not warn in any way
that rules could not be loaded into the running configuration. A system reboot will be
required to load the rules into the running configuration.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

v8 Configure detailed audit logging for enterprise assets containing sensitive data.
Include event source, date, username, timestamp, source addresses, destination
● ●
addresses, and other useful elements that could assist in a forensic investigation.

6.3 Enable Detailed Logging

v7 Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
● ●
elements.

Page 838

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4 Configure auditd File Access

Without the capability to restrict which roles and individuals can select which events are
audited, unauthorized personnel may be able to prevent the auditing of critical events.

Page 839

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Audit log files contain information about the system and system activity.
Rationale:
Access to audit records can reveal system and configuration data to attackers,
potentially compromising its confidentiality.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify audit log files are mode 0640 or more restrictive:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_perm_mask="0137"
if [ -e "/etc/audit/auditd.conf" ]; then
l_audit_log_directory="$(dirname "$(awk -F= '/^\s*log_file\s*/{print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf |
xargs)")"
if [ -d "$l_audit_log_directory" ]; then
l_maxperm="$(printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_perm_mask )) )"
a_files=()
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
[ -e "$l_file" ] && a_files+=("$l_file")
done < <(find "$l_audit_log_directory" -maxdepth 1 -type f -perm /"$l_perm_mask" -print0)
if (( "${#a_files[@]}" > 0 )); then
for l_file in "${a_files[@]}"; do
l_file_mode="$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_file")"
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - File: \"$l_file\" is mode: \"$l_file_mode\"\n
(should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive)\n"
done
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - All files in \"$l_audit_log_directory\" are mode:
\"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive"
fi
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Log file directory not set in \"/etc/audit/auditd.conf\"
please set log file directory"
fi
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - File: \"/etc/audit/auditd.conf\" not found.\n - ** Verify
auditd is installed **"
fi
}

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove more permissive mode than 0640 from audit log
files:
# [ -f /etc/audit/auditd.conf ] && find "$(dirname $(awk -F "=" '/^\s*log_file/ {print $2}'
/etc/audit/auditd.conf | xargs))" -type f -perm /0137 -exec chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx {} +

Page 840

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 841

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Audit log files contain information about the system and system activity.
Rationale:
Access to audit records can reveal system and configuration data to attackers,
potentially compromising its confidentiality.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify audit log files are owned by the root user:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
if [ -e "/etc/audit/auditd.conf" ]; then
l_audit_log_directory="$(dirname "$(awk -F= '/^\s*log_file\s*/{print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf |
xargs)")"
if [ -d "$l_audit_log_directory" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
l_output2="$l_output2\n - File: \"$l_file\" is owned by user: \"$(stat -Lc '%U' "$l_file")\"\n
(should be owned by user: \"root\")\n"
done < <(find "$l_audit_log_directory" -maxdepth 1 -type f ! -user root -print0)
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - Log file directory not set in \"/etc/audit/auditd.conf\" please set log
file directory"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - File: \"/etc/audit/auditd.conf\" not found.\n - ** Verify auditd is installed
**"
fi
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - All files in \"$l_audit_log_directory\" are owned by user: \"root\"\n"
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - * Correctly configured * :$l_output"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :$l_output2\n"
fi
}

Remediation:
Run the following command to configure the audit log files to be owned by the root
user:
# [ -f /etc/audit/auditd.conf ] && find "$(dirname $(awk -F "=" '/^\s*log_file/ {print $2}'
/etc/audit/auditd.conf | xargs))" -type f ! -user root -exec chown root {} +

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 842

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 843

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Audit log files contain information about the system and system activity.
Rationale:
Access to audit records can reveal system and configuration data to attackers,
potentially compromising its confidentiality.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify log_group parameter is set to either adm or root
in /etc/audit/auditd.conf:
# grep -Piws -- '^\h*log_group\h*=\h*\H+\b' /etc/audit/auditd.conf | grep -Pvi -- '(adm)'

Nothing should be returned

Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, verify audit log files are owned
by the "root" or "adm" group by running the following script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
if [ -e /etc/audit/auditd.conf ]; then
l_fpath="$(dirname "$(awk -F "=" '/^\s*log_file/ {print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf | xargs)")"
find -L "$l_fpath" -not -path "$l_fpath"/lost+found -type f \( ! -group root -a ! -group adm \) -exec ls
-l {} +
fi
}

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to configure the audit log files to be group owned by adm:
# find $(dirname $(awk -F"=" '/^\s*log_file/ {print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf | xargs)) -type f \( ! -group
adm -a ! -group root \) -exec chgrp adm {} +

Run the following command to set the log_group parameter in the audit configuration
file to log_group = adm:
# sed -ri 's/^\s*#?\s*log_group\s*=\s*\S+(\s*#.*)?.*$/log_group = adm\1/' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

Run the following command to restart the audit daemon to reload the configuration file:
# systemctl restart auditd

Page 844

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 845

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
The audit log directory contains audit log files.
Rationale:
Audit information includes all information including: audit records, audit settings and
audit reports. This information is needed to successfully audit system activity. This
information must be protected from unauthorized modification or deletion. If this
information were to be compromised, forensic analysis and discovery of the true source
of potentially malicious system activity is impossible to achieve.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the audit log directory is mode 0750 or more restrictive:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_perm_mask="0027"
if [ -e "/etc/audit/auditd.conf" ]; then
l_audit_log_directory="$(dirname "$(awk -F= '/^\s*log_file\s*/{print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf |
xargs)")"
if [ -d "$l_audit_log_directory" ]; then
l_maxperm="$(printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_perm_mask )) )"
l_directory_mode="$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_audit_log_directory")"
if [ $(( $l_directory_mode & $l_perm_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Directory: \"$l_audit_log_directory\" is mode:
\"$l_directory_mode\"\n (should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive)\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - Directory: \"$l_audit_log_directory\" is mode:
\"$l_directory_mode\"\n (should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive)\n"
fi
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Log file directory not set in \"/etc/audit/auditd.conf\"
please set log file directory"
fi
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - File: \"/etc/audit/auditd.conf\" not found\n - ** Verify
auditd is installed **"
fi
}

Remediation:
Run the following command to configure the audit log directory to have a mode of
"0750" or less permissive:
# chmod g-w,o-rwx "$(dirname "$(awk -F= '/^\s*log_file\s*/{print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf | xargs)")"

Page 846

Internal Only - General

 Default Value:
750
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 847

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Audit configuration files control auditd and what events are audited.
Rationale:
Access to the audit configuration files could allow unauthorized personnel to prevent the
auditing of critical events.
Misconfigured audit configuration files may prevent the auditing of critical events or
impact the system's performance by overwhelming the audit log. Misconfiguration of the
audit configuration files may also make it more difficult to establish and investigate
events relating to an incident.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify that the audit configuration files are mode 0640 or more
restrictive:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_perm_mask="0137"
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_perm_mask )) )"
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_fname; do
l_mode=$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_fname")
if [ $(( "$l_mode" & "$l_perm_mask" )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - file: \"$l_fname\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" (should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or
more restrictive)"
fi
done < <(find /etc/audit/ -type f \( -name "*.conf" -o -name '*.rules' \) -print0)
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - All audit configuration files are mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or
more restrictive"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n$l_output2"
fi
}

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove more permissive mode than 0640 from the audit
configuration files:
# find /etc/audit/ -type f \( -name '*.conf' -o -name '*.rules' \) -exec chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx {} +

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 848

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 849

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Audit configuration files control auditd and what events are audited.
Rationale:
Access to the audit configuration files could allow unauthorized personnel to prevent the
auditing of critical events.
Misconfigured audit configuration files may prevent the auditing of critical events or
impact the system's performance by overwhelming the audit log. Misconfiguration of the
audit configuration files may also make it more difficult to establish and investigate
events relating to an incident.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the audit configuration files are owned by the
root user:
# find /etc/audit/ -type f \( -name '*.conf' -o -name '*.rules' \) ! -user root

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to change ownership to root user:
# find /etc/audit/ -type f \( -name '*.conf' -o -name '*.rules' \) ! -user root -exec chown root {} +

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 850

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 851

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Audit configuration files control auditd and what events are audited.
Rationale:
Access to the audit configuration files could allow unauthorized personnel to prevent the
auditing of critical events.
Misconfigured audit configuration files may prevent the auditing of critical events or
impact the system's performance by overwhelming the audit log. Misconfiguration of the
audit configuration files may also make it more difficult to establish and investigate
events relating to an incident.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the audit configuration files are owned by the
group root:
# find /etc/audit/ -type f \( -name '*.conf' -o -name '*.rules' \) ! -group root

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to change group to root:
# find /etc/audit/ -type f \( -name '*.conf' -o -name '*.rules' \) ! -group root -exec chgrp root {} +

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 852

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 853

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Audit tools include, but are not limited to, vendor-provided and open source audit tools
needed to successfully view and manipulate audit information system activity and
records. Audit tools include custom queries and report generators.
Rationale:
Protecting audit information includes identifying and protecting the tools used to view
and manipulate log data. Protecting audit tools is necessary to prevent unauthorized
operation on audit information.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the audit tools are mode 0755 or more restrictive:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_perm_mask="0022"
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_perm_mask )) )"
a_audit_tools=("/sbin/auditctl" "/sbin/aureport" "/sbin/ausearch" "/sbin/autrace" "/sbin/auditd"
"/sbin/augenrules")
for l_audit_tool in "${a_audit_tools[@]}"; do
l_mode="$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_audit_tool")"
if [ $(( "$l_mode" & "$l_perm_mask" )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - Audit tool \"$l_audit_tool\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" and should be mode:
\"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - Audit tool \"$l_audit_tool\" is correctly configured to mode: \"$l_mode\""
fi
done
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - * Correctly configured * :$l_output"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n - * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
fi
unset a_audit_tools
}

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove more permissive mode from the audit tools:
# chmod go-w /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 854

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 855

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Audit tools include, but are not limited to, vendor-provided and open source audit tools
needed to successfully view and manipulate audit information system activity and
records. Audit tools include custom queries and report generators.
Rationale:
Protecting audit information includes identifying and protecting the tools used to view
and manipulate log data. Protecting audit tools is necessary to prevent unauthorized
operation on audit information.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the audit tools are owned by the root user:
# stat -Lc "%n %U" /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules |
awk '$2 != "root" {print}'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to change the owner of the audit tools to the root user:
# chown root /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 856

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 857

Internal Only - General

 6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

Description:
Audit tools include, but are not limited to, vendor-provided and open source audit tools
needed to successfully view and manipulate audit information system activity and
records. Audit tools include custom queries and report generators.
Rationale:
Protecting audit information includes identifying and protecting the tools used to view
and manipulate log data. Protecting audit tools is necessary to prevent unauthorized
operation on audit information.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the audit tools are owned by the group root
# stat -Lc "%n %G" /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules |
awk '$2 != "root" {print}'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to change group ownership to the group root:
# chgrp root /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3

Page 858

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022
T1083.000

Page 859

Internal Only - General

 7 System Maintenance
Recommendations in this section are intended as maintenance and are intended to be
checked on a frequent basis to ensure system stability. Many recommendations do not
have quick remediations and require investigation into the cause and best fix available
and may indicate an attempted breach of system security.

Page 860

Internal Only - General

 7.1 Configure system file and directory access

This section provides guidance on securing aspects of system files and directories.

Page 861

Internal Only - General

 7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/passwd file contains user account information that is used by many system
utilities and therefore must be readable for these utilities to operate.
Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/passwd file is protected from unauthorized write
access. Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/passwd is mode 644 or more restrictive, Uid
is 0/root and Gid is 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/passwd

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove excess permissions, set owner, and set group
on /etc/passwd:
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/passwd
# chown root:root /etc/passwd

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 862

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 863

Internal Only - General

 7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/passwd- file contains backup user account information.

Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/passwd- file is protected from unauthorized access.
Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/passwd- is mode 644 or more restrictive,
Uid is 0/root and Gid is 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: { %g/ %G)' /etc/passwd-

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: { 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove excess permissions, set owner, and set group
on /etc/passwd-:
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/passwd-
# chown root:root /etc/passwd-

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: { 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 864

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 865

Internal Only - General

 7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/group file contains a list of all the valid groups defined in the system. The
command below allows read/write access for root and read access for everyone else.
Rationale:
The /etc/group file needs to be protected from unauthorized changes by non-
privileged users, but needs to be readable as this information is used with many non-
privileged programs.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/group is mode 644 or more restrictive, Uid
is 0/root and Gid is 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/group

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove excess permissions, set owner, and set group
on /etc/group:
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/group
# chown root:root /etc/group

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 866

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 867

Internal Only - General

 7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/group- file contains a backup list of all the valid groups defined in the
system.
Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/group- file is protected from unauthorized access.
Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/group- is mode 644 or more restrictive, Uid
is 0/root and Gid is 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/group-

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove excess permissions, set owner, and set group
on /etc/group-:
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/group-
# chown root:root /etc/group-

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 868

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 869

Internal Only - General

 7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/shadow file is used to store the information about user accounts that is critical
to the security of those accounts, such as the hashed password and other security
information.
Rationale:
If attackers can gain read access to the /etc/shadow file, they can easily run a
password cracking program against the hashed password to break it. Other security
information that is stored in the /etc/shadow file (such as expiration) could also be
useful to subvert the user accounts.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/shadow is mode 640 or more restrictive, Uid
is 0/root and Gid is 0/root or ({GID}/ shadow):
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/shadow

Example:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to set ownership of /etc/shadow to root and
group to either root or shadow:
# chown root:shadow /etc/shadow
-OR-
# chown root:root /etc/shadow

Run the following command to remove excess permissions form /etc/shadow:

# chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/shadow

Default Value:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 870

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 871

Internal Only - General

 7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/shadow- file is used to store backup information about user accounts that is
critical to the security of those accounts, such as the hashed password and other
security information.
Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/shadow- file is protected from unauthorized access.
Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/shadow- is mode 640 or more restrictive,
Uid is 0/root and Gid is 0/root or {GID}/shadow:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/shadow-

Example:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to set ownership of /etc/shadow- to root and
group to either root or shadow:
# chown root:shadow /etc/shadow-
-OR-
# chown root:root /etc/shadow-

Run the following command to remove excess permissions form /etc/shadow-:

# chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/shadow-

Default Value:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 872

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 873

Internal Only - General

 7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/gshadow file is used to store the information about groups that is critical to
the security of those accounts, such as the hashed password and other security
information.
Rationale:
If attackers can gain read access to the /etc/gshadow file, they can easily run a
password cracking program against the hashed password to break it. Other security
information that is stored in the /etc/gshadow file (such as group administrators) could
also be useful to subvert the group.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/gshadow is mode 640 or more restrictive,
Uid is 0/root and Gid is 0/root or `{GID}/shadow:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/gshadow

Example:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to set ownership of /etc/gshadow to root and
group to either root or shadow:
# chown root:shadow /etc/gshadow
-OR-
# chown root:root /etc/gshadow

Run the following command to remove excess permissions form /etc/gshadow:

# chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/gshadow

Default Value:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 874

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 875

Internal Only - General

 7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/gshadow- file is used to store backup information about groups that is critical
to the security of those accounts, such as the hashed password and other security
information.
Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/gshadow- file is protected from unauthorized
access. Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/gshadow- is mode 640 or more restrictive,
Uid is 0/root and Gid is 0/root or {GID}/shadow:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/gshadow-

Example:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to set ownership of /etc/gshadow- to root and
group to either root or shadow:
# chown root:shadow /etc/gshadow-
-OR-
# chown root:root /etc/gshadow-

Run the following command to remove excess permissions form /etc/gshadow-:

# chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/gshadow-

Default Value:
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 876

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 877

Internal Only - General

 7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
/etc/shells is a text file which contains the full pathnames of valid login shells. This
file is consulted by chsh and available to be queried by other programs.

Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/shells file is protected from unauthorized access.
Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify /etc/shells is mode 644 or more restrictive, Uid
is 0/root and Gid is 0/root:
# stat -Lc 'Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)' /etc/shells

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove excess permissions, set owner, and set group
on /etc/shells:
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/shells
# chown root:root /etc/shells

Default Value:
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 878

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 879

Internal Only - General

 7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
/etc/security/opasswd and it's backup /etc/security/opasswd.old hold user's
previous passwords if pam_unix or pam_pwhistory is in use on the system

Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that /etc/security/opasswd is protected from unauthorized
access. Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either
inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify /etc/security/opasswd and
/etc/security/opasswd.old are mode 600 or more restrictive, Uid is 0/root and
Gid is 0/root if they exist:
# [ -e "/etc/security/opasswd" ] && stat -Lc '%n Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)'
/etc/security/opasswd

/etc/security/opasswd Access: (0600/-rw-------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

-OR-
Nothing is returned
# [ -e "/etc/security/opasswd.old" ] && stat -Lc '%n Access: (%#a/%A) Uid: ( %u/ %U) Gid: ( %g/ %G)'
/etc/security/opasswd.old

/etc/security/opasswd.old Access: (0600/-rw-------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)

-OR-
Nothing is returned

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove excess permissions, set owner, and set group
on /etc/security/opasswd and /etc/security/opasswd.old is they exist:
# [ -e "/etc/security/opasswd" ] && chmod u-x,go-rwx /etc/security/opasswd
# [ -e "/etc/security/opasswd" ] && chown root:root /etc/security/opasswd
# [ -e "/etc/security/opasswd.old" ] && chmod u-x,go-rwx /etc/security/opasswd.old
# [ -e "/etc/security/opasswd.old" ] && chown root:root /etc/security/opasswd.old

Default Value:
/etc/security/opasswd Access: (0600/-rw-------) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root)
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 880

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 881

Internal Only - General

 7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
World writable files are the least secure. Data in world-writable files can be modified and
compromised by any user on the system. World writable files may also indicate an
incorrectly written script or program that could potentially be the cause of a larger
compromise to the system's integrity. See the chmod(2) man page for more
information.
Setting the sticky bit on world writable directories prevents users from deleting or
renaming files in that directory that are not owned by them.
Rationale:
Data in world-writable files can be modified and compromised by any user on the
system. World writable files may also indicate an incorrectly written script or program
that could potentially be the cause of a larger compromise to the system's integrity.
This feature prevents the ability to delete or rename files in world writable directories
(such as /tmp ) that are owned by another user.

Page 882

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to verify:

• No world writable files exist

• No world writable directories without the sticky bit exist
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
l_smask='01000'
a_file=(); a_dir=() # Initialize arrays
a_path=(! -path "/run/user/*" -a ! -path "/proc/*" -a ! -path "*/containerd/*" -a ! -path "*/kubelet/pods/*"
-a ! -path "*/kubelet/plugins/*" -a ! -path "/sys/*" -a ! -path "/snap/*")
while IFS= read -r l_mount; do
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if [ -e "$l_file" ]; then
[ -f "$l_file" ] && a_file+=("$l_file") # Add WR files
if [ -d "$l_file" ]; then # Add directories w/o sticky bit
l_mode="$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_file")"
[ ! $(( $l_mode & $l_smask )) -gt 0 ] && a_dir+=("$l_file")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_mount" -xdev \( "${a_path[@]}" \) \( -type f -o -type d \) -perm -0002 -print0 2>
/dev/null)
done < <(findmnt -Dkerno fstype,target | awk '($1 !~ /^\s*(nfs|proc|smb|vfat|iso9660|efivarfs|selinuxfs)/ &&
$2 !~ /^(\/run\/user\/|\/tmp|\/var\/tmp)/){print $2}')
if ! (( ${#a_file[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - No world writable files exist on the local filesystem."
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - There are \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_file[@]}")\" World writable files on the
system.\n - The following is a list of World writable files:\n$(printf '%s\n' "${a_file[@]}")\n - end of
list\n"
fi
if ! (( ${#a_dir[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - Sticky bit is set on world writable directories on the local filesystem."
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - There are \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_dir[@]}")\" World writable directories without
the sticky bit on the system.\n - The following is a list of World writable directories without the sticky
bit:\n$(printf '%s\n' "${a_dir[@]}")\n - end of list\n"
fi
unset a_path; unset a_arr; unset a_file; unset a_dir # Remove arrays
# If l_output2 is empty, we pass
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "- * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Note: On systems with a large number of files and/or directories, this audit may be a
long running process

Page 883

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:

• World Writable Files:

o It is recommended that write access is removed from other with the
command ( chmod o-w <filename> ), but always consult relevant vendor
documentation to avoid breaking any application dependencies on a given
file.
• World Writable Directories:
o Set the sticky bit on all world writable directories with the command (
chmod a+t <directory_name> )

Run the following script to:

• Remove other write permission from any world writable files

• Add the sticky bit to all world writable directories
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_smask='01000'
a_file=(); a_dir=() # Initialize arrays
a_path=(! -path "/run/user/*" -a ! -path "/proc/*" -a ! -path "*/containerd/*" -a ! -path "*/kubelet/pods/*"
-a ! -path "*/kubelet/plugins/*" -a ! -path "/sys/*" -a ! -path "/snap/*")
while IFS= read -r l_mount; do
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if [ -e "$l_file" ]; then
l_mode="$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_file")"
if [ -f "$l_file" ]; then # Remove excess permissions from WW files
echo -e " - File: \"$l_file\" is mode: \"$l_mode\"\n - removing write permission on \"$l_file\"
from \"other\""
chmod o-w "$l_file"
fi
if [ -d "$l_file" ]; then # Add sticky bit
if [ ! $(( $l_mode & $l_smask )) -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e " - Directory: \"$l_file\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" and doesn't have the sticky bit set\n
- Adding the sticky bit"
chmod a+t "$l_file"
fi
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_mount" -xdev \( "${a_path[@]}" \) \( -type f -o -type d \) -perm -0002 -print0 2>
/dev/null)
done < <(findmnt -Dkerno fstype,target | awk '($1 !~ /^\s*(nfs|proc|smb|vfat|iso9660|efivarfs|selinuxfs)/ &&
$2 !~ /^(\/run\/user\/|\/tmp|\/var\/tmp)/){print $2}')
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

2. STIG ID: UBTU-20-010411 | Rule ID: SV-238332r958524 | CAT ||
3. STIG ID: UBTU-22-232145 | Rule ID: SV-260513r958524 | CAT ||

Page 884

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002, T1548 TA0004, TA0005 M1022, M1028

Page 885

Internal Only - General

 7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a group
exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Administrators may delete users or groups from the system and neglect to remove all
files and/or directories owned by those users or groups.
Rationale:
A new user or group who is assigned a deleted user's user ID or group ID may then end
up "owning" a deleted user or group's files, and thus have more access on the system
than was intended.

Page 886

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to verify no unowned or ungrouped files or directories exist:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_nouser=(); a_nogroup=() # Initialize arrays
a_path=(! -path "/run/user/*" -a ! -path "/proc/*" -a ! -path "*/containerd/*" -a ! -path "*/kubelet/pods/*"
-a ! -path "*/kubelet/plugins/*" -a ! -path "/sys/fs/cgroup/memory/*" -a ! -path "/var/*/private/*")
while IFS= read -r l_mount; do
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if [ -e "$l_file" ]; then
while IFS=: read -r l_user l_group; do
[ "$l_user" = "UNKNOWN" ] && a_nouser+=("$l_file")
[ "$l_group" = "UNKNOWN" ] && a_nogroup+=("$l_file")
done < <(stat -Lc '%U:%G' "$l_file")
fi
done < <(find "$l_mount" -xdev \( "${a_path[@]}" \) \( -type f -o -type d \) \( -nouser -o -nogroup \) -
print0 2> /dev/null)
done < <(findmnt -Dkerno fstype,target | awk '($1 !~ /^\s*(nfs|proc|smb|vfat|iso9660|efivarfs|selinuxfs)/ &&
$2 !~ /^\/run\/user\//){print $2}')
if ! (( ${#a_nouser[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - No files or directories without a owner exist on the local filesystem."
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - There are \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_nouser[@]}")\" unowned files or directories on
the system.\n - The following is a list of unowned files and/or directories:\n$(printf '%s\n'
"${a_nouser[@]}")\n - end of list"
fi
if ! (( ${#a_nogroup[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - No files or directories without a group exist on the local filesystem."
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - There are \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_nogroup[@]}")\" ungrouped files or directories
on the system.\n - The following is a list of ungrouped files and/or directories:\n$(printf '%s\n'
"${a_nogroup[@]}")\n - end of list"
fi
unset a_path; unset a_arr ; unset a_nouser; unset a_nogroup # Remove arrays
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then # If l_output2 is empty, we pass
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Note: On systems with a large number of files and/or directories, this audit may be a
long running process
Remediation:
Remove or set ownership and group ownership of these files and/or directories to an
active user on the system as appropriate.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 887

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0007 M1022

Page 888

Internal Only - General

 7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The owner of a file can set the file's permissions to run with the owner's or group's
permissions, even if the user running the program is not the owner or a member of the
group. The most common reason for a SUID or SGID program is to enable users to
perform functions (such as changing their password) that require root privileges.
Rationale:
There are valid reasons for SUID and SGID programs, but it is important to identify and
review such programs to ensure they are legitimate. Review the files returned by the
action in the audit section and check to see if system binaries have a different
checksum than what from the package. This is an indication that the binary may have
been replaced.

Page 889

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to generate a list of SUID and SGID files:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_suid=(); a_sgid=() # initialize arrays
while IFS= read -r l_mount; do
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
if [ -e "$l_file" ]; then
l_mode="$(stat -Lc '%#a' "$l_file")"
[ $(( $l_mode & 04000 )) -gt 0 ] && a_suid+=("$l_file")
[ $(( $l_mode & 02000 )) -gt 0 ] && a_sgid+=("$l_file")
fi
done < <(find "$l_mount" -xdev -type f \( -perm -2000 -o -perm -4000 \) -print0 2>/dev/null)
done < <(findmnt -Dkerno fstype,target,options | awk '($1 !~
/^\s*(nfs|proc|smb|vfat|iso9660|efivarfs|selinuxfs)/ && $2 !~ /^\/run\/user\// && $3 !~/noexec/ && $3
!~/nosuid/) {print $2}')
if ! (( ${#a_suid[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - No executable SUID files exist on the system"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - List of \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_suid[@]}")\" SUID executable files:\n$(printf
'%s\n' "${a_suid[@]}")\n - end of list -\n"
fi
if ! (( ${#a_sgid[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - No SGID files exist on the system"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - List of \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_sgid[@]}")\" SGID executable files:\n$(printf
'%s\n' "${a_sgid[@]}")\n - end of list -\n"
fi
[ -n "$l_output2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n- Review the preceding list(s) of SUID and/or SGID files to\n-
ensure that no rogue programs have been introduced onto the system.\n"
unset a_arr; unset a_suid; unset a_sgid # Remove arrays
# If l_output2 is empty, Nothing to report
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "$l_output\n"
fi
}

Note: on systems with a large number of files, this may be a long running process
Remediation:
Ensure that no rogue SUID or SGID programs have been introduced into the system.
Review the files returned by the action in the Audit section and confirm the integrity of
these binaries.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5, AC-3, MP-2

Page 890

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0004 M1028

Page 891

Internal Only - General

 7.2 Local User and Group Settings

This section provides guidance on securing aspects of the local users and groups.
Note: The recommendations in this section check local users and groups. Any users or
groups from other sources such as LDAP will not be audited. In a domain environment
similar checks should be performed against domain users and groups.

Page 892

Internal Only - General

 7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed passwords
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Local accounts can uses shadowed passwords. With shadowed passwords, The
passwords are saved in shadow password file, /etc/shadow, encrypted by a salted
one-way hash. Accounts with a shadowed password have an x in the second field in
/etc/passwd.

