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CIS Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS Benchmark v2.2.0

The document is the CIS Benchmark for Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS, providing security recommendations and best practices for system hardening. It includes detailed guidelines on filesystem configuration, software and patch management, process hardening, and network security. The benchmark aims to enhance the security posture of Ubuntu systems by following the outlined recommendations.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

39 views948 pages

CIS Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS Benchmark v2.2.0

Uploaded by

smarty6975

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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CIS Ubuntu Linux 18.

04
LTS Benchmark
v2.2.0 - 03-27-2024

Internal Only - General

Terms of Use
Please see the below link for our current terms of use:
https://www.cisecurity.org/cis-securesuite/cis-securesuite-membership-terms-of-use/

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Table of Contents
Terms of Use ................................................................................................................. 1
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... 2
Overview ...................................................................................................................... 10
Intended Audience................................................................................................................10
Typographical Conventions .................................................................................................12
Recommendation Definitions ..................................................................................... 13
Title ........................................................................................................................................13
Assessment Status...............................................................................................................13
Profile ....................................................................................................................................13
Description ............................................................................................................................13
Rationale Statement .............................................................................................................13
Impact Statement ..................................................................................................................14
Audit Procedure ....................................................................................................................14
Remediation Procedure........................................................................................................14
Default Value .........................................................................................................................14
References ............................................................................................................................14
CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) ..................................................................14
Additional Information..........................................................................................................14
Profile Definitions .................................................................................................................15
Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 18
1 Initial Setup ........................................................................................................................18
1.1 Filesystem Configuration .............................................................................................................. 18
1.1.1 Disable unused filesystems .................................................................................................... 19
1.1.1.1 Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled (Automated) ................................. 20
1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled (Automated) ............................... 25
1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled (Automated) ..................................... 30
1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled (Automated) ....................................... 35
1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled (Automated) ................................ 40
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled (Automated) ............................. 45
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled (Automated) ....................................... 50
1.1.2 Configure /tmp .......................................................................................................................... 55
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition (Automated) .......................................................... 56
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition (Automated) ............................................... 60
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition (Automated) ............................................. 62
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition (Automated) .............................................. 64
1.1.3 Configure /var ........................................................................................................................... 66
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var (Automated) .................................................. 67
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition (Automated) ................................................ 70
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition (Automated) ............................................... 72

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1.1.4 Configure /var/tmp ................................................................................................................... 74
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp (Automated) ........................................... 75
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated) ......................................... 78
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated) ....................................... 80
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated) ........................................ 82
1.1.5 Configure /var/log..................................................................................................................... 84
1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log (Automated) ............................................ 85
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition (Automated) .......................................... 87
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition (Automated) ........................................ 89
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition (Automated) ......................................... 91
1.1.6 Configure /var/log/audit ........................................................................................................... 93
1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit (Automated) ................................... 94
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition (Automated) ................................. 96
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition (Automated) ................................ 98
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition (Automated) ............................... 100
1.1.7 Configure /home ..................................................................................................................... 102
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home (Automated) ............................................ 103
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition (Automated) .......................................... 106
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition (Automated) ......................................... 108
1.1.8 Configure /dev/shm ................................................................................................................ 110
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition (Automated) ..................................... 111
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition (Automated) .................................... 113
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition (Automated) ..................................... 115
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is disabled (Automated) ................ 117
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage (Automated) .............................................................................. 119
1.2 Configure Filesystem Integrity Checking .................................................................................. 124
1.2.1 Ensure AIDE is installed (Automated) ........................................................................... 125
1.2.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked (Automated) ....................................... 127
1.3 Configure Software and Patch Management ............................................................................ 130
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security software are installed (Manual) ...... 131
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured (Manual) .................................. 134
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured (Manual) ................................................................... 136
1.4 Configure Secure Boot Settings ................................................................................................ 138
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set (Automated) ........................................................... 139
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured (Automated) ........................ 142
1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode (Automated) ............................... 144
1.5 Configure Additional Process Hardening ................................................................................. 146
1.5.1 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted (Automated) ............................................................ 147
1.5.2 Ensure core dumps are restricted (Automated) ............................................................. 152
1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is enabled (Automated) ............. 156
1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed (Automated) ................................................................... 161
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled (Automated) .................................... 163
1.6 Mandatory Access Control ......................................................................................................... 164
1.6.1 Configure AppArmor.............................................................................................................. 165
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed (Automated) ................................................................ 166
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader configuration (Automated) ............... 168
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain mode (Automated) ............ 170
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing (Automated) .......................................... 172
1.7 Configure Command Line Warning Banners ............................................................................ 174
1.7.1 Ensure message of the day is configured properly (Automated) .................................. 175
1.7.2 Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly (Automated) ........................ 177
1.7.3 Ensure remote login warning banner is configured properly (Automated) .................... 179
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured (Automated) ..................................... 181
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured (Automated) ..................................... 183
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured (Automated) ............................... 185
1.8 Configure GNOME Display Manager .......................................................................................... 187

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1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager is removed (Automated) ......................................... 188
1.8.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured (Automated) ................................................... 190
1.8.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled (Automated) ...................................... 194
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle (Automated) ...................................... 198
1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden (Automated) ..................................... 203
1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is disabled (Automated) .......... 207
1.8.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable media is not overridden
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 212
1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled (Automated) .................................................... 216
1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden (Automated) .......................................... 220
1.8.10 Ensure XDCMP is not enabled (Automated) ............................................................... 224
2 Services............................................................................................................................226
2.1 Configure Time Synchronization ............................................................................................... 227
2.1.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use................................................................................. 228
2.1.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use (Automated) ........................ 229
2.1.2 Configure chrony ................................................................................................................... 233
2.1.2.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver (Manual) ............................. 234
2.1.2.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony (Automated) ............................................ 237
2.1.2.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running (Automated) .................................................. 239
2.1.3 Configure systemd-timesyncd.............................................................................................. 241
2.1.3.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized timeserver (Automated) ...... 243
2.1.3.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running (Manual) .................................... 246
2.1.4 Configure ntp .......................................................................................................................... 248
2.1.4.1 Ensure ntp access control is configured (Automated) ................................................ 249
2.1.4.2 Ensure ntp is configured with authorized timeserver (Manual) .................................. 253
2.1.4.3 Ensure ntp is running as user ntp (Automated) .......................................................... 256
2.1.4.4 Ensure ntp is enabled and running (Automated) ........................................................ 258
2.2 Special Purpose Services ........................................................................................................... 260
2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed (Automated) ................................................ 261
2.2.2 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed (Automated) ......................................................... 263
2.2.3 Ensure CUPS is not installed (Automated) .................................................................... 265
2.2.4 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed (Automated) ........................................................ 267
2.2.5 Ensure LDAP server is not installed (Automated) ......................................................... 269
2.2.6 Ensure NFS is not installed (Automated) ...................................................................... 271
2.2.7 Ensure DNS Server is not installed (Automated) .......................................................... 273
2.2.8 Ensure FTP Server is not installed (Automated) ........................................................... 275
2.2.9 Ensure HTTP server is not installed (Automated) ......................................................... 277
2.2.10 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed (Automated) ................................... 279
2.2.11 Ensure Samba is not installed (Automated) ................................................................ 281
2.2.12 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed (Automated) ............................................ 283
2.2.13 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed (Automated) ...................................................... 285
2.2.14 Ensure NIS Server is not installed (Automated) .......................................................... 287
2.2.15 Ensure dnsmasq is not installed (Automated) ............................................................. 289
2.2.16 Ensure mail transfer agent is configured for local-only mode (Automated) ................ 291
2.2.17 Ensure rsync service is either not installed or is masked (Automated) ....................... 294
2.3 Service Clients ............................................................................................................................. 296
2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed (Automated) ............................................................. 297
2.3.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed (Automated) ............................................................... 299
2.3.3 Ensure talk client is not installed (Automated) ............................................................... 301
2.3.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed (Automated) ........................................................... 303
2.3.5 Ensure LDAP client is not installed (Automated) ........................................................... 305
2.3.6 Ensure RPC is not installed (Automated) ...................................................................... 307
2.4 Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked (Manual) .................................... 309
3 Network ............................................................................................................................311
3.1 Configure Network Devices ........................................................................................................ 312

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3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified (Manual) ...................................................................... 313
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled (Automated) ................................................... 315
3.1.3 Ensure bluetooth services are not in use (Automated).................................................. 319
3.2 Configure Network Kernel Modules ........................................................................................... 322
3.2.1 Ensure dccp kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................. 323
3.2.2 Ensure tipc kernel module is not available (Automated) ............................................... 328
3.2.3 Ensure rds kernel module is not available (Automated) ................................................ 333
3.2.4 Ensure sctp kernel module is not available (Automated) .............................................. 338
3.3 Configure Network Kernel Parameters ...................................................................................... 343
3.3.1 Ensure ip forwarding is disabled (Automated) ............................................................... 344
3.3.2 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled (Automated) .............................................. 349
3.3.3 Ensure bogus icmp responses are ignored (Automated) .............................................. 354
3.3.4 Ensure broadcast icmp requests are ignored (Automated) ........................................... 359
3.3.5 Ensure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated) ................................................... 364
3.3.6 Ensure secure icmp redirects are not accepted (Automated) ....................................... 369
3.3.7 Ensure reversepath filtering is enabled (Automated) .................................................... 374
3.3.8 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted (Automated) ...................................... 379
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged (Automated) ..................................................... 385
3.3.10 Ensure tcp syn cookies is enabled (Automated) ......................................................... 390
3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted (Automated) ............................. 395
3.4 Firewall Configuration ................................................................................................................. 400
3.4.1 Configure UncomplicatedFirewall ........................................................................................ 401
3.4.1.1 Ensure ufw is installed (Automated) ........................................................................... 402
3.4.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw (Automated) ............................... 404
3.4.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled (Automated) ............................................................... 406
3.4.1.4 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured (Automated) .............................................. 409
3.4.1.5 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured (Manual) ...................................... 411
3.4.1.6 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated) ................................... 413
3.4.1.7 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy (Automated) .................................................. 416
3.4.2 Configure nftables.................................................................................................................. 418
3.4.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed (Automated) .................................................................... 420
3.4.2.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables (Automated) ............................... 422
3.4.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables (Manual) .................................................... 424
3.4.2.4 Ensure a nftables table exists (Automated) ................................................................ 426
3.4.2.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist (Automated) ......................................................... 428
3.4.2.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured (Automated) ....................................... 430
3.4.2.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections are configured (Manual) ..... 432
3.4.2.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy (Automated) ........................................... 434
3.4.2.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled (Automated) ........................................................ 436
3.4.2.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent (Automated) ................................................... 438
3.4.3 Configure iptables .................................................................................................................. 441
3.4.3.1 Configure iptables software ............................................................................................ 442
3.4.3.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed (Automated) .............................................. 443
3.4.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed with iptables (Automated) ...................................... 445
3.4.3.1.3 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with iptables (Automated) ............................ 447
3.4.3.2 Configure IPv4 iptables .................................................................................................... 449
3.4.3.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy (Automated) ........................................ 450
3.4.3.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured (Automated) .................................... 452
3.4.3.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections are configured (Manual) .. 454
3.4.3.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated).......................... 456
3.4.3.3 Configure IPv6 ip6tables .................................................................................................. 458
3.4.3.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy (Automated) ...................................... 459
3.4.3.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured (Automated) .................................. 461
3.4.3.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections are configured (Manual) 464
3.4.3.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated)........................ 466