Rationale:
The /etc/passwd file also contains information like user ID's and group ID's that are
used by many system programs. Therefore, the /etc/passwd file must remain world
readable. In spite of encoding the password with a randomly-generated one-way hash
function, an attacker could still break the system if they got access to the /etc/passwd
file. This can be mitigated by using shadowed passwords, thus moving the passwords in
the /etc/passwd file to /etc/shadow. The /etc/shadow file is set so only root will be
able to read and write. This helps mitigate the risk of an attacker gaining access to the
encoded passwords with which to perform a dictionary attack.
Note:

• All accounts must have passwords or be locked to prevent the account from
being used by an unauthorized user.
• A user account with an empty second field in /etc/passwd allows the account to
be logged into by providing only the username.

Audit:
Run the following command and verify that no output is returned:
# awk -F: '($2 != "x" ) { print "User: \"" $1 "\" is not set to shadowed passwords "}' /etc/passwd

Remediation:
Run the following command to set accounts to use shadowed passwords and migrate
passwords in /etc/passwd to /etc/shadow:
# pwconv

Investigate to determine if the account is logged in and what it is being used for, to
determine if it needs to be forced off.

Page 893

Internal Only - General

 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

2. PWCONV(8)

Additional Information:
The pwconv command creates shadow from passwd and an optionally existing shadow.

• The pwunconv command creates passwd from passwd and shadow and then
removes shadow.
• The grpconv command creates gshadow from group and an optionally existing
gshadow.
• The grpunconv command creates group from group and gshadow and then
removes gshadow.

These four programs all operate on the normal and shadow password and group files:
/etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/shadow, and /etc/gshadow.
Each program acquires the necessary locks before conversion. pwconv and grpconv
are similar. First, entries in the shadowed file which don't exist in the main file are
removed. Then, shadowed entries which don't have x' as the password in the
main file are updated. Any missing shadowed entries are added.
Finally, passwords in the main file are replaced with x'. These programs
can be used for initial conversion as well to update the shadowed file if the main file is
edited by hand.
pwconv will use the values of PASS_MIN_DAYS, PASS_MAX_DAYS, and PASS_WARN_AGE
from /etc/login.defs when adding new entries to /etc/shadow.
pwunconv and grpunconv are similar. Passwords in the main file are updated from the
shadowed file. Entries which exist in the main file but not in the shadowed file are left
alone. Finally, the shadowed file is removed. Some password aging information is lost
by pwunconv. It will convert what it can.

Page 894

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

Encrypt sensitive data at rest on servers, applications, and databases containing
sensitive data. Storage-layer encryption, also known as server-side encryption,
v8 meets the minimum requirement of this Safeguard. Additional encryption methods ● ●
may include application-layer encryption, also known as client-side encryption,
where access to the data storage device(s) does not permit access to the plain-text
data.

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008 TA0003 M1027

Page 895

Internal Only - General

 7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
An account with an empty password field means that anybody may log in as that user
without providing a password.
Rationale:
All accounts must have passwords or be locked to prevent the account from being used
by an unauthorized user.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that no output is returned:
# awk -F: '($2 == "" ) { print $1 " does not have a password "}' /etc/shadow

Remediation:
If any accounts in the /etc/shadow file do not have a password, run the following
command to lock the account until it can be determined why it does not have a
password:
# passwd -l <username>

Also, check to see if the account is logged in and investigate what it is being used for to
determine if it needs to be forced off.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

2. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-6 b
3. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)

Page 896

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

v8 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.

4.4 Use Unique Passwords

v7 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.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0003 M1027
T1078.003

Page 897

Internal Only - General

 7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Over time, system administration errors and changes can lead to groups being defined
in /etc/passwd but not in /etc/group .

Rationale:
Groups defined in the /etc/passwd file but not in the /etc/group file pose a threat to
system security since group permissions are not properly managed.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify all GIDs in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_passwd_group_gid=("$(awk -F: '{print $4}' /etc/passwd | sort -u)")
a_group_gid=("$(awk -F: '{print $3}' /etc/group | sort -u)")
a_passwd_group_diff=("$(printf '%s\n' "${a_group_gid[@]}" "${a_passwd_group_gid[@]}" | sort | uniq -u)")
while IFS= read -r l_gid; do
awk -F: '($4 == '"$l_gid"') {print " - User: \"" $1 "\" has GID: \"" $4 "\" which does not exist in
/etc/group" }' /etc/passwd
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_passwd_group_gid[@]}" "${a_passwd_group_diff[@]}" | sort | uniq -D | uniq)
unset a_passwd_group_gid; unset a_group_gid; unset a_passwd_group_diff
}

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Analyze the output of the Audit step above and perform the appropriate action to correct
any discrepancies found.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 898

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply
data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote
● ● ●
file systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Train Workforce Members on Recognizing and

v8 Reporting Security Incidents
Train workforce members to be able to recognize a potential incident and be
● ● ●
able to report such an incident.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0003 M1027

Page 899

Internal Only - General

 7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The shadow group allows system programs which require access the ability to read the
/etc/shadow file. No users should be assigned to the shadow group.
Rationale:
Any users assigned to the shadow group would be granted read access to the
/etc/shadow file. If attackers can gain read access to the /etc/shadow file, they can
easily run a password cracking program against the hashed passwords to break them.
Other security information that is stored in the /etc/shadow file (such as expiration)
could also be useful to subvert additional user accounts.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify no results are returned:
# awk -F: '($1=="shadow") {print $NF}' /etc/group
# awk -F: '($4 == '"$(getent group shadow | awk -F: '{print $3}' | xargs)"') {print " - user: \"" $1 "\"
primary group is the shadow group"}' /etc/passwd

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove all users from the shadow group
# sed -ri 's/(^shadow:[^:]*:[^:]*:)([^:]+$)/\1/' /etc/group

Change the primary group of any users with shadow as their primary group.
# usermod -g <primary group> <user>

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 900

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008 TA0005 M1022

Page 901

Internal Only - General

 7.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Although the useradd program will not let you create a duplicate User ID (UID), it is
possible for an administrator to manually edit the /etc/passwd file and change the UID
field.
Rationale:
Users must be assigned unique UIDs for accountability and to ensure appropriate
access protections.
Satisfies: SRG-OS-000104-GPOS-00051, SRG-OS-000121-GPOS-00062, SRG-OS-
000042-GPOS-00020
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
while read -r l_count l_uid; do
if [ "$l_count" -gt 1 ]; then
echo -e "Duplicate UID: \"$l_uid\" Users: \"$(awk -F: '($3 == n) { print $1 }' n=$l_uid /etc/passwd |
xargs)\""
fi
done < <(cut -f3 -d":" /etc/passwd | sort -n | uniq -c)
}

Remediation:
Based on the results of the audit script, establish unique UIDs and review all files owned
by the shared UIDs to determine which UID they are supposed to belong to.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: IA-2.1

Page 902

Internal Only - General

 Additional Information:
CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1027
T1078.003

Page 903

Internal Only - General

 7.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Although the groupadd program will not let you create a duplicate Group ID (GID), it is
possible for an administrator to manually edit the /etc/group file and change the GID
field.
Rationale:
User groups must be assigned unique GIDs for accountability and to ensure appropriate
access protections.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
while read -r l_count l_gid; do
if [ "$l_count" -gt 1 ]; then
echo -e "Duplicate GID: \"$l_gid\" Groups: \"$(awk -F: '($3 == n) { print $1 }' n=$l_gid /etc/group |
xargs)\""
fi
done < <(cut -f3 -d":" /etc/group | sort -n | uniq -c)
}

Remediation:
Based on the results of the audit script, establish unique GIDs and review all files
owned by the shared GID to determine which group they are supposed to belong to.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Additional Information:
You can also use the grpck command to check for other inconsistencies in the
/etc/group file.

Page 904

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1027
T1078.003

Page 905

Internal Only - General

 7.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Although the useradd program will not let you create a duplicate user name, it is
possible for an administrator to manually edit the /etc/passwd file and change the user
name.
Rationale:
If a user is assigned a duplicate user name, it will create and have access to files with
the first UID for that username in /etc/passwd . For example, if "test4" has a UID of
1000 and a subsequent "test4" entry has a UID of 2000, logging in as "test4" will use
UID 1000. Effectively, the UID is shared, which is a security problem.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
while read -r l_count l_user; do
if [ "$l_count" -gt 1 ]; then
echo -e "Duplicate User: \"$l_user\" Users: \"$(awk -F: '($1 == n) { print $1 }' n=$l_user /etc/passwd
| xargs)\""
fi
done < <(cut -f1 -d":" /etc/passwd | sort -n | uniq -c)
}

Remediation:
Based on the results of the audit script, establish unique user names for the users. File
ownerships will automatically reflect the change as long as the users have unique UIDs.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 906

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0004 M1027
T1078.003

Page 907

Internal Only - General

 7.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Although the groupadd program will not let you create a duplicate group name, it is
possible for an administrator to manually edit the /etc/group file and change the group
name.
Rationale:
If a group is assigned a duplicate group name, it will create and have access to files
with the first GID for that group in /etc/group . Effectively, the GID is shared, which is
a security problem.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
while read -r l_count l_group; do
if [ "$l_count" -gt 1 ]; then
echo -e "Duplicate Group: \"$l_group\" Groups: \"$(awk -F: '($1 == n) { print $1 }' n=$l_group
/etc/group | xargs)\""
fi
done < <(cut -f1 -d":" /etc/group | sort -n | uniq -c)
}

Remediation:
Based on the results of the audit script, establish unique names for the user groups. File
group ownerships will automatically reflect the change as long as the groups have
unique GIDs.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 908

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls Version Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3

v8 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

v7 0.0 Explicitly Not Mapped

Explicitly Not Mapped

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0004 M1027
T1078.003

Page 909

Internal Only - General

 7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The user home directory is space defined for the particular user to set local environment
variables and to store personal files. While the system administrator can establish
secure permissions for users' home directories, the users can easily override these.
Users can be defined in /etc/passwd without a home directory or with a home directory
that does not actually exist.
Rationale:
Since the user is accountable for files stored in the user home directory, the user must
be the owner of the directory. Group or world-writable user home directories may enable
malicious users to steal or modify other users' data or to gain another user's system
privileges. If the user's home directory does not exist or is unassigned, the user will be
placed in "/" and will not be able to write any files or have local environment variables
set.

Page 910

Internal Only - General

 Audit:
Run the following script to Ensure:

• local interactive user home directories exist

• Ensure local interactive users own their home directories
• Ensure local interactive user home directories are mode 750 or more restrictive
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_exists2=() a_mode2=() a_owner2=()
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
l_mask='0027'; l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
l_users="$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd | wc -l)"
[ "$l_users" -gt 10000 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " ** INFO **" \
" $l_users Local interactive users found on the system" " This may be a long running check" " **********"
while IFS=" " read -r l_user l_home; do
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
while IFS=: read -r l_own l_mode; do
[ "$l_user" != "$l_own" ] && a_owner2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is owned by:
\"$l_own\"")
[ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ] && a_mode2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is mode:
\"$l_mode\"" \
" should be mode: \"$l_max\" or more restrictive")
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%U:%#a' "$l_home")"
else
a_exists2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\" Doesn't exist")
fi
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
[ "${#a_exists2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_exists2[@]}") || \
a_output+=(" - All interactive users home directories exist")
[ "${#a_mode2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_mode2[@]}") || \
a_output+=(" - All interactive users home directories are mode \"$l_max\" or more restrictive")
[ "${#a_owner2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_owner2[@]}") || \
a_output+=(" - All interactive users own their home directory")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **" "${a_output[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - Reason(s) for audit failure:" "${a_output2[@]}"
[ "${#a_output[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "- Correctly set:" "${a_output[@]}"
fi
}

Page 911

Internal Only - General

 Remediation:
If a local interactive users' home directory is undefined and/or doesn't exist, follow local
site policy and perform one of the following:

• Lock the user account

• Remove the user from the system
• create a directory for the user. If undefined, edit /etc/passwd and add the
absolute path to the directory to the last field of the user.

Run the following script to:

• Remove excessive permissions from local interactive users home directories

• Update the home directory's owner
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output=() a_output2=() a_exists2=() a_mode2=() a_owner2=()
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
l_mask='0027'; l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
l_users="$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd | wc -l)"
[ "$l_users" -gt 10000 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " ** INFO **" \
" $l_users Local interactive users found on the system" " This may be a long running process" "
**********"
while IFS=" " read -r l_user l_home; do
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
while IFS=: read -r l_own l_mode; do
if [ "$l_user" != "$l_own" ]; then
a_owner2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is owned by: \"$l_own\"" \
" changing owner to: \"$l_user\"") && chown "$l_user" "$l_home"
fi
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
a_mode2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is mode: \"$l_mode\"" \
" changing to mode: \"$l_max\" or more restrictive")
chmod g-w,o-rwx "$l_home"
fi
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%U:%#a' "$l_home")"
else
a_exists2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\" Doesn't exist")
fi
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
[ "${#a_exists2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_exists2[@]}")
[ "${#a_mode2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_mode2[@]}")
[ "${#a_owner2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=("${a_owner2[@]}")
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}"
else
printf '%s\n' "" "- No changes required"
fi
}

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 :: CM-6 b

2. NIST SP 800-53A :: CM-6.1 (iv)

Page 912

Internal Only - General

 CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 913

Internal Only - General

 7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
While the system administrator can establish secure permissions for users' "dot" files,
the users can easily override these.

• .forward file specifies an email address to forward the user's mail to.
• .rhost file provides the "remote authentication" database for the rcp, rlogin, and
rsh commands and the rcmd() function. These files bypass the standard
password-based user authentication mechanism. They specify remote hosts and
users that are considered trusted (i.e. are allowed to access the local system
without supplying a password)
• .netrc file contains data for logging into a remote host or passing authentication
to an API.
• .bash_history file keeps track of the user’s commands.

Rationale:
User configuration files with excessive or incorrect access may enable malicious users
to steal or modify other users' data or to gain another user's system privileges.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify local interactive user dot files:

• Don't include .forward, .rhost, or .netrc files

• Are mode 0644 or more restrictive
• Are owned by the local interactive user
• Are group owned by the user's primary group
• .bash_history is mode 0600 or more restrictive

Note: If a .netrc file is required, and follows local site policy, it should be mode 0600 or
more restrictive.

Page 914

Internal Only - General

 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=(); a_output3=()
l_maxsize="1000" # Maximum number of local interactive users before warning (Default 1,000)
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
a_user_and_home=() # Create array with local users and their home directories
while read -r l_local_user l_local_user_home; do # Populate array with users and user home location
[[ -n "$l_local_user" && -n "$l_local_user_home" ]] &&
a_user_and_home+=("$l_local_user:$l_local_user_home")
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
l_asize="${#a_user_and_home[@]}" # Here if we want to look at number of users before proceeding
[ "${#a_user_and_home[@]}" -gt "$l_maxsize" ] && printf '%s\n' "" " ** INFO **" \
" - \"$l_asize\" Local interactive users found on the system" \
" - This may be a long running check" ""
file_access_chk()
{
a_access_out=()
l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
a_access_out+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" and should be mode: \"$l_max\" or more
restrictive")
fi
if [[ ! "$l_owner" =~ ($l_user) ]]; then
a_access_out+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" owned by: \"$l_owner\" and should be owned by \"${l_user//|/
or }\"")
fi
if [[ ! "$l_gowner" =~ ($l_group) ]]; then
a_access_out+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" group owned by: \"$l_gowner\" and should be group owned by
\"${l_group//|/ or }\"")
fi
}
while IFS=: read -r l_user l_home; do
a_dot_file=(); a_netrc=(); a_netrc_warn=(); a_bhout=(); a_hdirout=()
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
l_group="$(id -gn "$l_user" | xargs)";l_group="${l_group// /|}"
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_hdfile; do
while read -r l_mode l_owner l_gowner; do
case "$(basename "$l_hdfile")" in
.forward | .rhost )
a_dot_file+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists") ;;
.netrc )
l_mask='0177'; file_access_chk
if [ "${#a_access_out[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
a_netrc+=("${a_access_out[@]}")
else
a_netrc_warn+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists")
fi ;;
.bash_history )
l_mask='0177'; file_access_chk
[ "${#a_access_out[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_bhout+=("${a_access_out[@]}") ;;
* )
l_mask='0133'; file_access_chk
[ "${#a_access_out[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_hdirout+=("${a_access_out[@]}") ;;
esac
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_hdfile")
done < <(find "$l_home" -xdev -type f -name '.*' -print0)
fi
if [[ "${#a_dot_file[@]}" -gt 0 || "${#a_netrc[@]}" -gt 0 || "${#a_bhout[@]}" -gt 0 || "${#a_hdirout[@]}"
-gt 0 ]]; then
a_output2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\"" "${a_dot_file[@]}" "${a_netrc[@]}"
"${a_bhout[@]}" "${a_hdirout[@]}")
fi
[ "${#a_netrc_warn[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output3+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\""
"${a_netrc_warn[@]}")
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_user_and_home[@]}")"
if [ "${#a_output2[@]}" -le 0 ]; then # If l_output2 is empty, we pass
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' " ** WARNING **" "${a_output3[@]}"
printf '%s\n' "- Audit Result:" " ** PASS **"
else
printf '%s\n' "- Audit Result:" " ** FAIL **" " - * Reasons for audit failure * :" "${a_output2[@]}" ""
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' " ** WARNING **" "${a_output3[@]}"
fi
}

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 Remediation:
Making global modifications to users' files without alerting the user community can result
in unexpected outages and unhappy users. Therefore, it is recommended that a
monitoring policy be established to report user dot file permissions and determine the
action to be taken in accordance with site policy.
The following script will:

• remove excessive permissions on dot files within interactive users' home

directories
• change ownership of dot files within interactive users' home directories to the
user
• change group ownership of dot files within interactive users' home directories to
the user's primary group
• list .forward and .rhost files to be investigated and manually deleted

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 #!/usr/bin/env bash

{
a_output2=(); a_output3=()
l_maxsize="1000" # Maximum number of local interactive users before warning (Default 1,000)
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
a_user_and_home=() # Create array with local users and their home directories
while read -r l_local_user l_local_user_home; do # Populate array with users and user home location
[[ -n "$l_local_user" && -n "$l_local_user_home" ]] &&
a_user_and_home+=("$l_local_user:$l_local_user_home")
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
l_asize="${#a_user_and_home[@]}" # Here if we want to look at number of users before proceeding
[ "${#a_user_and_home[@]}" -gt "$l_maxsize" ] && printf '%s\n' "" " ** INFO **" \
" - \"$l_asize\" Local interactive users found on the system" \
" - This may be a long running check" ""
file_access_fix()
{
a_access_out=()
l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" and should be mode: \"$l_max\" or more
restrictive" \
" Updating file: \"$l_hdfile\" to be mode: \"$l_max\" or more restrictive"
chmod "$l_change" "$l_hdfile"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_owner" =~ ($l_user) ]]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" owned by: \"$l_owner\" and should be owned by \"${l_user//|/
or }\"" \
" Updating file: \"$l_hdfile\" to be owned by \"${l_user//|/ or }\""
chown "$l_user" "$l_hdfile"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_gowner" =~ ($l_group) ]]; then
printf '%s\n' "" " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" group owned by: \"$l_gowner\" and should be group owned by
\"${l_group//|/ or }\"" \
" Updating file: \"$l_hdfile\" to be group owned by \"${l_group//|/ or }\""
chgrp "$l_group" "$l_hdfile"
fi
}
while IFS=: read -r l_user l_home; do
a_dot_file=(); a_netrc=(); a_netrc_warn=(); a_bhout=(); a_hdirout=()
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
l_group="$(id -gn "$l_user" | xargs)";l_group="${l_group// /|}"
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_hdfile; do
while read -r l_mode l_owner l_gowner; do
case "$(basename "$l_hdfile")" in
.forward | .rhost )
a_dot_file+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists" " Please review and manually delete this
file") ;;
.netrc )
l_mask='0177'; l_change="u-x,go-rwx"; file_access_fix
a_netrc_warn+=(" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists") ;;
.bash_history )
l_mask='0177'; l_change="u-x,go-rwx"; file_access_fix ;;
* )
l_mask='0133'; l_change="u-x,go-wx"; file_access_fix ;;
esac
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_hdfile")
done < <(find "$l_home" -xdev -type f -name '.*' -print0)
fi
[ "${#a_dot_file[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output2+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\""
"${a_dot_file[@]}")
[ "${#a_netrc_warn[@]}" -gt 0 ] && a_output3+=(" - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\""
"${a_netrc_warn[@]}")
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_user_and_home[@]}")"
[ "${#a_output3[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" " ** WARNING **" "${a_output3[@]}" ""
[ "${#a_output2[@]}" -gt 0 ] && printf '%s\n' "" "${a_output2[@]}"
}

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 References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

v8 Configure data access control lists based on a user’s need to know. Apply data
access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file
● ● ●
systems, databases, and applications.

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share,
v7 claims, application, or database specific access control lists. These controls will
enforce the principle that only authorized individuals should have access to the
● ● ●
information based on their need to access the information as a part of their
responsibilities.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.001,
T1222.002, T1552, TA0005 M1022
T1552.003, T1552.004

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 Appendix: Summary Table
CIS Benchmark Recommendation Set
Correctly

Yes No

1 Initial Setup

1.1 Filesystem

1.1.1 Configure Filesystem Kernel Modules

1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available  

(Automated)

1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available  

(Automated)

1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available (Automated)  

1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available  

(Automated)

1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available (Automated)  

1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available  

(Automated)

1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available  

(Automated)

1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available (Automated)  

1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available  

(Automated)

1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not  

available (Manual)

1.1.2 Configure Filesystem Partitions

1.1.2.1 Configure /tmp

1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition (Automated)  

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1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.2 Configure /dev/shm

1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.3 Configure /home

1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home (Automated)  

1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.4 Configure /var

1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var (Automated)  

1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.5 Configure /var/tmp

1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp (Automated)  

1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  

(Automated)

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1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.6 Configure /var/log

1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log (Automated)  

1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.7 Configure /var/log/audit

1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  

(Automated)

1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  

(Automated)

1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  

(Automated)

1.2 Package Management

1.2.1 Configure Package Repositories

1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured (Manual)  

1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  

(Manual)

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1.2.2 Configure Package Updates

1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security  

software are installed (Manual)

1.3 Mandatory Access Control

1.3.1 Configure AppArmor

1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are  

installed (Automated)

1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader  

configuration (Automated)

1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  

(Automated)

1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing (Automated)  

1.4 Configure Bootloader

1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set (Automated)  

1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  

(Automated)

1.5 Configure Additional Process Hardening

1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled  

(Automated)

1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted (Automated)  

1.5.3 Ensure core dumps are restricted (Automated)  

1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed (Automated)  

1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  

(Automated)

1.6 Configure Command Line Warning Banners

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1.6.1 Ensure /etc/motd is configured (Automated)  

1.6.2 Ensure /etc/issue is configured (Automated)  

1.6.3 Ensure /etc/issue.net is configured (Automated)  

1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured (Automated)  

1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured (Automated)  

1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  

(Automated)

1.7 Configure GNOME Display Manager

1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed (Automated)  

1.7.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured (Automated)  

1.7.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled  

(Automated)

1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  

(Automated)

1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

(Automated)

1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is  

disabled (Automated)

1.7.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable  

media is not overridden (Automated)

1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled (Automated)  

1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  

(Automated)

1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled (Automated)  

2 Services

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 CIS Benchmark Recommendation Set
Correctly

Yes No

2.1 Configure Server Services

2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use  

(Automated)

2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use  

(Automated)

2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use  

(Automated)

2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use  

(Automated)

2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use  

(Automated)

2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use (Automated)  

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2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use (Automated)  

2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use  

(Automated)

2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only  

mode (Automated)

2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a  

network interface (Manual)

2.2 Configure Client Services

2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed (Automated)  

2.3 Configure Time Synchronization

2.3.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use

2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  

(Automated)

2.3.2 Configure systemd-timesyncd

2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized  

timeserver (Automated)

2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  

(Automated)

2.3.3 Configure chrony

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2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  

(Automated)

2.3.3.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony (Automated)  

2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running (Automated)  

2.4 Job Schedulers

2.4.1 Configure cron

2.4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active (Automated)  

2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured (Automated)  

2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  

(Automated)

2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  

(Automated)

2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  

(Automated)

2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  

(Automated)

2.4.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/cron.yearly is configured  

(Automated)

2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured (Automated)  

2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured (Automated)  

2.4.2 Configure at

2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured (Automated)  

3 Network

3.1 Configure Network Devices

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3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified (Manual)  

3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are not available (Automated)  

3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use (Automated)  

3.2 Configure Network Kernel Modules

3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available (Automated)  

3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available (Automated)  

3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available (Automated)  

3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available (Automated)  

3.3 Configure Network Kernel Parameters

3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled (Automated)  

3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled (Automated)  

3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored (Automated)  

3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored  

(Automated)

3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated)  

3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted  

(Automated)

3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled (Automated)  

3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted  

(Automated)

3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged (Automated)  

3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled (Automated)  

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3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted  

(Automated)

4 Host Based Firewall

4.1 Configure a single firewall utility

4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  

(Automated)

4.2 Configure UncomplicatedFirewall

4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed (Automated)  

4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw (Automated)  

4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  

(Automated)

4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled (Automated)  

4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured (Automated)  

4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  

(Manual)

4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
(Automated)

4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

4.3 Configure nftables

4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed (Automated)  

4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  

(Automated)

4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables (Manual)  

4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists (Automated)  

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4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist (Automated)  

4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  

(Automated)

4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections  

are configured (Manual)

4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled (Automated)  

4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent (Automated)  

4.4 Configure iptables

4.4.1 Configure iptables software

4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed (Automated)  

4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables (Automated)  

4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables (Automated)  

4.4.2 Configure IPv4 iptables

4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  

(Automated)

4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections  

are configured (Manual)

4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
(Automated)

4.4.3 Configure IPv6 ip6tables

4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

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4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  

(Automated)

4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections  

are configured (Manual)

4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
(Automated)

5 Access Control

5.1 Configure SSH Server

5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  

(Automated)

5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is  

configured (Automated)

5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  

(Automated)

5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured (Automated)  

5.1.5 Ensure sshd Banner is configured (Automated)  

5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured (Automated)  

5.1.7 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and  

ClientAliveCountMax are configured (Automated)

5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled (Automated)  

5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  

(Automated)

5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  

(Automated)

5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled (Automated)  

5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured (Automated)  

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5.1.13 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured (Automated)  

5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured (Automated)  

5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured (Automated)  

5.1.16 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured (Automated)  

5.1.17 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured (Automated)  

5.1.18 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured (Automated)  

5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  

(Automated)

5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled (Automated)  

5.1.21 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled  

(Automated)

5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled (Automated)  

5.2 Configure privilege escalation

5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed (Automated)  

5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty (Automated)  

5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated)  

5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege  

escalation (Automated)

5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not  

disabled globally (Automated)

5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  

(Automated)

5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  

(Automated)

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5.3 Pluggable Authentication Modules

5.3.1 Configure PAM software packages

5.3.1.1 Ensure latest version of pam is installed (Automated)  

5.3.1.2 Ensure latest version of libpam-modules is installed  

(Automated)

5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed  

(Automated)

5.3.2 Configure pam-auth-update profiles

5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled (Automated)  

5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled (Automated)  

5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled (Automated)  

5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled (Automated)  

5.3.3 Configure PAM Arguments

5.3.3.1 Configure pam_faillock module

5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured  

(Automated)

5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured (Automated)  

5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root  

account (Automated)

5.3.3.2 Configure pam_pwquality module

5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is  

configured (Automated)

5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured  

(Automated)

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5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured (Manual)  

5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is  

configured (Automated)

5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is  

configured (Automated)

5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  

(Automated)

5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced  

(Automated)

5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user  

(Automated)

5.3.3.3 Configure pam_pwhistory module

5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured  

(Automated)

5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user  

(Automated)

5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok  

(Automated)

5.3.3.4 Configure pam_unix module

5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok (Automated)  