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4 Access, Authentication and Authorization ....................................................................468
4.1 Configure time-based job schedulers ....................................................................................... 469
4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active (Automated).............................................. 470
4.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured (Automated) ................................. 471
4.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured (Automated) ........................... 473
4.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured (Automated) .............................. 475
4.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured (Automated) .......................... 477
4.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured (Automated)......................... 479
4.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured (Automated) ................................... 481
4.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users (Automated) ........................................... 483
4.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users (Automated) ............................................... 487
4.2 Configure SSH Server ................................................................................................................. 491
4.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured (Automated) ................... 493
4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured (Automated) .......................................... 496
4.2.3 Ensure sshd access is configured (Automated) ............................................................ 501
4.2.4 Ensure sshd Banner is configured (Automated) ............................................................ 504
4.2.5 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured (Automated) ........................................................ 506
4.2.6 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax are configured (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 509
4.2.7 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled (Automated) ............................................. 512
4.2.8 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled (Automated) ...................................... 515
4.2.9 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled (Automated) ................................... 517
4.2.10 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled (Automated) .................................................... 519
4.2.11 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured (Automated) .............................................. 521
4.2.12 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured (Automated) ........................................... 524
4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured (Automated) ....................................................... 526
4.2.14 Ensure sshd MACs are configured (Automated) ......................................................... 529
4.2.15 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured (Automated) ............................................... 533
4.2.16 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured (Automated) ................................................ 535
4.2.17 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured (Automated) ................................................. 537
4.2.18 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled (Automated) .................................. 539
4.2.19 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled (Automated) .............................................. 541
4.2.20 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled (Automated) .................................. 543
4.2.21 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled (Automated) ........................................................... 545
4.3 Configure privilege escalation ................................................................................................... 547
4.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed (Automated) ............................................................................ 548
4.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty (Automated) .............................................................. 550
4.3.3 Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated) ........................................................................ 552
4.3.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege escalation (Automated) ................. 554
4.3.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not disabled globally (Automated) 556
4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured correctly (Automated) ..................... 558
4.3.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted (Automated) ....................................... 560
4.4 Configure PAM ............................................................................................................................. 562
4.4.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured (Automated) .......................... 563
4.4.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured (Automated) ...................... 567
4.4.3 Ensure password reuse is limited (Automated) ............................................................. 570
4.4.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured (Automated) ........................ 572
4.4.5 Ensure all current passwords uses the configured hashing algorithm (Manual) ........... 575
4.5 User Accounts and Environment ............................................................................................... 577
4.5.1 Set Shadow Password Suite Parameters ............................................................................ 578
4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is configured (Automated) ........ 579
4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less (Automated) ................................... 581
4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more (Automated) ........................ 583
4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less (Automated) ................................. 585
4.5.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past (Automated) .................... 587

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4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new password is configured
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 589
4.5.1.7 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled (Automated) ....................................... 591
4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured (Automated) ....................................................... 593
4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0 (Automated) .................................. 597
4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive (Automated) .............................. 599
4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured (Automated) ........................................ 604
4.5.6 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells (Automated) .................................................. 608
4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive characters in a password is configured
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 610
5 Logging and Auditing ......................................................................................................612
5.1 Configure Logging ....................................................................................................................... 613
5.1.1 Configure journald ................................................................................................................. 614
5.1.1.1 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to a remote log host ............................... 615
5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed (Automated) ........................................ 616
5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured (Manual) .......................................... 618
5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled (Manual) .............................................. 620
5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a remote client (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 622
5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled (Automated) ........................................................ 624
5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files (Automated) ..................... 626
5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to persistent disk (Automated) ........... 628
5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog (Manual) ........................... 630
5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy (Manual) ............................ 632
5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured (Manual) .................................... 634
5.1.2 Configure rsyslog................................................................................................................... 636
5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated) ..................................................................... 637
5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled (Automated) ......................................................... 639
5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog (Manual) ................................. 641
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured (Automated) ......................... 644
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured (Manual) ....................................................................... 646
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log host (Manual) .................. 648
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a remote client (Automated) .. 650
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured (Automated) ........................... 653
5.2 Configure System Accounting (auditd) ..................................................................................... 660
5.2.1 Ensure auditing is enabled ................................................................................................... 662
5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed (Automated) ....................................................................... 663
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active (Automated) ......................................... 665
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is enabled (Automated) ....... 667
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient (Automated) ................................................. 669
5.2.2 Configure Data Retention ...................................................................................................... 671
5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured (Automated) ........................................... 672
5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted (Automated) .................................... 674
5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full (Automated) ............................... 676
5.2.3 Configure auditd rules ........................................................................................................... 678
5.2.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope (sudoers) is collected (Automated)679
5.2.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged (Automated) ............................... 682
5.2.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected (Automated) ..................... 686
5.2.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are collected (Automated) ...... 689
5.2.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network environment are collected
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 693
5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected (Automated) ................................ 697
5.2.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected (Automated) ....................... 701
5.2.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are collected (Automated) .......... 705

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5.2.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission modification events are collected
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 709
5.2.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected (Automated) ........................... 713
5.2.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected (Automated) ................................ 717
5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected (Automated) ...................................... 720
5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected (Automated) .............................. 723
5.2.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory Access Controls are collected
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 727
5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the chcon command are
recorded (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 730
5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the setfacl command are
recorded (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 734
5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the chacl command are
recorded (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 738
5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the usermod command are
recorded (Automated) ............................................................................................................. 742
5.2.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification is collected (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 746
5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable (Automated) ........................................ 750
5.2.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same (Manual) ....................... 752
5.2.4 Configure auditd file access ................................................................................................. 754
5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive (Automated) ...................... 755
5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files (Automated) .................................. 757
5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership of audit log files (Automated)
................................................................................................................................................ 759
5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive (Automated) ..................... 761
5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more restrictive (Automated) .................. 763
5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root (Automated) ................................ 765
5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root (Automated) ............................ 767
5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive (Automated) ....................................... 769
5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root (Automated) .................................................... 771
5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root (Automated) ............................................... 773
5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect the integrity of audit tools
(Automated) ............................................................................................................................ 775
6 System Maintenance .......................................................................................................777
6.1 System File Permissions ............................................................................................................ 778
6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured (Automated) ................................. 779
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured (Automated) ................................ 781
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured (Automated) .................................... 783
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured (Automated) ................................... 785
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured (Automated) ................................. 787
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured (Automated) ................................ 789
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured (Automated) ............................... 791
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured (Automated) .............................. 793
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are configured (Automated) ................. 795
6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured (Automated) ......................... 797
6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a group exist (Automated) ......... 801
6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed (Manual) ................................................... 804
6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured (Automated) .................................. 807
6.2 Local User and Group Settings .................................................................................................. 809
6.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed passwords (Automated) .................... 810
6.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty (Automated) ................................. 813
6.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group (Automated) ................................. 815
6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty (Automated) ................................................................ 817
6.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist (Automated) ................................................................. 819

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6.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist (Automated) ................................................................ 820
6.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist (Automated) ...................................................... 822
6.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist (Automated).................................................... 823
6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are configured (Automated) ................. 824
6.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is configured (Automated) ................... 828
Appendix: Summary Table ....................................................................................... 834
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 1 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 854
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 2 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 860
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 3 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 870
Appendix: CIS Controls v7 Unmapped Recommendations ................................... 880
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 1 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 881
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 2 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 888
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 3 Mapped Recommendations ................................ 898
Appendix: CIS Controls v8 Unmapped Recommendations ................................... 908
Appendix: Change History ....................................................................................... 909

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Overview
All CIS 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 for vulnerabilities and quickly updating with
the latest security patches
• Monitoring applications and libraries for vulnerabilities and quickly updating with
the latest security patches

In the end, the CIS Benchmarks are designed as a key component of a comprehensive
cybersecurity program.

This document provides prescriptive guidance for establishing a secure configuration

posture for Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS systems running on the x64 platform. Standard
support for Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS ended in May 2023. This will be the terminal
Benchmark release for this version of Ubuntu. CIS strongly recommends moving
to a supported version of the operating system.
This guide was tested against Ubuntu Linux 18.04.6 LTS
The guidance within broadly assumes that operations are being performed as the root
user. Operations performed using sudo instead of the root user 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 guidance in this document includes changes to the running system configuration.
Failure to test system configuration changes in a test environment prior to
implementation on a production system could lead to loss of services.
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 18.04 LTS
on the x64 platform.

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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 script

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

Monospace font Used for inline code, commands, or examples.

Text should be interpreted exactly as presented.

Italic texts set in angle brackets denote a variable

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

Used to denote the title of a book, article, or other

Italic font
publication.

Note Additional information or caveats

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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
Bill Erickson
Dave Billing
Dominic Pace
Elliot Anderson
Ely Pinto
Fredrik Silverskär
Joy Latten
Koen Laevens
Mark Birch
Tom Pietschmann
Vineetha Hari Pai
Anurag Pal
Bradley Hieber
Thomas Sjögren
James Trigg
Kenneth Karlsson
Richard Costa
Alexander Scheel
Martinus Nel
Justin Brown
Graham Eames
Ron Colvin
Simon John
Ryan Jaynes
Chad Streck
Robert McSulla
Marcus Burghardt
Mike Cross
Matthew Burket
Mark Hesse
Tom Pietschmann
Rakesh Jain
Pradeep R B
Marcelo Cerri
Eric Pinnell
Agustin Gonzalez

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Gokhan Lus
Randie Bejar

Editor
Jonathan Lewis Christopherson
Eric Pinnell

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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 Configuration

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 /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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1.1.1 Disable unused filesystems

A number of 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 /usr/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/fs

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.
You may also want to check /lib/modprobe.d/. Please note that this directory should
not be used for user defined module loading. Ensure that all such entries resides in
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf files.

Return values
By 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 /etc/modprobe.d/*.conf files. The preferred way to load
modules is with modprobe.

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1.1.1.1 Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled
(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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the cramfs module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="cramfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

module_loadable_chk()
{
# Check if the module is currently loadable
l_loadable="$(modprobe -n -v "$l_mname")"
[ "$(wc -l <<< "$l_loadable")" -gt "1" ] && l_loadable="$(grep -P -- "(^\h*install|\b$l_mname)\b" <<<
"$l_loadable")"
if grep -Pq -- '^\h*install \/bin\/(true|false)' <<< "$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
}
module_loaded_chk()
{
# Check if the module is 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: \"$l_mname\" is loaded"
fi
}
module_deny_chk()
{
# Check if the module is deny listed
l_dl="y"
if modprobe --showconfig | grep -Pq -- '^\h*blacklist\h+'"$l_mpname"'\b'; then
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is deny listed in: \"$(grep -Pls --
"^\h*blacklist\h+$l_mname\b" $l_searchloc)\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is not deny listed"
fi
}
# Check if the module exists on the system
for l_mdir in $l_mpath; do
if [ -d "$l_mdir/$l_mndir" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A $l_mdir/$l_mndir)" ]; then
l_output3="$l_output3\n - \"$l_mdir\""
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && module_deny_chk
if [ "$l_mdir" = "/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/$l_mtype" ]; then
module_loadable_chk
module_loaded_chk
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mdir\""
fi
done
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
[ -n "$l_output3" ] && echo -e "\n\n -- INFO --\n - module: \"$l_mname\" exists in:$l_output3"
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 - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the cramfs module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

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• Create a file with install cramfs /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Create a file with blacklist cramfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload cramfs from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist cramfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="cramfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

module_loadable_fix()
{
# If the module is currently loadable, add "install {MODULE_NAME} /bin/false" to a file in
"/etc/modprobe.d"
l_loadable="$(modprobe -n -v "$l_mname")"
[ "$(wc -l <<< "$l_loadable")" -gt "1" ] && l_loadable="$(grep -P -- "(^\h*install|\b$l_mname)\b" <<<
"$l_loadable")"
if ! grep -Pq -- '^\h*install \/bin\/(true|false)' <<< "$l_loadable"; then
echo -e "\n - setting module: \"$l_mname\" to be not loadable"
echo -e "install $l_mname /bin/false" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mpname".conf
fi
}
module_loaded_fix()
{
# If the module is currently loaded, unload the module
if lsmod | grep "$l_mname" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
echo -e "\n - unloading module \"$l_mname\""
modprobe -r "$l_mname"
fi
}
module_deny_fix()
{
# If the module isn't deny listed, denylist the module
if ! modprobe --showconfig | grep -Pq -- "^\h*blacklist\h+$l_mpname\b"; then
echo -e "\n - deny listing \"$l_mname\""
echo -e "blacklist $l_mname" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mpname".conf
fi
}
# Check if the module exists on the system
for l_mdir in $l_mpath; do
if [ -d "$l_mdir/$l_mndir" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A $l_mdir/$l_mndir)" ]; then
echo -e "\n - module: \"$l_mname\" exists in \"$l_mdir\"\n - checking if disabled..."
module_deny_fix
if [ "$l_mdir" = "/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/$l_mtype" ]; then
module_loadable_fix
module_loaded_fix
fi
else
echo -e "\n - module: \"$l_mname\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mdir\"\n"
fi
done
echo -e "\n - remediation of module: \"$l_mname\" complete\n"
}

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

T1005, T1005.000 TA0005 M1050

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1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled
(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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the freevxfs module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="freevxfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"
module_loadable_chk()
{
# Check if the module is currently loadable
l_loadable="$(modprobe -n -v "$l_mname")"
[ "$(wc -l <<< "$l_loadable")" -gt "1" ] && l_loadable="$(grep -P -- "(^\h*install|\b$l_mname)\b" <<<
"$l_loadable")"
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: \"$l_loadable\""
fi
}
module_loaded_chk()
{
# Check if the module is currently loaded
if ! lsmod | grep "$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
}
module_deny_chk()
{
# Check if the module is deny listed
l_dl="y"
if modprobe --showconfig | grep -Pq -- '^\h*blacklist\h+'"$l_mpname"'\b'; then
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is deny listed in: \"$(grep -Pls --
"^\h*blacklist\h+$l_mname\b" $l_searchloc)\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - module: \"$l_mname\" is not deny listed"
fi
}
# Check if the module exists on the system
for l_mdir in $l_mpath; do
if [ -d "$l_mdir/$l_mndir" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A $l_mdir/$l_mndir)" ]; then
l_output3="$l_output3\n - \"$l_mdir\""
[ "$l_dl" != "y" ] && module_deny_chk
if [ "$l_mdir" = "/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/$l_mtype" ]; then
module_loadable_chk
module_loaded_chk
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - module: \"$l_mname\" doesn't exist in \"$l_mdir\""
fi
done
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
[ -n "$l_output3" ] && echo -e "\n\n -- INFO --\n - module: \"$l_mname\" exists in:$l_output3"
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 - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the freevxfs module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

Page 26

Internal Only - General

• Create a file with install freevxfs /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/
directory
• Create a file with blacklist freevxfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload freevxfs from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist freevxfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 27

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="freevxfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 28

Internal Only - General

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

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 29

Internal Only - General

1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled
(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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the jffs2 module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 30

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="jffs2" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 31

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the jffs2 module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install jffs2 /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist jffs2 in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload jffs2 from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist jffs2 in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 32

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="jffs2" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 33

Internal Only - General

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

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 34

Internal Only - General

1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled
(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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the hfs module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 35

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="hfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 36

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the hfs module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install hfs /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist hfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload hfs from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist hfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 37

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="hfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 38

Internal Only - General

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

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 39

Internal Only - General

1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled
(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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the hfsplus module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 40

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="hfsplus" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 41

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the hfsplus module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install hfsplus /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist hfsplus in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload hfsplus from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist hfsplus in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 42

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="hfsplus" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 43

Internal Only - General

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

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 44

Internal Only - General

1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled
(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 utilizes 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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify the squashfs module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:
• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 45

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="squashfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 46

Internal Only - General

Note: On operating systems where squashfs is pre-build into the kernel:
• This is considered an acceptable "passing" state
• The kernel should not be re-compiled to remove squashfs
• This audit will return as passing state with "module: "squashfs" doesn't exist in ..."

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the squashfs module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install squashfs /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
• Create a file with blacklist squashfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload squashfs from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist squashfs in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 47

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="squashfs" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 48

Internal Only - General

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

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 49

Internal Only - General

1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled
(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.

Audit:
Run the following script to verify the udf module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 50

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="udf" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 51

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the udf module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install udf /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist udf in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload udf from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist udf in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 52

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="udf" # set module name
l_mtype="fs" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 53

Internal Only - General

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

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 54

Internal Only - General

1.1.2 Configure /tmp

The /tmp directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary storage by all users
and some applications.

Page 55

Internal Only - General

1.1.2.1 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.
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:
Since the /tmp directory is intended to be world-writable, there is a risk of resource
exhaustion if it is not bound to 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.
/tmp utilizing tmpfs can be resized using the size={size} parameter in the relevant
entry in /etc/fstab.

Page 56

Internal Only - General

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 -nk /tmp

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

Remediation:
For specific configuration requirements of the /tmp mount for your environment, modify
/etc/fstab or tmp.mount unit file:
Using /etc/fstab:
Configure /etc/fstab as appropriate:
Example:
tmpfs /tmp tmpfs defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0

-OR-

Using a tmp.mount unit file:

Run the following command to create the tmp.mount file is the correct location:
# cp -v /usr/share/systemd/tmp.mount /etc/systemd/system/

Edit /etc/systemd/system/tmp.mount to configure the /tmp mount:

Example:
# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+
#
# This file is part of systemd.
#
# systemd is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
# under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.

[Unit]
Description=Temporary Directory (/tmp)
Documentation=https://systemd.io/TEMPORARY_DIRECTORIES
Documentation=man:file-hierarchy(7)
Documentation=https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/APIFileSystems
ConditionPathIsSymbolicLink=!/tmp
DefaultDependencies=no
Conflicts=umount.target
Before=local-fs.target umount.target
After=swap.target

[Mount]
What=tmpfs
Where=/tmp
Type=tmpfs
Options=mode=1777,strictatime,nosuid,nodev,noexec

[Install]
WantedBy=local-fs.target

Run the following command to reload the systemd daemon with the updated tmp.mount
unit file:

Page 57

Internal Only - General

# systemctl daemon-reload

Run the following command to enable and start tmp.mount

# systemctl --now enable tmp.mount

Note: A reboot may be required to transition to /tmp mounted to tmpfs

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

Additional Information:
If an entry for /tmp exists in /etc/fstab it will take precedence over entries in systemd
unit file.
tmpfs can be resized using the size={size} parameter in /etc/fstab or on the Options line
in the tmp.mount file. If we don't specify the size, it will be half the RAM
Example resize entry:
/etc/fstab:
tmpfs /tmp tmpfs rw,noexec,nodev,nosuid,size=2G 0 0

tmp.mount unit file:

Options=mode=1777,strictatime,size=2G,noexec,nodev,nosuid

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.

Page 58

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 59

Internal Only - General

1.1.2.2 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 block or character special devices in /tmp.

Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /tmp mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /tmp | grep nodev

/tmp tmpfs tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

Remediation:
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: AC-3, MP-2

Page 60

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

Page 61

Internal Only - General

1.1.2.3 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.

Audit:
Verify that the noexec option is set for the /tmp mount.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /tmp | grep noexec

/tmp tmpfs tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

Remediation:
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

References:

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

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

Page 62

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022, M1038

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1.1.2.4 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /tmp mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /tmp | grep nosuid

/tmp tmpfs tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel

Remediation:
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

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Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022, M1038

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1.1.3 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.