5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember  

(Automated)

5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing  

algorithm (Automated)

5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok (Automated)  

5.4 User Accounts and Environment

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5.4.1 Configure shadow password suite parameters

5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured (Automated)  

5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured (Manual)  

5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured  

(Automated)

5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  

(Automated)

5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured (Automated)  

5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
(Automated)

5.4.2 Configure root and system accounts and environment

5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account (Automated)  

5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account (Automated)  

5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group (Automated)  

5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled (Automated)  

5.4.2.5 Ensure root path integrity (Automated)  

5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured (Automated)  

5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  

(Automated)

5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  

(Automated)

5.4.3 Configure user default environment

5.4.3.1 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells (Automated)  

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5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  

(Automated)

5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured (Automated)  

6 Logging and Auditing

6.1 Configure Integrity Checking

6.1.1 Ensure AIDE is installed (Automated)  

6.1.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  

(Automated)

6.1.3 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect  

the integrity of audit tools (Automated)

6.2 System Logging

6.2.1 Configure systemd-journald service

6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  

(Automated)

6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured (Manual)  

6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured (Manual)  

6.2.2 Configure journald

6.2.2.1 Configure systemd-journal-remote

6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed (Automated)  

6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is  

configured (Manual)

6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  

(Automated)

6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use  

(Automated)

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6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled  

(Automated)

6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured (Automated)  

6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured (Automated)  

6.2.3 Configure rsyslog

6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  

(Automated)

6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated)  

6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  

(Automated)

6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  

(Automated)

6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured (Manual)  

6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log  

host (Manual)

6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a  

remote client (Automated)

6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured (Manual)  

6.2.4 Configure Logfiles

6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  

(Automated)

6.3 System Auditing

6.3.1 Configure auditd Service

6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed (Automated)  

6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active (Automated)  

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6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is  

enabled (Automated)

6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured (Automated)  

6.3.2 Configure Data Retention

6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured (Automated)  

6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  

(Automated)

6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  

(Automated)

6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
(Automated)

6.3.3 Configure auditd Rules

6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope  

(sudoers) is collected (Automated)

6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  

(Automated)

6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
(Automated)

6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are  
collected (Automated)

6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network  

environment are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  

(Automated)

6.3.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  

(Automated)

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6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are  

collected (Automated)

6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission  

modification events are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  

(Automated)

6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  

(Automated)

6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  

(Automated)

6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  

(Automated)

6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory  

Access Controls are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

chcon command are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

setfacl command are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

chacl command are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

usermod command are collected (Automated)

6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and  

modification is collected (Automated)

6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable (Automated)  

6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  

(Manual)

6.3.4 Configure auditd File Access

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6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured (Automated)  

6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured (Automated)  

6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  

(Automated)

6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  

(Automated)

6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  

(Automated)

6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  

(Automated)

6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is  

configured (Automated)

6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured (Automated)  

6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured (Automated)  

6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  

(Automated)

7 System Maintenance

7.1 Configure system file and directory access

7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured (Automated)  

7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  

(Automated)

7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured (Automated)  

7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured (Automated)  

7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured (Automated)  

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7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  

(Automated)

7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  

(Automated)

7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  

(Automated)

7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured (Automated)  

7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  

(Automated)

7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  

(Automated)

7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a  

group exist (Automated)

7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed (Manual)  

7.2 Local User and Group Settings

7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed  

passwords (Automated)

7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  

(Automated)

7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  

(Automated)

7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty (Automated)  

7.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist (Automated)  

7.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist (Automated)  

7.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist (Automated)  

7.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist (Automated)  

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7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are  

configured (Automated)

7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is  

configured (Automated)

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 1 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  

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1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
 
installed
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured  
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured  
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use  
2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use  
2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed  
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured  
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured  
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured  
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured  
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged  
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  

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4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw  
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables  
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables  
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  

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5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured  
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured  
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled  
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account  
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account  
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group  
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled  
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured  
5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured  
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured  
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured  
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
 
configured
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured  

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Yes No
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured  
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured  
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  
6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed  
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured  
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are collected
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are collected
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are collected
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are collected
6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured  
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured  
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is
 
configured
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured  
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured  
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured  
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured  
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured  
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured  
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured  
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 2 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not
 
available
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  

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Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
 
installed
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  
1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled  
1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured  
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured  
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  
1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed  
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled  
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use  
2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use  
2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use  
2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use  
2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use  
2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use  
2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use  
2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use  
2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use  
2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use  
2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use  
2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use  
2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use  
2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use  
2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use  
2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use  
2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use  
2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use  
2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use  
2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use  
2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only
 
mode
2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a network
 
interface
2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed  

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Correctly
Yes No
2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed  
2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured  
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured  
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured  
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured  
3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified  
3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use  
3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available  
3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available  
3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available  
3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available  
3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled  
3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled  
3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored  
3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored  
3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled  
3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted  

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Correctly
Yes No
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged  
3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled  
3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted  
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  
4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw  
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables  
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables  
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured  
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured  
5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured  
5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled  
5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured  
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured  
5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists  
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed  
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled  
5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled  
5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled  
5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured  
5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured  
5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root
 
account
5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured  
5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured  
5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced  
5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured  
5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok  
5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok  
5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember  
5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing
 
algorithm
5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok  
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured  
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured  
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured  
5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured  
5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account  
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account  
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group  

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Correctly
Yes No
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled  
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured  
5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured  
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured  
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured  
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
 
configured
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  
6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use  
6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled  
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured  
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured  
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured  
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured  
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  
6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed  
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured  
6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are collected
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are collected
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are collected
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are collected
6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured  
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured  
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is
 
configured
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured  
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured  
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured  
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured  
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured  
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured  
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured  
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords
7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 3 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not
 
available
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
 
installed
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  
1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled  
1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed  
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured  
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured  
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  
1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed  
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled  
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use  
2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use  
2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use  
2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use  
2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use  
2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use  
2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use  
2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use  
2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use  
2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use  
2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use  
2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use  
2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use  
2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use  
2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use  
2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use  
2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use  
2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use  
2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use  
2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use  
2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only
 
mode
2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a network
 
interface
2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed  
2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured  
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured  
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured  
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured  
3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified  
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are not available  
3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use  
3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available  
3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available  
3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available  
3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available  
3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled  
3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled  
3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored  
3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored  
3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted  
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged  
3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled  
3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted  
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  
4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw  
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables  
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables  
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured  
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured  
5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured  
5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled  
5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured  
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured  
5.1.16 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured  
5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists  
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed  
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled  
5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled  
5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled  
5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured  
5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured  
5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root
 
account
5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured  
5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured  
5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced  
5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured  
5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok  
5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok  
5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember  
5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing
 
algorithm
5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok  
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured  
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured  
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured  
5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured  
5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account  
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group  
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled  
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured  
5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured  
6.1.1 Ensure AIDE is installed  
6.1.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured  
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured  
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
 
configured
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  
6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use  
6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled  
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured  
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured  
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured  
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured  
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed  
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured  
6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
6.3.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  
6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are collected
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are collected
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are collected

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are collected
6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured  
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured  
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is
 
configured
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured  
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured  
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured  
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured  
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured  
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured  
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured  
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v7 Unmapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.5.3 Ensure core dumps are restricted  
1.7.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured  
1.7.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled  
1.7.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable
 
media is not overridden
2.4.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/cron.yearly is configured  
6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 1 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available  
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
 
installed
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured  
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured  
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use  
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured  
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured  
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured  
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured  
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  
4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw  
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables  
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables  
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured  
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured  
5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed  
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled  
5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled  
5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled  
5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled  
5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured  
5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured  
5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root
 
account
5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured  
5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured  
5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is
 
configured

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Correctly
Yes No
5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced  
5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured  
5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok  
5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember  
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured  
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured  
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured  
5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured  
5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account  
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account  
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group  
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled  
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured  
5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured  
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured  
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured  
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
 
configured
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  
6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled  
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured  

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Correctly
Yes No
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured  
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured  
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured  
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured  
6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are collected
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are collected
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are collected
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are collected
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured  
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured  
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is
 
configured
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured  
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured  
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured  
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured  
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured  
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured  
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured  
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 2 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not
 
available
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
 
installed
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  
1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled  
1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured  
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured  
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  
1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed  
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled  
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use  
2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use  
2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use  
2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use  
2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use  
2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use  
2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use  
2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use  
2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use  
2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use  
2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use  
2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use  
2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use  
2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use  
2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use  
2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use  
2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use  
2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use  
2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use  
2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use  
2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only
 
mode
2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a network
 
interface
2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed  
2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured  
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured  
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured  
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured  
3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified  
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are not available  
3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use  
3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available  
3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available  
3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available  
3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available  
3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled  
3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled  
3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored  
3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored  
3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted  
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged  
3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled  
3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted  
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  
4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw  
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables  
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables  
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  

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Correctly
Yes No
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured  
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured  
5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured  
5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled  
5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured  
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured  
5.1.16 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured  
5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists  
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed  
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled  

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Correctly
Yes No
5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled  
5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled  
5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled  
5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured  
5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured  
5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root
 
account
5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured  
5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured  
5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced  
5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured  
5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok  
5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok  
5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember  
5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing
 
algorithm
5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok  
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured  
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured  
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured  
5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured  
5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account  

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Correctly
Yes No
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account  
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group  
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled  
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured  
5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured  
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured  
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured  
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
 
configured
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  
6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use  
6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled  
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured  
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured  
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured  
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured  
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  
6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed  
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  

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Correctly
Yes No
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured  
6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
6.3.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  
6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are collected
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are collected
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are collected

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are collected
6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured  
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured  
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is
 
configured
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured  
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured  
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured  
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured  
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured  
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured  
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured  
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 3 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.1 Ensure cramfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.2 Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.3 Ensure hfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.4 Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.5 Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.6 Ensure overlay kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.7 Ensure squashfs kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.8 Ensure udf kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.9 Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not available  
1.1.1.10 Ensure unused filesystems kernel modules are not
 
available
1.1.2.1.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.1.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.1.4 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.2.1 Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.2.4 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.2.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.2.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.2.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.2.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.4.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.2.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.2.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.5.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.5.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.2.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.2.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.6.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.2.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.2.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.2.7.4 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.2.1.1 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.2.1.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.2.2.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.1.1 Ensure latest versions of the apparmor packages are
 
installed
1.3.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.3.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not disabled  
1.3.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure access to bootloader config is configured  
1.5.1 Ensure address space layout randomization is enabled  
1.5.2 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed  
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.4 Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured  
1.6.5 Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured  
1.6.6 Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured  
1.7.1 Ensure GDM is removed  
1.7.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.7.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.7.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.7.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.7.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.7.10 Ensure XDMCP is not enabled  
2.1.1 Ensure autofs services are not in use  
2.1.2 Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use  
2.1.3 Ensure dhcp server services are not in use  
2.1.4 Ensure dns server services are not in use  
2.1.5 Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use  
2.1.6 Ensure ftp server services are not in use  
2.1.7 Ensure ldap server services are not in use  
2.1.8 Ensure message access server services are not in use  
2.1.9 Ensure network file system services are not in use  
2.1.10 Ensure nis server services are not in use  
2.1.11 Ensure print server services are not in use  
2.1.12 Ensure rpcbind services are not in use  
2.1.13 Ensure rsync services are not in use  
2.1.14 Ensure samba file server services are not in use  
2.1.15 Ensure snmp services are not in use  
2.1.16 Ensure tftp server services are not in use  
2.1.17 Ensure web proxy server services are not in use  
2.1.18 Ensure web server services are not in use  
2.1.19 Ensure xinetd services are not in use  
2.1.20 Ensure X window server services are not in use  
2.1.21 Ensure mail transfer agents are configured for local-only
 
mode
2.1.22 Ensure only approved services are listening on a network
 
interface
2.2.1 Ensure nis client is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure talk client is not installed  

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Correctly
Yes No
2.2.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure ldap client is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure ftp client is not installed  
2.3.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.3.2.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.3.2.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.3.3.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.3.3.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.4.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/crontab is configured  
2.4.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is configured  
2.4.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is configured  
2.4.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is configured  
2.4.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is configured  
2.4.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured  
2.4.1.9 Ensure access to crontab is configured  
2.4.2.1 Ensure access to at is configured  
3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified  
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are not available  
3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use  
3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available  
3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available  
3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available  
3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available  
3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled  
3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled  
3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored  
3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored  
3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted  
3.3.7 Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted  
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged  
3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled  
3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted  
4.1.1 Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is in use  
4.2.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
4.2.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw  
4.2.3 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
4.2.4 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
4.2.5 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.2.8 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
4.3.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
4.3.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
4.3.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
4.3.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
4.3.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
4.3.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.3.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
4.3.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
4.3.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
4.4.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
4.4.1.2 Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables  
4.4.1.3 Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables  
4.4.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.4.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
4.4.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
4.4.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
4.4.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
5.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is configured  
5.1.2 Ensure access to SSH private host key files is configured  
5.1.3 Ensure access to SSH public host key files is configured  
5.1.4 Ensure sshd access is configured  
5.1.6 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured  
5.1.8 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled  
5.1.9 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.10 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
5.1.11 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
5.1.12 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured  
5.1.14 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
5.1.15 Ensure sshd MACs are configured  
5.1.16 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured  
5.1.19 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
5.1.20 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
5.1.22 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
5.2.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
5.2.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
5.2.3 Ensure sudo log file exists  
5.2.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
5.2.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
5.2.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  
5.2.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
5.3.1.3 Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality is installed  
5.3.2.1 Ensure pam_unix module is enabled  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.3.2.2 Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled  
5.3.2.3 Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled  
5.3.2.4 Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled  
5.3.3.1.1 Ensure password failed attempts lockout is configured  
5.3.3.1.2 Ensure password unlock time is configured  
5.3.3.1.3 Ensure password failed attempts lockout includes root
 
account
5.3.3.2.1 Ensure password number of changed characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.2 Ensure minimum password length is configured  
5.3.3.2.3 Ensure password complexity is configured  
5.3.3.2.4 Ensure password same consecutive characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.5 Ensure password maximum sequential characters is
 
configured
5.3.3.2.6 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
5.3.3.2.7 Ensure password quality checking is enforced  
5.3.3.2.8 Ensure password quality is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.1 Ensure password history remember is configured  
5.3.3.3.2 Ensure password history is enforced for the root user  
5.3.3.3.3 Ensure pam_pwhistory includes use_authtok  
5.3.3.4.1 Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok  
5.3.3.4.2 Ensure pam_unix does not include remember  
5.3.3.4.3 Ensure pam_unix includes a strong password hashing
 
algorithm
5.3.3.4.4 Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok  
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is configured  
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum password days is configured  
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is configured  
5.4.1.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
5.4.1.5 Ensure inactive password lock is configured  
5.4.1.6 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
5.4.2.1 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.4.2.2 Ensure root is the only GID 0 account  
5.4.2.3 Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group  
5.4.2.4 Ensure root account access is controlled  
5.4.2.6 Ensure root user umask is configured  
5.4.2.7 Ensure system accounts do not have a valid login shell  
5.4.2.8 Ensure accounts without a valid login shell are locked  
5.4.3.2 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.4.3.3 Ensure default user umask is configured  
6.1.1 Ensure AIDE is installed  
6.1.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  
6.2.1.1 Ensure journald service is enabled and active  
6.2.1.2 Ensure journald log file access is configured  
6.2.1.3 Ensure journald log file rotation is configured  
6.2.2.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
6.2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-upload authentication is
 
configured
6.2.2.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-upload is enabled and active  
6.2.2.1.4 Ensure systemd-journal-remote service is not in use  
6.2.2.2 Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is disabled  
6.2.2.3 Ensure journald Compress is configured  
6.2.2.4 Ensure journald Storage is configured  
6.2.3.1 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and active  
6.2.3.2 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
6.2.3.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
6.2.3.4 Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is configured  
6.2.3.5 Ensure rsyslog logging is configured  
6.2.3.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
6.2.3.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
6.2.3.8 Ensure logrotate is configured  
6.2.4.1 Ensure access to all logfiles has been configured  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.1.1 Ensure auditd packages are installed  
6.3.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
6.3.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
6.3.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured  
6.3.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
6.3.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
6.3.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
6.3.2.4 Ensure system warns when audit logs are low on space  
6.3.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
6.3.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
6.3.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
6.3.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
6.3.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
6.3.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
6.3.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  
6.3.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
6.3.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
6.3.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
6.3.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
6.3.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
6.3.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
6.3.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
6.3.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are collected
6.3.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are collected

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.3.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are collected
6.3.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are collected
6.3.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
6.3.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
6.3.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
6.3.4.1 Ensure audit log files mode is configured  
6.3.4.2 Ensure audit log files owner is configured  
6.3.4.3 Ensure audit log files group owner is configured  
6.3.4.4 Ensure the audit log file directory mode is configured  
6.3.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files mode is configured  
6.3.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files owner is configured  
6.3.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files group owner is
 
configured
6.3.4.8 Ensure audit tools mode is configured  
6.3.4.9 Ensure audit tools owner is configured  
6.3.4.10 Ensure audit tools group owner is configured  
7.1.1 Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured  
7.1.2 Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured  
7.1.3 Ensure access to /etc/group is configured  
7.1.4 Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured  
7.1.5 Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured  
7.1.6 Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured  
7.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured  
7.1.8 Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is configured  
7.1.9 Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured  
7.1.10 Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is configured  
7.1.11 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
7.1.12 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
7.1.13 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  

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 Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
7.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords
7.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
7.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  
7.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
7.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
7.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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 Appendix: CIS Controls v8 Unmapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.5.3 Ensure core dumps are restricted  
1.7.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured  
1.7.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled  
1.7.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable
 
media is not overridden
2.4.1.7 Ensure access to /etc/cron.yearly is configured  

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 Appendix: Change History
Date Version Changes for this version
ADDED ITEMS:
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.1 - Ensure cramfs kernel module is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 available
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.10 - Ensure unused filesystems kernel
3/31/2025 3.0.0 modules are not available
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.2 - Ensure freevxfs kernel module is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.3 - Ensure hfs kernel module is not available
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.4 - Ensure hfsplus kernel module is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.5 - Ensure jffs2 kernel module is not available
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.6 - Ensure overlay kernel module is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 available
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.7 - Ensure squashfs kernel module is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.8 - Ensure udf kernel module is not available
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.9 - Ensure usb-storage kernel module is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.1 - Ensure /dev/shm is a separate partition
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1.1 - Ensure latest versions of the apparmor
3/31/2025 3.0.0 packages are installed
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1.3 - Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.2 - Ensure access to bootloader config is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.1 - Ensure address space layout randomization
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.1 - Ensure /etc/motd is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.2 - Ensure /etc/issue is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.3 - Ensure /etc/issue.net is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.4 - Ensure access to /etc/motd is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.5 - Ensure access to /etc/issue is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.6 - Ensure access to /etc/issue.net is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.1 - Ensure GDM is removed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.10 - Ensure XDMCP is not enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.1 - Ensure autofs services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.10 - Ensure nis server services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.11 - Ensure print server services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.12 - Ensure rpcbind services are not in use

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.13 - Ensure rsync services are not in use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.14 - Ensure samba file server services are not in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.15 - Ensure snmp services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.16 - Ensure tftp server services are not in use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.17 - Ensure web proxy server services are not in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.18 - Ensure web server services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.19 - Ensure xinetd services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.2 - Ensure avahi daemon services are not in use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.20 - Ensure X window server services are not in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.21 - Ensure mail transfer agents are configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 for local-only mode
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.22 - Ensure only approved services are listening
3/31/2025 3.0.0 on a network interface
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.3 - Ensure dhcp server services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4 - Ensure dns server services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.5 - Ensure dnsmasq services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.6 - Ensure ftp server services are not in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.7 - Ensure ldap server services are not in use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.8 - Ensure message access server services are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 not in use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.9 - Ensure network file system services are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.1 - Ensure nis client is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.5 - Ensure ldap client is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.6 - Ensure ftp client is not installed
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.2 - Ensure access to /etc/crontab is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.3 - Ensure access to /etc/cron.hourly is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.4 - Ensure access to /etc/cron.daily is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.5 - Ensure access to /etc/cron.weekly is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.6 - Ensure access to /etc/cron.monthly is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.7 - Ensure access to /etc/cron.yearly is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.8 - Ensure access to /etc/cron.d is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.9 - Ensure access to crontab is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.2.1 - Ensure access to at is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.2 - Ensure wireless interfaces are not available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.3 - Ensure bluetooth services are not in use

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.1 - Ensure dccp kernel module is not available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.2 - Ensure tipc kernel module is not available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.3 - Ensure rds kernel module is not available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.4 - Ensure sctp kernel module is not available
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.1 - Ensure ip forwarding is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.10 - Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.11 - Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 accepted
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.3 - Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.4 - Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.5 - Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.6 - Ensure secure icmp redirects are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 accepted
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.7 - Ensure reverse path filtering is enabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.1 - Ensure a single firewall configuration utility is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 in use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.2 - Ensure nftables is not in use with ufw
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1.2 - Ensure nftables is not in use with iptables
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1.3 - Ensure ufw is not in use with iptables
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1 - Ensure access to /etc/ssh/sshd_config is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.10 - Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.11 - Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.12 - Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.13 - Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.14 - Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.15 - Ensure sshd MACs are configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.16 - Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.17 - Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.18 - Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.19 - Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2 - Ensure access to SSH private host key files is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.20 - Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.21 - Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.22 - Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.3 - Ensure access to SSH public host key files is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.4 - Ensure sshd access is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.5 - Ensure sshd Banner is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.6 - Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured

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 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.7 - Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ClientAliveCountMax are configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.8 - Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.9 - Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.6 - Ensure sudo authentication timeout is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.1.1 - Ensure latest version of pam is installed
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.1.2 - Ensure latest version of libpam-modules is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 installed
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.1.3 - Ensure latest version of libpam-pwquality
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.2.1 - Ensure pam_unix module is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.2.2 - Ensure pam_faillock module is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.2.3 - Ensure pam_pwquality module is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.2.4 - Ensure pam_pwhistory module is enabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.1.1 - Ensure password failed attempts lockout
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.1.2 - Ensure password unlock time is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.1.3 - Ensure password failed attempts lockout
3/31/2025 3.0.0 includes root account
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.1 - Ensure password number of changed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 characters is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.2 - Ensure minimum password length is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.3 - Ensure password complexity is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.4 - Ensure password same consecutive
3/31/2025 3.0.0 characters is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.5 - Ensure password maximum sequential
3/31/2025 3.0.0 characters is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.6 - Ensure password dictionary check is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enabled
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.7 - Ensure password quality checking is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enforced
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.2.8 - Ensure password quality is enforced for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 the root user
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.3.1 - Ensure password history remember is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.3.2 - Ensure password history is enforced for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 the root user
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.3.3 - Ensure pam_pwhistory includes
3/31/2025 3.0.0 use_authtok
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.4.1 - Ensure pam_unix does not include nullok

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 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.4.2 - Ensure pam_unix does not include
3/31/2025 3.0.0 remember
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.4.3 - Ensure pam_unix includes a strong
3/31/2025 3.0.0 password hashing algorithm
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3.4.4 - Ensure pam_unix includes use_authtok
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.1 - Ensure password expiration is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.2 - Ensure minimum password days is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.3 - Ensure password expiration warning days is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.5 - Ensure inactive password lock is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.2 - Ensure root is the only GID 0 account
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.3 - Ensure group root is the only GID 0 group
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.4 - Ensure root account access is controlled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.5 - Ensure root path integrity
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.6 - Ensure root user umask is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.7 - Ensure system accounts do not have a
3/31/2025 3.0.0 valid login shell
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.8 - Ensure accounts without a valid login shell
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are locked
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.3.3 - Ensure default user umask is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.1.1 - Ensure journald service is enabled and
3/31/2025 3.0.0 active
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.1.2 - Ensure journald log file access is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.1.3 - Ensure journald log file rotation is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.1.2 - Ensure systemd-journal-upload
3/31/2025 3.0.0 authentication is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.1.3 - Ensure systemd-journal-upload is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enabled and active
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.1.4 - Ensure systemd-journal-remote service
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is not in use
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.2 - Ensure journald ForwardToSyslog is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.3 - Ensure journald Compress is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.4 - Ensure journald Storage is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.1 - Ensure rsyslog service is enabled and
3/31/2025 3.0.0 active
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.4 - Ensure rsyslog log file creation mode is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.5 - Ensure rsyslog logging is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.8 - Ensure logrotate is configured

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 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.4.1 - Ensure access to all logfiles has been
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.1.1 - Ensure auditd packages are installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.1.4 - Ensure audit_backlog_limit is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.4 - Ensure system warns when audit logs are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 low on space
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.15 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the chcon command are collected
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.16 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the setfacl command are collected
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.17 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the chacl command are collected
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.18 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the usermod command are collected
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.1 - Ensure audit log files mode is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.10 - Ensure audit tools group owner is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.2 - Ensure audit log files owner is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.3 - Ensure audit log files group owner is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.4 - Ensure the audit log file directory mode is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.5 - Ensure audit configuration files mode is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.6 - Ensure audit configuration files owner is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.7 - Ensure audit configuration files group
3/31/2025 3.0.0 owner is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.8 - Ensure audit tools mode is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.4.9 - Ensure audit tools owner is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.1 - Ensure access to /etc/passwd is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.10 - Ensure access to /etc/security/opasswd is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.12 - Ensure no files or directories without an
3/31/2025 3.0.0 owner and a group exist
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.2 - Ensure access to /etc/passwd- is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.3 - Ensure access to /etc/group is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.4 - Ensure access to /etc/group- is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.5 - Ensure access to /etc/shadow is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.6 - Ensure access to /etc/shadow- is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.7 - Ensure access to /etc/gshadow is configured
ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.8 - Ensure access to /etc/gshadow- is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.9 - Ensure access to /etc/shells is configured

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1 - Filesystem
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.1 - Configure Filesystem Kernel Modules
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.2 - Configure Filesystem Partitions
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.2 - Package Management
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.2.1 - Configure Package Repositories
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.2.2 - Configure Package Updates
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.4 - Configure Bootloader
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.5 - Configure Additional Process Hardening
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.6 - Configure Command Line Warning Banners
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.7 - Configure GNOME Display Manager
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.1 - Configure Server Services
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.2 - Configure Client Services
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.4 - Job Schedulers
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.4.1 - Configure cron
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.4.2 - Configure at
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 3 - Network
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 3.1 - Configure Network Devices
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 3.2 - Configure Network Kernel Modules
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 3.3 - Configure Network Kernel Parameters
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 4 - Host Based Firewall
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 4.1 - Configure a single firewall utility
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5 - Access Control
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3 - Pluggable Authentication Modules
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.1 - Configure PAM software packages
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.2 - Configure pam-auth-update profiles
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.3 - Configure PAM Arguments
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.3.1 - Configure pam_faillock module
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.3.2 - Configure pam_pwquality module
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.3.3 - Configure pam_pwhistory module
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.3.3.4 - Configure pam_unix module
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.4.1 - Configure shadow password suite parameters
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.4.2 - Configure root and system accounts and environment
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.4.3 - Configure user default environment
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.1 - Configure Integrity Checking
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.2 - System Logging
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.2.1 - Configure systemd-journald service
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.2.2.1 - Configure systemd-journal-remote
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.2.4 - Configure Logfiles
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.3 - System Auditing
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.3.1 - Configure auditd Service
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.3.3 - Configure auditd Rules
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.3.4 - Configure auditd File Access
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ADDED SECTION: 7.1 - Configure system file and directory access