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1.1.3.1 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 follow.

Protection from resource exhaustion

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 as a whole. 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.
Fine grained control over the mount
Configuring /var as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional mount
options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limits an attackers ability to create
exploits on the system. Other options allow for specific behaviour. See man mount for
exact details regarding filesystem-independent and filesystem-specific options.
Protection from exploitation
An example of exploiting /var may be an attacker 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.
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.

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Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var is mounted.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var

/var /dev/sdb ext4 rw,relatime,seclabel,data=ordered

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. 4: MP-2, AC-3

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Page 68

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0006 M1022

Page 69

Internal Only - General

1.1.3.2 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 block or character special devices in /var.

Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /var mount.
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 the /var partition exists, 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 70

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1038

Page 71

Internal Only - General

1.1.3.3 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /var mount.
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 the /var partition exists, 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 72

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1038

Page 73

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1.1.4 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.

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1.1.4.1 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 reasoning for mounting /var/tmp on a separate partition is as follows.

Protection from resource exhaustion

The default installation only creates a single / partition. Since the /var/tmp 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 as a whole.
In addition, other operations on the system could fill up the disk unrelated to /var/tmp
and cause the potential disruption to daemons as the disk is full.
Fine grained control over the mount
Configuring /var/tmp as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional
mount options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limits 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.
Protection from exploitation
An example of exploiting /var/tmp may be an attacker 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.
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.

Page 75

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/tmp is mounted.
Example:
# findmnt -kn /var/tmp

/var/tmp /dev/sdb ext4 rw,relatime,seclabel,data=ordered

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.

References:

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

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

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Page 76

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 77

Internal Only - General

1.1.4.2 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 block or character special devices in /var/tmp.

Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /var/tmp mount.
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 the /var/tmp partition exists, 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

Page 78

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

Page 79

Internal Only - General

1.1.4.3 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:
Verify that the noexec option is set for the /var/tmp mount.
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 the /var/tmp partition exists, 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

Page 80

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022, M1038

Page 81

Internal Only - General

1.1.4.4 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /var/tmp mount.
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 the /var/tmp partition exists, 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

Page 82

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022, M1038

Page 83

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1.1.5 Configure /var/log

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

Page 84

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1.1.5.1 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 reasoning for mounting /var/log on a separate partition is as follows.

Protection from resource exhaustion

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.
Fine grained control over the mount
Configuring /var/log as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional
mount options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limits 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.
Protection of log data
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.

Page 85

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/log is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /var/log

Example output:
/var/log /dev/sdb ext4 rw,relatime,seclabel,data=ordered

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.

References:

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

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

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 86

Internal Only - General

1.1.5.2 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 block or character special devices in /var/log.

Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /var/log mount.
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 the /var/log partition exists, 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

Page 87

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

Page 88

Internal Only - General

1.1.5.3 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:
Verify that the noexec option is set for the /var/log mount.
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 the /var/log partition exists, 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

Page 89

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 90

Internal Only - General

1.1.5.4 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /var/log mount.
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 the /var/log partition exists, 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

Page 91

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

Page 92

Internal Only - General

1.1.6 Configure /var/log/audit

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

Page 93

Internal Only - General

1.1.6.1 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 reasoning for mounting /var/log/audit on a separate partition is as follows.

Protection from resource exhaustion

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 it's space_left_action as the
disk is full. See man auditd.conf for details.

Fine grained control over the mount

Configuring /var/log/audit as its own file system allows an administrator to set
additional mount options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limits 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.
Protection of audit data
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.

Page 94

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/log/audit is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit

Example output:
/var/log/audit /dev/sdb ext4 rw,relatime,seclabel,data=ordered

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: AU-8

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 95

Internal Only - General

1.1.6.2 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 block or character special devices in
/var/log/audit.

Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /var/log/audit mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit | grep -v 'nodev'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
IF the /var/log/audit partition exists, 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 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 96

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

Page 97

Internal Only - General

1.1.6.3 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:
Verify that the noexec option is set for the /var/log/audit mount.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit | grep -v 'noexec'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
IF the /var/log/audit partition exists, edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the
fourth field (mounting options) for the /var 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: CM-11

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CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 99

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1.1.6.4 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /var/log/audit mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /var/log/audit | grep -v 'nosuid'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
IF the /var/log/audit partition exists, 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: CM-6

Page 100

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

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1.1.7 Configure /home

Please note that home directories could be mounted anywhere and are not necessarily
restricted to /home nor restricted to a single location, nor is the name restricted in any
way.
Checks can be made by looking in /etc/passwd, looking over the mounted file systems
with mount or querying the relevant database with getent.

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1.1.7.1 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 reasoning for mounting /home on a separate partition is as follows.

Protection from resource exhaustion

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.
Fine grained control over the mount
Configuring /home as its own file system allows an administrator to set additional mount
options such as noexec/nosuid/nodev. These options limits an attackers 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.
Protection of user data
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.

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Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /home is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /home

Example output:
/home /dev/sdb ext4 rw,relatime,seclabel

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: MP-2

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Page 104

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.001 TA0005 M1038

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1.1.7.2 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 block or character special devices in /home.

Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /home mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /home | grep -v 'nodev'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
IF the /home partition exists, 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 106

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1022

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Internal Only - General

1.1.7.3 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /home mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /home | grep -v 'nosuid'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
IF the /home partition exists, 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 108

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1022

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1.1.8 Configure /dev/shm

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1.1.8.1 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:
Verify that the nodev option is set for the /dev/shm mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nodev mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm | grep -v 'nodev'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
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

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.

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CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1200, T1200.000 TA0005 M1038

Page 112

Internal Only - General

1.1.8.2 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:
Verify that the noexec option is set for the /dev/shm mount.
Run the following command to verify that the noexec mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm | grep -v 'noexec'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
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

Page 113

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1204, T1204.002 TA0005 M1022

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1.1.8.3 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:
Verify that the nosuid option is set for the /dev/shm mount.
Run the following command to verify that the nosuid mount option is set.
# findmnt -kn /dev/shm | grep -v 'nosuid'

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
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

Page 115

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0005 M1038

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1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
disabled (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 are considered adequate there is little value add in
turning off automounting.
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 -W -f='${binary:Package}\t${Status}\t${db:Status-Status}\n' autofs

dpkg-query: no packages found matching autofs

-OR- if there are dependencies on the autofs package:

Run the following command to verify autofs is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled autofs 2>/dev/null | grep 'enabled'

Nothing should be returned

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Remediation:
If there are no other packages that depends on autofs, remove the package with:
# apt purge autofs

-OR- if there are dependencies on the autofs package:

Run the following commands to mask autofs:
# systemctl stop autofs
# systemctl mask autofs

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-3, MP-7

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,
TA0001, TA0008 M1042
T1211.000, T1212,
T1212.000

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1.1.10 Disable USB Storage (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
USB storage provides a means to transfer and store files insuring 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.

Audit:
Run the following script to verify the usb-storage module is disabled:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system:

• No additional configuration is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="usb-storage" # set module name
l_mtype="drivers" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

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Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the cramfs module:
If the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install usb-storage /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/

directory
• Create a file with blacklist usb-storage in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload usb-storage from the kernel

If available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist usb-storage in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

If the kernel module is not available on the system:

• No remediation is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="usb-storage" # set module name
l_mtype="drivers" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

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References:

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

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.
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.

v7 8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content ● ● ●

Configure devices to not auto-run content from 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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1.2 Configure Filesystem 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.

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1.2.1 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:
Run the following command to install aide and aide-common:
# apt install aide aide-common

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

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.

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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

T1565, T1565.001 TA0001 M1022

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1.2.2 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 commands to verify a cron job scheduled to run the aide check.
# grep -Prs '^([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(\/usr\/s?bin\/|^\h*)aide(\.wrapper)?\h+(--check|([^#\n\r]+\h+)?\$AIDEARGS)\b'
/etc/cron.* /etc/crontab /var/spool/cron/

Ensure a cron job in compliance with site policy is returned.

OR
Run the following commands to verify that aidecheck.service and aidecheck.timer are
enabled and aidecheck.timer is running
# systemctl is-enabled aidecheck.service

# systemctl is-enabled aidecheck.timer

# systemctl status aidecheck.timer

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Remediation:
If cron will be used to schedule and run aide check:
Run the following command:
# crontab -u root -e

Add the following line to the crontab:

0 5 * * * /usr/bin/aide.wrapper --config /etc/aide/aide.conf --check

OR If aidecheck.service and aidecheck.timer will be used to schedule and run aide

check:
Create or edit the file /etc/systemd/system/aidecheck.service and add the following
lines:
[Unit]
Description=Aide Check

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=/usr/bin/aide.wrapper --config /etc/aide/aide.conf --check

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Create or edit the file /etc/systemd/system/aidecheck.timer and add the following

lines:
[Unit]
Description=Aide check every day at 5AM

[Timer]
OnCalendar=*-*-* 05:00:00
Unit=aidecheck.service

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Run the following commands:

# chown root:root /etc/systemd/system/aidecheck.*
# chmod 0644 /etc/systemd/system/aidecheck.*

# systemctl daemon-reload

# systemctl enable aidecheck.service

# systemctl --now enable aidecheck.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

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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

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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1036, T1036.002,
T1036.003, T1036.004,
TA0040 M1022
T1036.005, T1565,
T1565.001

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1.3 Configure Software and Patch Management

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 reveal
the patched exploitable entry points to the public. Public knowledge of these exploits
cans 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

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1.3.1 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 -s upgrade

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

OR
# apt dist-upgrade

References:

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

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Additional Information:
Site policy may mandate a testing period before install 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.

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.

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.

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MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1211, T1211.000 TA0004, TA0008 M1051

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1.3.2 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.

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

T1068, T1068.000, T1195,

T1195.001, T1195.002,
T1203, T1203.000, T1210,
TA0001 M1051
T1210.000, T1211,
T1211.000, T1212,
T1212.000

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

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Most packages 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

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

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

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Internal Only - General

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.

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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1.4 Configure Secure Boot Settings

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>"
# grep "^password" /boot/grub/grub.cfg

password_pbkdf2 <username> <encrypted-password>

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Remediation:
Create an encrypted password with grub-mkpasswd-pbkdf2:
# grub-mkpasswd-pbkdf2

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:

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

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: CM-6

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

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.

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Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

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

T1542, T1542.000 TA0003 M1046

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1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are 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 /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Access: (0600/-r--------) 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

References:

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

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

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CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1542, T1542.000 TA0005, TA0007 M1022

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1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Single user mode is used for recovery when the system detects an issue during boot or
by manual selection from the bootloader.
Rationale:
Requiring authentication in single user mode prevents an unauthorized user from
rebooting the system into single user to gain root privileges without credentials.
Audit:
Perform the following to determine if a password is set for the root user:
# grep -Eq '^root:\$[0-9]' /etc/shadow || echo "root is locked"

No results should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command and follow the prompts to set a password for the root user:
# passwd root

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

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 144

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.000 TA0005 M1022

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1.5 Configure Additional Process Hardening

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1.5.1 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.
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 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

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_parlist=("kernel.yama.ptrace_scope=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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unset A_files; unset a_sorted # Remove arrays
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then # Provide output from checks
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
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.yama.ptrace_scope = 1

Example:
# printf '%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 these settings appear in a canonically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope=1
References:

1. https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/security/Yama.txt
2. https://github.com/raj3shp/termspy

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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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MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1055.008

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1.5.2 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 -Es '^(\*|\s).*hard.*core.*(\s+#.*)?$' /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 conically 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

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_parlist=("fs.suid_dumpable=0")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Run the following command to check if systemd-coredump is installed:

# systemctl is-enabled coredump.service

if enabled, masked, or disabled is returned systemd-coredump is installed

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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 '%s\n' "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 conically 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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1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) 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 conically 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

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_parlist=(kernel.randomize_va_space=2)
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 158

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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 '%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 conically later file, or later in the same file, these
settings will be overwritten
Default Value:
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2
References:

1. http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/focal/man5/sysctl.d.5.html
2. CCI-000366: The organization implements the security configuration settings
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

10.5 Enable Anti-Exploitation Features

Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where
v8 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.

Page 159

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000 TA0002 M1050

Page 160

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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

Page 161

Internal Only - General

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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1055, T1055.009, T1065,

TA0002 M1050
T1065.001

Page 162

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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 2>&1 && 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 disable the apport service
# systemctl stop apport.service
# systemctl --now disable apport.service

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

Default Value:
enabled=1

Page 163

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References:

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 TA0007 M1057

1.6 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.
Note:

• Apparmor is the default MAC provided with Debian-based systems.

• Additional Mandatory Access Control systems to include SELinux exist. If a
different Mandatory Access Control systems is used, please follow it's vendors
guidance for proper implementation in place of the guidance provided in this
section

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1.6.1 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
3. SUSE AppArmor Documentation:
https://www.suse.com/documentation/apparmor/

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1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is 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 follow command to verify that apparmor is installed:
# dpkg-query -s apparmor &>/dev/null && echo "apparmor is installed"

apparmor is installed

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

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

apparmor-utils is installed

Remediation:
Install apparmor
# apt install apparmor apparmor-utils

References:

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

Page 166

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1565,

TA0003 M1026
T1565.001, T1565.003

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1.6.1.2 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 commands to verify that all linux lines have the apparmor=1 and
security=apparmor parameters set:
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "apparmor=1"

Nothing should be returned

# 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

Page 168

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1565,

TA0003 M1026
T1565.001, T1565.003

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1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
mode (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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1497 TA0005

Page 171

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1.6.1.4 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 172

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1068, T1068.000, T1565,

TA0005 M1048
T1565.001, T1565.003

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1.7 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. The
/etc/motd, /etc/issue, and /etc/issue.net files govern warning banners for standard
command line logins for both local and remote users.
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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1.7.1 Ensure message of the day is configured properly
(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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify no results are returned:
# grep -Eis "(\\\v|\\\r|\\\m|\\\s|$(grep '^ID=' /etc/os-release | cut -d= -f2 | sed -e 's/"//g'))" /etc/motd

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

-- OR --
If the motd is not used, this file can be removed.
Run the following command to remove the motd file:
# rm /etc/motd

References:

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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1082, T1082.000, T1592,

TA0007
T1592.004

Page 176

Internal Only - General

1.7.2 Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly
(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

Page 177

Internal Only - General

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. Add or
update the message text to follow local site policy.
Example Text:
# echo "Authorized use only. All activity may be monitored and reported." > /etc/issue

References:

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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1082, T1082.000, T1592,

TA0007
T1592.004

Page 178

Internal Only - General

1.7.3 Ensure remote login warning banner is configured properly
(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

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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. Add or
update the message text to follow local site policy.
Example Text:
# echo "Authorized use 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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1018, T1018.000, T1082,

T1082.000, T1592, TA0007
T1592.004

Page 180

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1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are 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 ownership 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 permissions 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

Default Value:
File doesn't exist
References:

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

Additional Information:
If Message of the day is not needed, this file can be removed.

Page 181

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

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Internal Only - General

1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are 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 ownership 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 permissions 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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

Page 183

Internal Only - General

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

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1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are 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 ownership 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 permissions 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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

Page 185

Internal Only - General

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

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1.8 Configure GNOME Display Manager

The GNOME Display Manager (GDM) is a program that manages graphical display
servers and handles graphical user logins.
Note: If GDM is not installed on the system, this section can be skipped

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1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager 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 command to uninstall gdm3:
# apt purge gdm3

References:

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

Page 188

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 189

Internal Only - General

1.8.2 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 script to verify that the text banner on the login screen is enabled and
set:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
l_output="" l_output2=""
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
# Look for existing settings and set variables if they exist
l_gdmfile="$(grep -Prils '^\h*banner-message-enable\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
if [ -n "$l_gdmfile" ]; then
# Set profile name based on dconf db directory ({PROFILE_NAME}.d)
l_gdmprofile="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_gdmfile")"
# Check if banner message is enabled
if grep -Pisq '^\h*banner-message-enable=true\b' "$l_gdmfile"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The \"banner-message-enable\" option is enabled in \"$l_gdmfile\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"banner-message-enable\" option is not enabled"
fi
l_lsbt="$(grep -Pios '^\h*banner-message-text=.*$' "$l_gdmfile")"
if [ -n "$l_lsbt" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The \"banner-message-text\" option is set in \"$l_gdmfile\"\n - banner-
message-text is set to:\n - \"$l_lsbt\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"banner-message-text\" option is not set"
fi
if grep -Pq "^\h*system-db:$l_gdmprofile" /etc/dconf/profile/"$l_gdmprofile"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile exists"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile doesn't exist"
fi
if [ -f "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile exists in the dconf database"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile doesn't exist in the dconf database"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"banner-message-enable\" option isn't configured"
fi
else
echo -e "\n\n - GNOME Desktop Manager isn't installed\n - Recommendation is Not Applicable\n- Audit
result:\n *** PASS ***\n"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

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Remediation:
Run the following script to verify that the banner message is enabled and set:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

l_gdmprofile="gdm" # Set this to desired profile name IaW Local site policy
l_bmessage="'Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored and reported'" # Set to desired banner
message
if [ ! -f "/etc/dconf/profile/$l_gdmprofile" ]; then
echo "Creating profile \"$l_gdmprofile\""
echo -e "user-db:user\nsystem-db:$l_gdmprofile\nfile-db:/usr/share/$l_gdmprofile/greeter-dconf-
defaults" > /etc/dconf/profile/$l_gdmprofile
fi
if [ ! -d "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/" ]; then
echo "Creating dconf database directory \"/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/\""
mkdir /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/
fi
if ! grep -Piq '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*true\b' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*; then
echo "creating gdm keyfile for machine-wide settings"
if ! grep -Piq -- '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*; then
l_kfile="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/01-banner-message"
echo -e "\n[org/gnome/login-screen]\nbanner-message-enable=true" >> "$l_kfile"
else
l_kfile="$(grep -Pil -- '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*)"
! grep -Pq '^\h*\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]' "$l_kfile" && sed -ri '/^\s*banner-message-enable/
i\[org/gnome/login-screen]' "$l_kfile"
! grep -Pq '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*true\b' "$l_kfile" && sed -ri 's/^\s*(banner-message-
enable\s*=\s*)(\S+)(\s*.*$)/\1true \3//' "$l_kfile"
# sed -ri '/^\s*\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]/ a\\nbanner-message-enable=true' "$l_kfile"
fi
fi
if ! grep -Piq "^\h*banner-message-text=[\'\"]+\S+" "$l_kfile"; then
sed -ri "/^\s*banner-message-enable/ a\banner-message-text=$l_bmessage" "$l_kfile"
fi
dconf update
else
echo -e "\n\n - GNOME Desktop Manager isn't installed\n - Recommendation is Not Applicable\n - No
remediation required\n"
fi
}

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Note:

• 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.
OR

Run the following command to remove the gdm3 package:

# apt purge gdm3

Default Value:
disabled
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

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1.8.3 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 script and to verify that the disable-user-list option is enabled or
GNOME isn't installed:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

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Remediation:
Run the following script to enable the disable-user-list option:
Note: the l_gdm_profile variable in the script can be changed if a different profile name
is desired in accordance with local site policy.
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_gdmprofile="gdm"
if [ ! -f "/etc/dconf/profile/$l_gdmprofile" ]; then
echo "Creating profile \"$l_gdmprofile\""
echo -e "user-db:user\nsystem-db:$l_gdmprofile\nfile-db:/usr/share/$l_gdmprofile/greeter-dconf-defaults"
> /etc/dconf/profile/$l_gdmprofile
fi
if [ ! -d "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/" ]; then
echo "Creating dconf database directory \"/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/\""
mkdir /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/
fi
if ! grep -Piq '^\h*disable-user-list\h*=\h*true\b' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*; then
echo "creating gdm keyfile for machine-wide settings"
if ! grep -Piq -- '^\h*\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*; then
echo -e "\n[org/gnome/login-screen]\n# Do not show the user list\ndisable-user-list=true" >>
/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/00-login-screen
else
sed -ri '/^\s*\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]/ a\# Do not show the user list\ndisable-user-list=true'
$(grep -Pil -- '^\h*\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*)
fi
fi
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.
OR
Run the following command to remove the GNOME package:
# apt purge gdm3

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

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

Page 196

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

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

Page 197

Internal Only - General

1.8.4 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.