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 DROPPED ITEMS:
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.1 - Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.2 - Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.3 - Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.4 - Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.5 - Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.6 - Ensure mounting of squashfs
3/31/2025 3.0.0 filesystems is disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.7 - Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.10 - Disable USB Storage
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.9 - Disable Automounting
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.2 - Ensure permissions on bootloader config
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.3 - Ensure authentication required for single
3/31/2025 3.0.0 user mode
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.2 - Ensure address space layout
3/31/2025 3.0.0 randomization (ASLR) is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.1.1 - Ensure AppArmor is installed
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.1.3 - Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enforce or complain mode
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.1 - Ensure message of the day is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 properly
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.2 - Ensure local login warning banner is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured properly
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.3 - Ensure remote login warning banner is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured properly
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.4 - Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.5 - Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.6 - Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.1 - Ensure GNOME Display Manager is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 removed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.10 - Ensure XDCMP is not enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.1 - Ensure ntp access control is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.2 - Ensure ntp is configured with authorized
3/31/2025 3.0.0 timeserver
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.3 - Ensure ntp is running as user ntp

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.4 - Ensure ntp is enabled and running
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.1 - Ensure X Window System is not installed
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.10 - Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.11 - Ensure Samba is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.12 - Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.13 - Ensure SNMP Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.14 - Ensure NIS Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.15 - Ensure dnsmasq is not installed
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.16 - Ensure mail transfer agent is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 for local-only mode
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.17 - Ensure rsync service is either not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 installed or is masked
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.2 - Ensure Avahi Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.3 - Ensure CUPS is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.4 - Ensure DHCP Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.5 - Ensure LDAP server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.6 - Ensure NFS is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.7 - Ensure DNS Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.8 - Ensure FTP Server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.9 - Ensure HTTP server is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.1 - Ensure NIS Client is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.5 - Ensure LDAP client is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.6 - Ensure RPC is not installed
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4 - Ensure nonessential services are removed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 or masked
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.2 - Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.3 - Ensure bluetooth is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.4 - Ensure DCCP is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.5 - Ensure SCTP is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.6 - Ensure RDS is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.7 - Ensure TIPC is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.2 - Ensure IP forwarding is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.2 - Ensure ICMP redirects are not accepted
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.3 - Ensure secure ICMP redirects are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 accepted
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.5 - Ensure broadcast ICMP requests are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ignored
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.6 - Ensure bogus ICMP responses are ignored
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.7 - Ensure Reverse Path Filtering is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.8 - Ensure TCP SYN Cookies is enabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.9 - Ensure IPv6 router advertisements are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 accepted

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 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.2 - Ensure nftables is not installed with
3/31/2025 3.0.0 iptables
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.3 - Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 with iptables
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.2 - Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.3 - Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.4 - Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.5 - Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.6 - Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.7 - Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.8 - Ensure cron is restricted to authorized
3/31/2025 3.0.0 users
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.9 - Ensure at is restricted to authorized users
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1 - Ensure permissions on
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.10 - Ensure SSH PermitUserEnvironment is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.11 - Ensure SSH IgnoreRhosts is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.12 - Ensure SSH X11 forwarding is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.13 - Ensure only strong Ciphers are used
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.14 - Ensure only strong MAC algorithms are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 used
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.15 - Ensure only strong Key Exchange
3/31/2025 3.0.0 algorithms are used
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.16 - Ensure SSH AllowTcpForwarding is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.17 - Ensure SSH warning banner is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.18 - Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is set to 4 or
3/31/2025 3.0.0 less
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.19 - Ensure SSH MaxStartups is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.2 - Ensure permissions on SSH private host
3/31/2025 3.0.0 key files are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.20 - Ensure SSH LoginGraceTime is set to one
3/31/2025 3.0.0 minute or less
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.21 - Ensure SSH MaxSessions is set to 10 or
3/31/2025 3.0.0 less
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.22 - Ensure SSH Idle Timeout Interval is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured

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 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.3 - Ensure permissions on SSH public host
3/31/2025 3.0.0 key files are configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.4 - Ensure SSH access is limited
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.5 - Ensure SSH LogLevel is appropriate
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.6 - Ensure SSH PAM is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.7 - Ensure SSH root login is disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.8 - Ensure SSH HostbasedAuthentication is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.9 - Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 disabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.6 - Ensure sudo authentication timeout is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured correctly
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1 - Ensure password creation requirements
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2 - Ensure lockout for failed password
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3 - Ensure password reuse is limited
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.5 - Ensure all current passwords uses the
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured hashing algorithm
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.1 - Ensure minimum days between
3/31/2025 3.0.0 password changes is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.2 - Ensure password expiration is 365 days
3/31/2025 3.0.0 or less
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.3 - Ensure password expiration warning
3/31/2025 3.0.0 days is 7 or more
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.4 - Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days
3/31/2025 3.0.0 or less
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.6 - Ensure the number of changed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 characters in a new password is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.7 - Ensure preventing the use of dictionary
3/31/2025 3.0.0 words for passwords is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.2 - Ensure system accounts are secured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.3 - Ensure default group for the root account
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is GID 0
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.4 - Ensure default user umask is 027 or more
3/31/2025 3.0.0 restrictive
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.7 - Ensure maximum number of same
3/31/2025 3.0.0 consecutive characters in a password is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.2 - Ensure systemd-journal-remote is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.3 - Ensure systemd-journal-remote is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.4 - Ensure journald is not configured to
3/31/2025 3.0.0 receive logs from a remote client

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.2 - Ensure journald service is enabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.3 - Ensure journald is configured to
3/31/2025 3.0.0 compress large log files
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.4 - Ensure journald is configured to write
3/31/2025 3.0.0 logfiles to persistent disk
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.5 - Ensure journald is not configured to
3/31/2025 3.0.0 send logs to rsyslog
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.6 - Ensure journald log rotation is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured per site policy
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.7 - Ensure journald default file permissions
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.2 - Ensure rsyslog service is enabled
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.4 - Ensure rsyslog default file permissions
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.5 - Ensure logging is configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.3 - Ensure all logfiles have appropriate
3/31/2025 3.0.0 access configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.1 - Ensure auditd is installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.4 - Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.15 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the chcon command are recorded
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.16 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the setfacl command are recorded
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.17 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the chacl command are recorded
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.18 - Ensure successful and unsuccessful
3/31/2025 3.0.0 attempts to use the usermod command are recorded
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.1 - Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or
3/31/2025 3.0.0 less permissive
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.10 - Ensure audit tools belong to group root
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.2 - Ensure only authorized users own audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 log files
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.3 - Ensure only authorized groups are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 assigned ownership of audit log files
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.4 - Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or
3/31/2025 3.0.0 more restrictive
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.5 - Ensure audit configuration files are 640
3/31/2025 3.0.0 or more restrictive
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.6 - Ensure audit configuration files are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 owned by root
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.7 - Ensure audit configuration files belong
3/31/2025 3.0.0 to group root
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.8 - Ensure audit tools are 755 or more
3/31/2025 3.0.0 restrictive

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.9 - Ensure audit tools are owned by root
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.1 - Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.10 - Ensure permissions on /etc/opasswd are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.12 - Ensure no unowned or ungrouped files or
3/31/2025 3.0.0 directories exist
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.2 - Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.3 - Ensure permissions on /etc/group are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.4 - Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.5 - Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.6 - Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.7 - Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.8 - Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.9 - Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.9 - Ensure root PATH Integrity
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.1 - Filesystem Configuration
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.1.1 - Disable unused filesystems
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.2 - Filesystem Integrity Checking
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.3 - Configure Software and Patch Management
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.4 - Secure Boot Settings
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.5 - Additional Process Hardening
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.7 - Command Line Warning Banners
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.8 - GNOME Display Manager
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 2.1.4 - Configure ntp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 2.2 - Special Purpose Services
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 2.3 - Service Clients
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3 - Network Configuration
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.1 - Disable unused network protocols and devices
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.2 - Network Parameters (Host Only)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.3 - Network Parameters (Host and Router)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.4 - Firewall Configuration
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 4 - Access, Authentication and Authorization
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 4.1 - Configure time-based job schedulers
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 4.4 - Configure PAM
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 4.5.1 - Set Shadow Password Suite Parameters

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 5.1 - Configure Logging
DROPPED SECTION: 5.1.1.1 - Ensure journald is configured to send logs to a
3/31/2025 3.0.0 remote log host
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 5.2 - Configure System Accounting (auditd)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 5.2.1 - Ensure auditing is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 5.2.3 - Configure auditd rules
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 5.2.4 - Configure auditd file access
3/31/2025 3.0.0 DROPPED SECTION: 6.1 - System File Permissions
MOVED ITEMS:
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.1 - Ensure /tmp is a separate partition
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.1.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /tmp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.2.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /tmp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.8.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.8.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.8.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /home moved from 1.1.7.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /home
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.7.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /home
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.7.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for /var
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.1.3.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var partition
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.1.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.1.3.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /var/tmp moved from 1.1.4.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.4.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.4.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.4.3 in 2.0.1 (1)

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 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /var/log moved from 1.1.5.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var/log
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.5.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.5.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /var/log
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.5.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /var/log/audit moved from 1.1.6.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 partition moved from 1.1.6.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /var/log/audit partition moved from 1.1.6.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.4 - Ensure noexec option set on
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /var/log/audit partition moved from 1.1.6.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.1.1 - Ensure GPG keys are configured moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 1.3.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.1.2 - Ensure package manager repositories are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured moved from 1.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.2.1 - Ensure updates, patches, and additional
3/31/2025 3.0.0 security software are installed moved from 1.3.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1.2 - Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the
3/31/2025 3.0.0 bootloader configuration moved from 1.6.1.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1.4 - Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.6.1.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.2 - Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 1.5.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.3 - Ensure core dumps are restricted moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 1.5.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.4 - Ensure prelink is not installed moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 1.5.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.5 - Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enabled moved from 1.5.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.2 - Ensure GDM login banner is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.8.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.3 - Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enabled moved from 1.8.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.4 - Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 idle moved from 1.8.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.5 - Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be
3/31/2025 3.0.0 overridden moved from 1.8.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.6 - Ensure GDM automatic mounting of
3/31/2025 3.0.0 removable media is disabled moved from 1.8.6 in 2.0.1 (1)

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 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.7 - Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting
3/31/2025 3.0.0 of removable media is not overridden moved from 1.8.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.8 - Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.8.8 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.9 - Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 1.8.9 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.2 - Ensure rsh client is not installed moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 2.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.3 - Ensure talk client is not installed moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 2.3.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.4 - Ensure telnet client is not installed moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 2.3.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.1.1 - Ensure a single time synchronization
3/31/2025 3.0.0 daemon is in use moved from 2.1.1.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.2.1 - Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 with authorized timeserver moved from 2.1.3.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.2.2 - Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and
3/31/2025 3.0.0 running moved from 2.1.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3.1 - Ensure chrony is configured with
3/31/2025 3.0.0 authorized timeserver moved from 2.1.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3.2 - Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 2.1.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3.3 - Ensure chrony is enabled and running
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 2.1.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.1 - Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 4.1.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.2 - Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.8 - Ensure source routed packets are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 accepted moved from 3.3.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.9 - Ensure suspicious packets are logged moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 3.3.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1 - Ensure ufw is installed moved from 3.4.1.1 in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.3 - Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 with ufw moved from 3.4.1.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.4 - Ensure ufw service is enabled moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 3.4.1.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.5 - Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.4.1.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.6 - Ensure ufw outbound connections are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured moved from 3.4.1.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.7 - Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ports moved from 3.4.1.6 in 2.0.1 (1)

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 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.8 - Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.4.1.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.1 - Ensure nftables is installed moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 3.4.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.10 - Ensure nftables rules are permanent moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 3.4.2.10 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.2 - Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with
3/31/2025 3.0.0 nftables moved from 3.4.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.3 - Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.4.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.4 - Ensure a nftables table exists moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 3.4.2.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.5 - Ensure nftables base chains exist moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 3.4.2.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.6 - Ensure nftables loopback traffic is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured moved from 3.4.2.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.7 - Ensure nftables outbound and established
3/31/2025 3.0.0 connections are configured moved from 3.4.2.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.8 - Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.4.2.8 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.9 - Ensure nftables service is enabled moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 3.4.2.9 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1.1 - Ensure iptables packages are installed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.4.3.1.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.1 - Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 3.4.3.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.2 - Ensure iptables loopback traffic is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured moved from 3.4.3.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.3 - Ensure iptables outbound and established
3/31/2025 3.0.0 connections are configured moved from 3.4.3.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.4 - Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all
3/31/2025 3.0.0 open ports moved from 3.4.3.2.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.1 - Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall
3/31/2025 3.0.0 policy moved from 3.4.3.3.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.2 - Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured moved from 3.4.3.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.3 - Ensure ip6tables outbound and
3/31/2025 3.0.0 established connections are configured moved from 3.4.3.3.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.4 - Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all
3/31/2025 3.0.0 open ports moved from 3.4.3.3.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1 - Ensure sudo is installed moved from 4.3.1 in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2 - Ensure sudo commands use pty moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 4.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)