• idle-delay=uint32 {n} - Number of seconds of inactivity before the screen goes

blank
• lock-delay=uint32 {n} - Number of seconds after the screen is blank before
locking the screen

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 900

# Specify the dconf path

[org/gnome/desktop/screensaver]

# Number of seconds after the screen is blank before locking the screen
lock-delay=uint32 5

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 script to verify that the screen locks when the user is idle:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNMOE Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
l_output="" l_output2=""
l_idmv="900" # Set for max value for idle-delay in seconds
l_ldmv="5" # Set for max value for lock-delay in seconds
# Look for idle-delay to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfile="$(grep -Psril '^\h*idle-delay\h*=\h*uint32\h+\d+\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/)" # Determine file
containing idle-delay key
if [ -n "$l_kfile" ]; then
# set profile name (This is the name of a dconf database)
l_profile="$(awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile")" #Set the key profile name
l_pdbdir="/etc/dconf/db/$l_profile.d" # Set the key file dconf db directory
# Confirm that idle-delay exists, includes unit32, and value is between 1 and max value for idle-delay
l_idv="$(awk -F 'uint32' '/idle-delay/{print $2}' "$l_kfile" | xargs)"
if [ -n "$l_idv" ]; then
[ "$l_idv" -gt "0" -a "$l_idv" -le "$l_idmv" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - The \"idle-delay\" option
is set to \"$l_idv\" seconds in \"$l_kfile\""
[ "$l_idv" = "0" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"idle-delay\" option is set to \"$l_idv\"
(disabled) in \"$l_kfile\""
[ "$l_idv" -gt "$l_idmv" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"idle-delay\" option is set to
\"$l_idv\" seconds (greater than $l_idmv) in \"$l_kfile\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"idle-delay\" option is not set in \"$l_kfile\""
fi
# Confirm that lock-delay exists, includes unit32, and value is between 0 and max value for lock-delay
l_ldv="$(awk -F 'uint32' '/lock-delay/{print $2}' "$l_kfile" | xargs)"
if [ -n "$l_ldv" ]; then
[ "$l_ldv" -ge "0" -a "$l_ldv" -le "$l_ldmv" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - The \"lock-delay\" option
is set to \"$l_ldv\" seconds in \"$l_kfile\""
[ "$l_ldv" -gt "$l_ldmv" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"lock-delay\" option is set to
\"$l_ldv\" seconds (greater than $l_ldmv) in \"$l_kfile\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"lock-delay\" option is not set in \"$l_kfile\""
fi
# Confirm that dconf profile exists
if grep -Psq "^\h*system-db:$l_profile" /etc/dconf/profile/*; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The \"$l_profile\" profile exists"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"$l_profile\" doesn't exist"
fi
# Confirm that dconf profile database file exists
if [ -f "/etc/dconf/db/$l_profile" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The \"$l_profile\" profile exists in the dconf database"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"$l_profile\" profile doesn't exist in the dconf database"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"idle-delay\" option doesn't exist, remaining tests skipped"
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation
is not applicable"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
[ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ] && echo -e "\n$l_pkgoutput"
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 - 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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Note:

•
idle-delay=uint32 Should be 900 seconds (15 minutes) or less, not 0 (disabled)
and follow local site policy
•
lock-delay=uint32 should be 5 seconds or less and follow local site policy

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Remediation:
Create or edit a file 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.

Example:
# echo -e '\nuser-db:user\nsystem-db:local' >> /etc/dconf/profile/user

Create the directory /etc/dconf/db/{NAME_OF_DCONF_DATABASE}.d/ if it doesn't already

exist:
Example:
# mkdir /etc/dconf/db/local.d

Create the key file `/etc/dconf/db/{NAME_OF_DCONF_DATABASE}.d/{FILE_NAME} to

provide information for the {NAME_OF_DCONF_DATABASE} database:
Example script:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_key_file="/etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-screensaver"
l_idmv="900" # Set max value for idle-delay in seconds (between 1 and 900)
l_ldmv="5" # Set max value for lock-delay in seconds (between 0 and 5)
{
echo '# Specify the dconf path'
echo '[org/gnome/desktop/session]'
echo ''
echo '# Number of seconds of inactivity before the screen goes blank'
echo '# Set to 0 seconds if you want to deactivate the screensaver.'
echo "idle-delay=uint32 $l_idmv"
echo ''
echo '# Specify the dconf path'
echo '[org/gnome/desktop/screensaver]'
echo ''
echo '# Number of seconds after the screen is blank before locking the screen'
echo "lock-delay=uint32 $l_ldmv"
} > "$l_key_file"
}

Note: You must include the uint32 along with the integer key values as shown.
Run the following command to update the system databases:
# dconf update

Note: 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. 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

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 202

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1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden
(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.
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.
Example Lock File:
# Lock desktop screensaver settings
/org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay
/org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-delay

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 script to verify that the screen lock cannot be overridden:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
l_output="" l_output2=""
# Look for idle-delay to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*idle-delay\h*=\h*uint32\h+\d+\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/'
'{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
l_kfd2="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*lock-delay\h*=\h*uint32\h+\d+\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/'
'{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
if [ -d "$l_kfd" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Prilq '\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/session\/idle-delay\b' "$l_kfd"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"idle-delay\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril
'\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/session\/idle-delay\b' "$l_kfd")\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"idle-delay\" is not locked"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"idle-delay\" is not set so it can not be locked"
fi
if [ -d "$l_kfd2" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Prilq '\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/screensaver\/lock-delay\b' "$l_kfd2"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"lock-delay\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril
'\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/screensaver\/lock-delay\b' "$l_kfd2")\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"lock-delay\" is not locked"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"lock-delay\" is not set so it can not be locked"
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation
is not applicable"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
[ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ] && echo -e "\n$l_pkgoutput"
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 - 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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Remediation:
Run the following script to ensure screen locks can not be overridden:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNMOE Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="y" && echo -e "\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the
system\n - remediating configuration if needed"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
# Look for idle-delay to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*idle-delay\h*=\h*uint32\h+\d+\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/'
'{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
# Look for lock-delay to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd2="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*lock-delay\h*=\h*uint32\h+\d+\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/'
'{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
if [ -d "$l_kfd" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Prilq '^\h*\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/session\/idle-delay\b' "$l_kfd"; then
echo " - \"idle-delay\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril '^\h*\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/session\/idle-
delay\b' "$l_kfd")\""
else
echo "creating entry to lock \"idle-delay\""
[ ! -d "$l_kfd"/locks ] && echo "creating directory $l_kfd/locks" && mkdir "$l_kfd"/locks
{
echo -e '\n# Lock desktop screensaver idle-delay setting'
echo '/org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay'
} >> "$l_kfd"/locks/00-screensaver
fi
else
echo -e " - \"idle-delay\" is not set so it can not be locked\n - Please follow Recommendation
\"Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle\" and follow this Recommendation again"
fi
if [ -d "$l_kfd2" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Prilq '^\h*\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/screensaver\/lock-delay\b' "$l_kfd2"; then
echo " - \"lock-delay\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril '^\h*\/org\/gnome\/desktop\/screensaver\/lock-
delay\b' "$l_kfd2")\""
else
echo "creating entry to lock \"lock-delay\""
[ ! -d "$l_kfd2"/locks ] && echo "creating directory $l_kfd2/locks" && mkdir "$l_kfd2"/locks
{
echo -e '\n# Lock desktop screensaver lock-delay setting'
echo '/org/gnome/desktop/screensaver/lock-delay'
} >> "$l_kfd2"/locks/00-screensaver
fi
else
echo -e " - \"lock-delay\" is not set so it can not be locked\n - Please follow Recommendation
\"Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle\" and follow this Recommendation again"
fi
else
echo -e " - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation is not
applicable"
fi
}

Run the following command to update the system databases:

# dconf update

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

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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

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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1.8.6 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 script to verify automatic mounting is disabled:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_pkgoutput="" l_output="" l_output2=""
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
# Look for existing settings and set variables if they exist
l_kfile="$(grep -Prils -- '^\h*automount\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
l_kfile2="$(grep -Prils -- '^\h*automount-open\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
# Set profile name based on dconf db directory ({PROFILE_NAME}.d)
if [ -f "$l_kfile" ]; then
l_gpname="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile")"
elif [ -f "$l_kfile2" ]; then
l_gpname="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile2")"
fi
# If the profile name exist, continue checks
if [ -n "$l_gpname" ]; then
l_gpdir="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d"
# Check if profile file exists
if grep -Pq -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b" /etc/dconf/profile/*; then
l_output="$l_output\n - dconf database profile file \"$(grep -Pl -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b"
/etc/dconf/profile/*)\" exists"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - dconf database profile isn't set"
fi
# Check if the dconf database file exists
if [ -f "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The dconf database \"$l_gpname\" exists"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The dconf database \"$l_gpname\" doesn't exist"
fi
# check if the dconf database directory exists
if [ -d "$l_gpdir" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The dconf directory \"$l_gpdir\" exitst"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The dconf directory \"$l_gpdir\" doesn't exist"
fi
# check automount setting
if grep -Pqrs -- '^\h*automount\h*=\h*false\b' "$l_kfile"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"automount\" is set to false in: \"$l_kfile\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"automount\" is not set correctly"
fi
# check automount-open setting
if grep -Pqs -- '^\h*automount-open\h*=\h*false\b' "$l_kfile2"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"automount-open\" is set to false in: \"$l_kfile2\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"automount-open\" is not set correctly"
fi
else
# Setings don't exist. Nothing further to check
l_output2="$l_output2\n - neither \"automount\" or \"automount-open\" is set"
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation
is not applicable"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

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Remediation:
Run the following script to disable automatic mounting of media for all GNOME users:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_pkgoutput="" l_output="" l_output2=""
l_gpname="local" # Set to desired dconf profile name (defaule is local)
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
echo -e "$l_packageout"
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
# Look for existing settings and set variables if they exist
l_kfile="$(grep -Prils -- '^\h*automount\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
l_kfile2="$(grep -Prils -- '^\h*automount-open\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
# Set profile name based on dconf db directory ({PROFILE_NAME}.d)
if [ -f "$l_kfile" ]; then
l_gpname="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile")"
echo " - updating dconf profile name to \"$l_gpname\""
elif [ -f "$l_kfile2" ]; then
l_gpname="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile2")"
echo " - updating dconf profile name to \"$l_gpname\""
fi
# check for consistency (Clean up configuration if needed)
if [ -f "$l_kfile" ] && [ "$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile")" != "$l_gpname"
]; then
sed -ri "/^\s*automount\s*=/s/^/# /" "$l_kfile"
l_kfile="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d/00-media-automount"
fi
if [ -f "$l_kfile2" ] && [ "$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile2")" !=
"$l_gpname" ]; then
sed -ri "/^\s*automount-open\s*=/s/^/# /" "$l_kfile2"
fi
[ -z "$l_kfile" ] && l_kfile="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d/00-media-automount"
# Check if profile file exists
if grep -Pq -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b" /etc/dconf/profile/*; then
echo -e "\n - dconf database profile exists in: \"$(grep -Pl -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b"
/etc/dconf/profile/*)\""
else
[ ! -f "/etc/dconf/profile/user" ] && l_gpfile="/etc/dconf/profile/user" ||
l_gpfile="/etc/dconf/profile/user2"
echo -e " - creating dconf database profile"
{
echo -e "\nuser-db:user"
echo "system-db:$l_gpname"
} >> "$l_gpfile"
fi
# create dconf directory if it doesn't exists
l_gpdir="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d"
if [ -d "$l_gpdir" ]; then
echo " - The dconf database directory \"$l_gpdir\" exists"
else
echo " - creating dconf database directory \"$l_gpdir\""
mkdir "$l_gpdir"
fi
# check automount-open setting
if grep -Pqs -- '^\h*automount-open\h*=\h*false\b' "$l_kfile"; then
echo " - \"automount-open\" is set to false in: \"$l_kfile\""
else
echo " - creating \"automount-open\" entry in \"$l_kfile\""
! grep -Psq -- '\^\h*\[org\/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\]\b' "$l_kfile" && echo
'[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]' >> "$l_kfile"
sed -ri '/^\s*\[org\/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\]/a \\nautomount-open=false' "$l_kfile"
fi
# check automount setting
if grep -Pqs -- '^\h*automount\h*=\h*false\b' "$l_kfile"; then
echo " - \"automount\" is set to false in: \"$l_kfile\""
else
echo " - creating \"automount\" entry in \"$l_kfile\""
! grep -Psq -- '\^\h*\[org\/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\]\b' "$l_kfile" && echo

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'[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]' >> "$l_kfile"
sed -ri '/^\s*\[org\/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\]/a \\nautomount=false' "$l_kfile"
fi
else
echo -e "\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation is not
applicable"
fi
# update dconf database
dconf update
}

OR
Run the following command to uninstall the GNOME desktop Manager package:
# apt purge gdm3

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

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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1.8.7 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.
Example Lock File:
# Lock desktop screensaver settings
/org/gnome/desktop/media-handling/automount
/org/gnome/desktop/media-handling/automount-open

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 script to verify disable automatic mounting is locked:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
l_output="" l_output2=""
# Look for idle-delay to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*automount\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-
1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
l_kfd2="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*automount-open\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-
1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
if [ -d "$l_kfd" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Piq '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/automount\b' "$l_kfd"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"automount\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pil '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-
handling\/automount\b' "$l_kfd")\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"automount\" is not locked"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"automount\" is not set so it can not be locked"
fi
if [ -d "$l_kfd2" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Piq '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/automount-open\b' "$l_kfd2"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"lautomount-open\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril
'^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/automount-open\b' "$l_kfd2")\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"automount-open\" is not locked"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"automount-open\" is not set so it can not be locked"
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation
is not applicable"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
[ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ] && echo -e "\n$l_pkgoutput"
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 - 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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Remediation:
Run the following script to lock disable automatic mounting of media for all GNOME
users:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNMOE Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space seporated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="y" && echo -e "\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the
system\n - remediating configuration if needed"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
# Look for automount to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*automount\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-
1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
# Look for automount-open to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd2="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*automount-open\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-
1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
if [ -d "$l_kfd" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Priq '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/automount\b' "$l_kfd"; then
echo " - \"automount\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-
handling\/automount\b' "$l_kfd")\""
else
echo " - creating entry to lock \"automount\""
[ ! -d "$l_kfd"/locks ] && echo "creating directory $l_kfd/locks" && mkdir "$l_kfd"/locks
{
echo -e '\n# Lock desktop media-handling automount setting'
echo '/org/gnome/desktop/media-handling/automount'
} >> "$l_kfd"/locks/00-media-automount
fi
else
echo -e " - \"automount\" is not set so it can not be locked\n - Please follow Recommendation \"Ensure
GDM automatic mounting of removable media is disabled\" and follow this Recommendation again"
fi
if [ -d "$l_kfd2" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Priq '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/automount-open\b' "$l_kfd2"; then
echo " - \"automount-open\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-
handling\/automount-open\b' "$l_kfd2")\""
else
echo " - creating entry to lock \"automount-open\""
[ ! -d "$l_kfd2"/locks ] && echo "creating directory $l_kfd2/locks" && mkdir "$l_kfd2"/locks
{
echo -e '\n# Lock desktop media-handling automount-open setting'
echo '/org/gnome/desktop/media-handling/automount-open'
} >> "$l_kfd2"/locks/00-media-automount
fi
else
echo -e " - \"automount-open\" is not set so it can not be locked\n - Please follow Recommendation
\"Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is disabled\" and follow this Recommendation again"
fi
# update dconf database
dconf update
else
echo -e " - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation is not
applicable"
fi
}

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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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1091, T1091.000 TA0001, TA0008 M1042

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Internal Only - General

1.8.8 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 script to verify that autorun-never is set to true for GDM:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_pkgoutput="" l_output="" l_output2=""
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space separated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
# Look for existing settings and set variables if they exist
l_kfile="$(grep -Prils -- '^\h*autorun-never\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
# Set profile name based on dconf db directory ({PROFILE_NAME}.d)
if [ -f "$l_kfile" ]; then
l_gpname="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile")"
fi
# If the profile name exist, continue checks
if [ -n "$l_gpname" ]; then
l_gpdir="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d"
# Check if profile file exists
if grep -Pq -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b" /etc/dconf/profile/*; then
l_output="$l_output\n - dconf database profile file \"$(grep -Pl -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b"
/etc/dconf/profile/*)\" exists"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - dconf database profile isn't set"
fi
# Check if the dconf database file exists
if [ -f "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The dconf database \"$l_gpname\" exists"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The dconf database \"$l_gpname\" doesn't exist"
fi
# check if the dconf database directory exists
if [ -d "$l_gpdir" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - The dconf directory \"$l_gpdir\" exitst"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - The dconf directory \"$l_gpdir\" doesn't exist"
fi
# check autorun-never setting
if grep -Pqrs -- '^\h*autorun-never\h*=\h*true\b' "$l_kfile"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"autorun-never\" is set to true in: \"$l_kfile\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"autorun-never\" is not set correctly"
fi
else
# Settings don't exist. Nothing further to check
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"autorun-never\" is not set"
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation
is not applicable"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

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Remediation:
Run the following script to set autorun-never to true for GDM users:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_pkgoutput="" l_output="" l_output2=""
l_gpname="local" # Set to desired dconf profile name (default is local)
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space separated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
# Look for existing settings and set variables if they exist
l_kfile="$(grep -Prils -- '^\h*autorun-never\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
# Set profile name based on dconf db directory ({PROFILE_NAME}.d)
if [ -f "$l_kfile" ]; then
l_gpname="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_kfile")"
echo " - updating dconf profile name to \"$l_gpname\""
fi
[ ! -f "$l_kfile" ] && l_kfile="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d/00-media-autorun"
# Check if profile file exists
if grep -Pq -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b" /etc/dconf/profile/*; then
echo -e "\n - dconf database profile exists in: \"$(grep -Pl -- "^\h*system-db:$l_gpname\b"
/etc/dconf/profile/*)\""
else
[ ! -f "/etc/dconf/profile/user" ] && l_gpfile="/etc/dconf/profile/user" ||
l_gpfile="/etc/dconf/profile/user2"
echo -e " - creating dconf database profile"
{
echo -e "\nuser-db:user"
echo "system-db:$l_gpname"
} >> "$l_gpfile"
fi
# create dconf directory if it doesn't exists
l_gpdir="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gpname.d"
if [ -d "$l_gpdir" ]; then
echo " - The dconf database directory \"$l_gpdir\" exists"
else
echo " - creating dconf database directory \"$l_gpdir\""
mkdir "$l_gpdir"
fi
# check autorun-never setting
if grep -Pqs -- '^\h*autorun-never\h*=\h*true\b' "$l_kfile"; then
echo " - \"autorun-never\" is set to true in: \"$l_kfile\""
else
echo " - creating or updating \"autorun-never\" entry in \"$l_kfile\""
if grep -Psq -- '^\h*autorun-never' "$l_kfile"; then
sed -ri 's/(^\s*autorun-never\s*=\s*)(\S+)(\s*.*)$/\1true \3/' "$l_kfile"
else
! grep -Psq -- '\^\h*\[org\/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\]\b' "$l_kfile" && echo
'[org/gnome/desktop/media-handling]' >> "$l_kfile"
sed -ri '/^\s*\[org\/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\]/a \\nautorun-never=true' "$l_kfile"
fi
fi
else
echo -e "\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation is not
applicable"
fi
# update dconf database
dconf update
}

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Default Value:
false
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 M1042

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1.8.9 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.
Example Lock File:
# Lock desktop media-handling settings
/org/gnome/desktop/media-handling/autorun-never

Rationale:
Malware on removable media may taking advantage of Autorun features when the
media is inserted into a system and execute.