Page 1017

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 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3 - Ensure sudo log file exists moved from 4.3.3
3/31/2025 3.0.0 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4 - Ensure users must provide password for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 privilege escalation moved from 4.3.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.5 - Ensure re-authentication for privilege
3/31/2025 3.0.0 escalation is not disabled globally moved from 4.3.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.7 - Ensure access to the su command is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 restricted moved from 4.3.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.4 - Ensure strong password hashing algorithm
3/31/2025 3.0.0 is configured moved from 4.4.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.6 - Ensure all users last password change
3/31/2025 3.0.0 date is in the past moved from 4.5.1.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.1 - Ensure root is the only UID 0 account
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 6.2.10 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.3.1 - Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 4.5.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.3.2 - Ensure default user shell timeout is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured moved from 4.5.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.1 - Ensure AIDE is installed moved from 1.2.1 in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.2 - Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly
3/31/2025 3.0.0 checked moved from 1.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.3 - Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used
3/31/2025 3.0.0 to protect the integrity of audit tools moved from 5.2.4.11 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.1.1 - Ensure systemd-journal-remote is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 installed moved from 5.1.1.1.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.2 - Ensure rsyslog is installed moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 5.1.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.3 - Ensure journald is configured to send logs
3/31/2025 3.0.0 to rsyslog moved from 5.1.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.6 - Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to
3/31/2025 3.0.0 a remote log host moved from 5.1.2.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.7 - Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive
3/31/2025 3.0.0 logs from a remote client moved from 5.1.2.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.1.2 - Ensure auditd service is enabled and active
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 5.2.1.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.1.3 - Ensure auditing for processes that start
3/31/2025 3.0.0 prior to auditd is enabled moved from 5.2.1.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.1 - Ensure audit log storage size is configured
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 5.2.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.2 - Ensure audit logs are not automatically
3/31/2025 3.0.0 deleted moved from 5.2.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.3 - Ensure system is disabled when audit logs
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are full moved from 5.2.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)

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 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.1 - Ensure changes to system administration
3/31/2025 3.0.0 scope (sudoers) is collected moved from 5.2.3.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.10 - Ensure successful file system mounts are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 collected moved from 5.2.3.10 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.11 - Ensure session initiation information is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 collected moved from 5.2.3.11 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.12 - Ensure login and logout events are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 collected moved from 5.2.3.12 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.13 - Ensure file deletion events by users are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 collected moved from 5.2.3.13 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.14 - Ensure events that modify the system's
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Mandatory Access Controls are collected moved from 5.2.3.14 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.19 - Ensure kernel module loading unloading
3/31/2025 3.0.0 and modification is collected moved from 5.2.3.19 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.2 - Ensure actions as another user are always
3/31/2025 3.0.0 logged moved from 5.2.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.20 - Ensure the audit configuration is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 immutable moved from 5.2.3.20 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.21 - Ensure the running and on disk
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configuration is the same moved from 5.2.3.21 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.3 - Ensure events that modify the sudo log file
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are collected moved from 5.2.3.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.4 - Ensure events that modify date and time
3/31/2025 3.0.0 information are collected moved from 5.2.3.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.5 - Ensure events that modify the system's
3/31/2025 3.0.0 network environment are collected moved from 5.2.3.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.6 - Ensure use of privileged commands are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 collected moved from 5.2.3.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.7 - Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are collected moved from 5.2.3.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.8 - Ensure events that modify user/group
3/31/2025 3.0.0 information are collected moved from 5.2.3.8 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.9 - Ensure discretionary access control
3/31/2025 3.0.0 permission modification events are collected moved from 5.2.3.9 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.11 - Ensure world writable files and directories
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are secured moved from 6.1.11 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.13 - Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 6.1.13 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.1 - Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use
3/31/2025 3.0.0 shadowed passwords moved from 6.2.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.10 - Ensure local interactive user dot files
3/31/2025 3.0.0 access is configured moved from 6.2.12 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.2 - Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not
3/31/2025 3.0.0 empty moved from 6.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)

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 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.3 - Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /etc/group moved from 6.2.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.4 - Ensure shadow group is empty moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 6.2.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.5 - Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 6.2.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.6 - Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist moved from
3/31/2025 3.0.0 6.2.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.7 - Ensure no duplicate user names exist moved
3/31/2025 3.0.0 from 6.2.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.8 - Ensure no duplicate group names exist
3/31/2025 3.0.0 moved from 6.2.8 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.9 - Ensure local interactive user home
3/31/2025 3.0.0 directories are configured moved from 6.2.11 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.1 - Configure /tmp moved from 1.1.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.2 - Configure /dev/shm moved from 1.1.8 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.3 - Configure /home moved from 1.1.7 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.4 - Configure /var moved from 1.1.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.5 - Configure /var/tmp moved from 1.1.4 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.6 - Configure /var/log moved from 1.1.5 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.1.2.7 - Configure /var/log/audit moved from 1.1.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.3 - Mandatory Access Control moved from 1.6 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 1.3.1 - Configure AppArmor moved from 1.6.1 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED SECTION: 2.3 - Configure Time Synchronization moved from 2.1 in 2.0.1
3/31/2025 3.0.0 (1)
MOVED SECTION: 2.3.1 - Ensure time synchronization is in use moved from 2.1.1
3/31/2025 3.0.0 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED SECTION: 2.3.2 - Configure systemd-timesyncd moved from 2.1.3 in 2.0.1
3/31/2025 3.0.0 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 2.3.3 - Configure chrony moved from 2.1.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED SECTION: 4.2 - Configure UncomplicatedFirewall moved from 3.4.1 in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.3 - Configure nftables moved from 3.4.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.4 - Configure iptables moved from 3.4.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED SECTION: 4.4.1 - Configure iptables software moved from 3.4.3.1 in 2.0.1
3/31/2025 3.0.0 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.4.2 - Configure IPv4 iptables moved from 3.4.3.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.4.3 - Configure IPv6 ip6tables moved from 3.4.3.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.1 - Configure SSH Server moved from 4.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.2 - Configure privilege escalation moved from 4.3 in 2.0.1 (1)
MOVED SECTION: 5.4 - User Accounts and Environment moved from 4.5 in 2.0.1
3/31/2025 3.0.0 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 6 - Logging and Auditing moved from 5 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 6.2.2 - Configure journald moved from 5.1.1 in 2.0.1 (1)

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 3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 6.2.3 - Configure rsyslog moved from 5.1.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 6.3.2 - Configure Data Retention moved from 5.2.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 7 - System Maintenance moved from 6 in 2.0.1 (1)
3/31/2025 3.0.0 MOVED SECTION: 7.2 - Local User and Group Settings moved from 6.2 in 2.0.1 (1)
UPDATED ITEMS:
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.1 - Ensure /tmp is a separate partition -
Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement; Impact Statement;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /tmp
partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /tmp
partition - Sections Modified: Impact Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
/home - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Impact Statement; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /home
partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /home
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
/var - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Impact Statement; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var
partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /var
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
/var/tmp - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Impact Statement; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp
partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.5.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /var/log - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.2 - Ensure nodev option set on /var/log
partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.6.4 - Ensure noexec option set on /var/log
partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.1 - Ensure separate partition exists for
/var/log/audit - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Impact Statement; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.2 - Ensure nodev option set on
/var/log/audit partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.3 - Ensure nosuid option set on
/var/log/audit partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.7.4 - Ensure noexec option set on
/var/log/audit partition - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.1.1 - Ensure GPG keys are configured -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Description; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.1.2 - Ensure package manager repositories
3/31/2025 3.0.0 are configured - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.2.1 - Ensure updates, patches, and additional
security software are installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1.2 - Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the
bootloader configuration - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1.4 - Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 enforcing - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.2 - Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted -
Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.3 - Ensure core dumps are restricted -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.4 - Ensure prelink is not installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.5 - Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not
enabled - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.2 - Ensure GDM login banner is configured -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.3 - Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is
enabled - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.4 - Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is
idle - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.5 - Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be
overridden - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.6 - Ensure GDM automatic mounting of
removable media is disabled - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.7 - Ensure GDM disabling automatic
mounting of removable media is not overridden - Sections Modified: Description;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.8 - Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.9 - Ensure GDM autorun-never is not
overridden - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.2 - Ensure rsh client is not installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.3 - Ensure talk client is not installed -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.4 - Ensure telnet client is not installed -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.1.1 - Ensure a single time synchronization
daemon is in use - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.2.1 - Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured
with authorized timeserver - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.2.2 - Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled
and running - Sections Modified: Assessment Status; Remediation Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3.1 - Ensure chrony is configured with
authorized timeserver - Sections Modified: Assessment Status; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3.2 - Ensure chrony is running as user
_chrony - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3.3 - Ensure chrony is enabled and running -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4.1.1 - Ensure cron daemon is enabled and
active - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.2 - Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled
- Sections Modified: Impact Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.8 - Ensure source routed packets are not
accepted - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.9 - Ensure suspicious packets are logged -
Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1 - Ensure ufw is installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.3 - Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed
with ufw - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.4 - Ensure ufw service is enabled - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.5 - Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.6 - Ensure ufw outbound connections are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.7 - Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open
3/31/2025 3.0.0 ports - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.8 - Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Impact Statement; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.1 - Ensure nftables is installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.10 - Ensure nftables rules are permanent -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Description; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.2 - Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with
3/31/2025 3.0.0 nftables - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.3 - Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.4 - Ensure a nftables table exists - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Rationale Statement; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.5 - Ensure nftables base chains exist -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.6 - Ensure nftables loopback traffic is
configured - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.7 - Ensure nftables outbound and established
connections are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.8 - Ensure nftables default deny firewall
3/31/2025 3.0.0 policy - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.9 - Ensure nftables service is enabled -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1.1 - Ensure iptables packages are installed -
Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.1 - Ensure iptables default deny firewall
policy - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.2 - Ensure iptables loopback traffic is
configured - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.3 - Ensure iptables outbound and
established connections are configured - Sections Modified: Description;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Remediation Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2.4 - Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all
3/31/2025 3.0.0 open ports - Sections Modified: Description; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.1 - Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall
policy - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.2 - Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.3 - Ensure ip6tables outbound and
established connections are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3.4 - Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 all open ports - Sections Modified: Description; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1 - Ensure sudo is installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2 - Ensure sudo commands use pty - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3 - Ensure sudo log file exists - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4 - Ensure users must provide password for
3/31/2025 3.0.0 privilege escalation - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.5 - Ensure re-authentication for privilege
3/31/2025 3.0.0 escalation is not disabled globally - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.7 - Ensure access to the su command is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 restricted - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.4 - Ensure strong password hashing
algorithm is configured - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.1.6 - Ensure all users last password change
date is in the past - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.2.1 - Ensure root is the only UID 0 account -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.3.1 - Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells
3/31/2025 3.0.0 - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.3.2 - Ensure default user shell timeout is
configured - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.1 - Ensure AIDE is installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.2 - Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly
checked - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.3 - Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are
used to protect the integrity of audit tools - Sections Modified: Profile;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2.1.1 - Ensure systemd-journal-remote is
installed - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.2 - Ensure rsyslog is installed - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.3 - Ensure journald is configured to send
logs to rsyslog - Sections Modified: Assessment Status; Description; Rationale
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.6 - Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs
to a remote log host - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3.7 - Ensure rsyslog is not configured to
receive logs from a remote client - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.1.2 - Ensure auditd service is enabled and
active - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.1.3 - Ensure auditing for processes that start
3/31/2025 3.0.0 prior to auditd is enabled - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.1 - Ensure audit log storage size is
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configured - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.2 - Ensure audit logs are not automatically
3/31/2025 3.0.0 deleted - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.2.3 - Ensure system is disabled when audit
logs are full - Sections Modified: Description; Impact Statement; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.1 - Ensure changes to system
administration scope (sudoers) is collected - Sections Modified: Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.10 - Ensure successful file system mounts
are collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.11 - Ensure session initiation information is
collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.12 - Ensure login and logout events are
collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.13 - Ensure file deletion events by users are
collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.14 - Ensure events that modify the system's
Mandatory Access Controls are collected - Sections Modified: Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.19 - Ensure kernel module loading
unloading and modification is collected - Sections Modified: Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.2 - Ensure actions as another user are
always logged - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.20 - Ensure the audit configuration is
immutable - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.21 - Ensure the running and on disk
3/31/2025 3.0.0 configuration is the same - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.3 - Ensure events that modify the sudo log
file are collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.4 - Ensure events that modify date and time
information are collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.5 - Ensure events that modify the system's
network environment are collected - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.6 - Ensure use of privileged commands are
collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.7 - Ensure unsuccessful file access
attempts are collected - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.8 - Ensure events that modify user/group
information are collected - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.3.3.9 - Ensure discretionary access control
permission modification events are collected - Sections Modified: Remediation
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.11 - Ensure world writable files and
directories are secured - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.1.13 - Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed
3/31/2025 3.0.0 - Sections Modified: Profile; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.1 - Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use
shadowed passwords - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.10 - Ensure local interactive user dot files
access is configured - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure;
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.2 - Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are
3/31/2025 3.0.0 not empty - Sections Modified: Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.3 - Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in
3/31/2025 3.0.0 /etc/group - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.4 - Ensure shadow group is empty - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.5 - Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Rationale Statement; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.6 - Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.7 - Ensure no duplicate user names exist -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.8 - Ensure no duplicate group names exist -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Audit Procedure; Workbench Id

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 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 7.2.9 - Ensure local interactive user home
directories are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.1 - Ensure bootloader password is set -
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.1 - Ensure IPv6 status is identified - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Description; Rationale Statement; Audit Procedure; Workbench Id
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1 - Initial Setup - Sections Modified: Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1.1.2.1 - Configure /tmp - Sections Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 1.1.2.2 - Configure /dev/shm - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1.1.2.3 - Configure /home - Sections Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 1.3 - Mandatory Access Control - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1.3.1 - Configure AppArmor - Sections Modified: Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 2 - Services - Sections Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 2.3 - Configure Time Synchronization - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
UPDATED SECTION: 2.3.1 - Ensure time synchronization is in use - Sections
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 2.3.2 - Configure systemd-timesyncd - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 2.3.3 - Configure chrony - Sections Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 4.2 - Configure UncomplicatedFirewall - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 4.3 - Configure nftables - Sections Modified: Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 4.4 - Configure iptables - Sections Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 4.4.1 - Configure iptables software - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
UPDATED SECTION: 4.4.2 - Configure IPv4 iptables - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
UPDATED SECTION: 4.4.3 - Configure IPv6 ip6tables - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 5.1 - Configure SSH Server - Sections Modified: Description
UPDATED SECTION: 5.2 - Configure privilege escalation - Sections Modified:
3/31/2025 3.0.0 Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 6 - Logging and Auditing - Sections Modified: Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 6.2.2 - Configure journald - Sections Modified: Description
3/31/2025 3.0.0 UPDATED SECTION: 6.2.3 - Configure rsyslog - Sections Modified: Description

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