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Audit:
Run the following script to verify that autorun-never=true cannot be overridden:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space separated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n
- checking configuration"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
l_output="" l_output2=""
# Look for idle-delay to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*autorun-never\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-
1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
if [ -d "$l_kfd" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Prisq '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/autorun-never\b' "$l_kfd"; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"autorun-never\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril
'^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/autorun-never\b' "$l_kfd")\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"autorun-never\" is not locked"
fi
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"autorun-never\" is not set so it can not be locked"
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation
is not applicable"
fi
# Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
[ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ] && echo -e "\n$l_pkgoutput"
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

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Remediation:
Run the following script to ensure that autorun-never=true cannot be overridden:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
# Check if GNOME Desktop Manager is installed. If package isn't installed, recommendation is Not
Applicable\n
# determine system's package manager
l_pkgoutput=""
if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_pq="rpm -q"
fi
# Check if GDM is installed
l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space separated list of packages to check
for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
$l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="y" && echo -e "\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the
system\n - remediating configuration if needed"
done
# Check configuration (If applicable)
if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
# Look for autorun to determine profile in use, needed for remaining tests
l_kfd="/etc/dconf/db/$(grep -Psril '^\h*autorun-never\b' /etc/dconf/db/*/ | awk -F'/' '{split($(NF-
1),a,".");print a[1]}').d" #set directory of key file to be locked
if [ -d "$l_kfd" ]; then # If key file directory doesn't exist, options can't be locked
if grep -Prisq '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-handling\/autorun-never\b' "$l_kfd"; then
echo " - \"autorun-never\" is locked in \"$(grep -Pril '^\h*\/org/gnome\/desktop\/media-
handling\/autorun-never\b' "$l_kfd")\""
else
echo " - creating entry to lock \"autorun-never\""
[ ! -d "$l_kfd"/locks ] && echo "creating directory $l_kfd/locks" && mkdir "$l_kfd"/locks
{
echo -e '\n# Lock desktop media-handling autorun-never setting'
echo '/org/gnome/desktop/media-handling/autorun-never'
} >> "$l_kfd"/locks/00-media-autorun
fi
else
echo -e " - \"autorun-never\" is not set so it can not be locked\n - Please follow Recommendation
\"Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled\" and follow this Recommendation again"
fi
# update dconf database
dconf update
else
echo -e " - GNOME Desktop Manager package is not installed on the system\n - Recommendation is not
applicable"
fi
}

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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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1.8.10 Ensure XDCMP 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 command and verify the output:
# grep -Eis '^\s*Enable\s*=\s*true' /etc/gdm3/custom.conf

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit the file /etc/gdm3/custom.conf and remove the line:
Enable=true

Default Value:
false (This is denoted by no Enabled= entry in the file /etc/gdm3/custom.conf in the
[xdmcp] section
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

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.
Note: This should not be considered a comprehensive list of insecure services. You
may wish to consider additions to those listed here for your environment.

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2.1 Configure Time Synchronization

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, chrony, or ntp.
Note:

• If access to a physical host's clock is available and configured according to site

policy, this section can be skipped
• Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system
• 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
• If access to a physical host's clock is available and configured according to site
policy:
o systemd-timesyncd should be stopped and masked
o chrony should be removed from the system
o ntp should be removed from the system

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2.1.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use

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2.1.1.1 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 three time synchronization daemons should be available; chrony, systemd-
timesyncd, or ntp
Run the following script to verify that a single time synchronization daemon is available
on the system:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
output="" l_tsd="" l_sdtd="" chrony="" l_ntp=""
dpkg-query -W chrony > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_chrony="y"
dpkg-query -W ntp > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_ntp="y" || l_ntp=""
systemctl list-units --all --type=service | grep -q 'systemd-timesyncd.service' && systemctl is-enabled
systemd-timesyncd.service | grep -q 'enabled' && l_sdtd="y"
if [[ "$l_chrony" = "y" && "$l_ntp" != "y" && "$l_sdtd" != "y" ]]; then
l_tsd="chrony"
output="$output\n- chrony is in use on the system"
elif [[ "$l_chrony" != "y" && "$l_ntp" = "y" && "$l_sdtd" != "y" ]]; then
l_tsd="ntp"
output="$output\n- ntp is in use on the system"
elif [[ "$l_chrony" != "y" && "$l_ntp" != "y" ]]; then
if systemctl list-units --all --type=service | grep -q 'systemd-timesyncd.service' && systemctl is-
enabled systemd-timesyncd.service | grep -Eq '(enabled|disabled|masked)'; then
l_tsd="sdtd"
output="$output\n- systemd-timesyncd is in use on the system"
fi
else
[[ "$l_chrony" = "y" && "$l_ntp" = "y" ]] && output="$output\n- both chrony and ntp are in use on the
system"
[[ "$l_chrony" = "y" && "$l_sdtd" = "y" ]] && output="$output\n- both chrony and systemd-timesyncd are in
use on the system"
[[ "$l_ntp" = "y" && "$l_sdtd" = "y" ]] && output="$output\n- both ntp and systemd-timesyncd are in use
on the system"
fi
if [ -n "$l_tsd" ]; then
echo -e "\n- PASS:\n$output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- FAIL:\n$output\n"
fi
}

Note: Follow the guidance in the subsection for the time synchronization daemon
available on the system and skip the other two time synchronization daemon
subsections.

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Remediation:
On physical systems, and virtual systems where host based time synchronization is not
available.
Select one of the three time synchronization daemons; chrony (1), systemd-timesyncd
(2), or ntp (3), 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 --now mask systemd-timesyncd.service

Run the following command to remove the ntp package:

# apt purge ntp

Note:

• Subsection: Configure chrony should be followed

• Subsections: Configure systemd-timesyncd and Configure ntp should be
skipped

2.
systemd-timesyncd

Run the following command to remove the chrony package:

# apt purge chrony

Run the following command to remove the ntp package:

# apt purge ntp

Note:

• Subsection: Configure systemd-timesyncd should be followed

• Subsections: Configure chrony and Configure ntp should be skipped

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3.
ntp

Run the following command to install ntp:

# apt install ntp

Run the following commands to stop and mask the systemd-timesyncd daemon:
# systemctl stop systemd-timesyncd.service

# systemctl --now mask systemd-timesyncd.service

Run the following command to remove the chrony package:

# apt purge chrony

Note:

• Subsection: Configure ntp should be followed

• Subsections: Configure chrony and Configure systemd-timesyncd should be
skipped

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

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 M1022
T1562.001

Page 232

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2.1.2 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 ntp or systemd-timesyncd are 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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2.1.2.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver
(Manual)
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 command to display the server
and/or pool directive:
# grep -Pr --include=*.{sources,conf} '^\h*(server|pool)\h+\H+' /etc/chrony/

Verify that at least one pool line and/or at least three server lines are returned, and the
timeserver on the returned lines follows local site policy
Output examples:
pool directive:
pool time.nist.gov iburst maxsources 4 #The maxsources option is unique to the pool directive

server directive:
server time-a-g.nist.gov iburst
server 132.163.97.3 iburst
server time-d-b.nist.gov iburst

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:
<[server|pool]> <[remote-server|remote-pool]>

Examples:
pool directive:
pool time.nist.gov iburst maxsources 4 #The maxsources option is unique to the pool directive

server directive:
server time-a-g.nist.gov iburst
server 132.163.97.3 iburst
server time-d-b.nist.gov iburst

Run one of the following commands to load the updated time sources into chronyd
running config:
# systemctl restart chronyd

- OR if sources are in a .sources file -

# chronyc reload sources

If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove chrony from the system:
# apt purge chrony

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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

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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2.1.2.2 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

If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove chrony from the system:
# apt purge chrony

Default Value:
user _chrony

Page 237

Internal Only - General

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: 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 238

Internal Only - General

2.1.2.3 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

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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

If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove chrony:
# apt purge chrony

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: 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

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2.1.3 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 or ntp are 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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2.1.3.1 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:
IF systemd-timesyncd is in use on the system, run the following command:
# grep -Ph '^\h*(NTP|FallbackNTP)=\H+' /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf

Verify that NTP=<space_separated_list_of_servers> and/or

FallbackNTP=<space_separated_list_of_servers> is returned and that the time
server(s) shown follows local site policy

Example Output:
/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf:NTP=time.nist.gov
/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf:FallbackNTP=time-a-g.nist.gov time-b-g.nist.gov time-c-g.nist.gov

Remediation:
Edit /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf and add the NTP= and/or FallbackNTP= lines to the
[Time] section:
Example:
[Time]
NTP=time.nist.gov # Uses the generic name for NIST's time servers
-AND/OR-
FallbackNTP=time-a-g.nist.gov time-b-g.nist.gov time-c-g.nist.gov # Space separated list of NIST time servers

Note: Servers added to these line(s) should follow local site policy. NIST servers are for
example.
Example script:
The following example script will add the example NIST time servers to
/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_ntp_ts="time.nist.gov"
l_ntp_fb="time-a-g.nist.gov time-b-g.nist.gov time-c-g.nist.gov"
l_conf_file="/etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf"
if ! grep -Ph '^\h*NTP=\H+' "$l_conf_file"; then
! grep -Pqs '^\h*\[Time\]' "$l_conf_file" && echo "[Time]" >> "$l_conf_file"
echo "NTP=$l_ntp_ts" >> "$l_conf_file"
fi
if ! grep -Ph '^\h*FallbackNTP=\H+' "$l_conf_file"; then
! grep -Pqs '^\h*\[Time\]' "$l_conf_file" && echo "[Time]" >> "$l_conf_file"
echo "FallbackNTP=$l_ntp_fb" >> "$l_conf_file"
fi
}

Run the following command to reload the systemd-timesyncd configuration:

# systemctl try-reload-or-restart systemd-timesyncd

-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

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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

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 245

Internal Only - General

2.1.3.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running
(Manual)
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

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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

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

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

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2.1.4 Configure ntp

ntp is a daemon which implements the Network Time Protocol (NTP). It is designed to
synchronize system clocks across a variety of systems and use a source that is highly
accurate. More information on NTP can be found at http://www.ntp.org. ntp can be
configured to be a client and/or a server.
Note:

• If chrony or systemd-timesyncd are used, ntp should be removed and this

section skipped
• This recommendation only applies if ntp is in use on the system
• Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system

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2.1.4.1 Ensure ntp access control is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
ntp Access Control Commands:
restrict address [mask mask] [ippeerlimit int] [flag ...]

The address argument expressed in dotted-quad form is the address of a host or

network. Alternatively, the address argument can be a valid host DNS name.
The mask argument expressed in dotted-quad form defaults to 255.255.255.255,
meaning that the address is treated as the address of an individual host. A default entry
(address 0.0.0.0, mask 0.0.0.0) is always included and is always the first entry in the
list. Note: the text string default, with no mask option, may be used to indicate the
default entry.
The ippeerlimit directive limits the number of peer requests for each IP to int, where a
value of -1 means "unlimited", the current default. A value of 0 means "none". There
would usually be at most 1 peering request per IP, but if the remote peering requests
are behind a proxy there could well be more than 1 per IP. In the current
implementation, flag always restricts access, i.e., an entry with no flags indicates that
free access to the server is to be given.
The flags are not orthogonal, in that more restrictive flags will often make less restrictive
ones redundant. The flags can generally be classed into two categories, those which
restrict time service and those which restrict informational queries and attempts to do
run-time reconfiguration of the server.

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One or more of the following flags may be specified:

• kod - If this flag is set when an access violation occurs, a kiss-o'-death (KoD)
packet is sent. KoD packets are rate limited to no more than one per second. If
another KoD packet occurs within one second after the last one, the packet is
dropped.
• limited - Deny service if the packet spacing violates the lower limits specified in
the discard command. A history of clients is kept using the monitoring capability
of ntpd. Thus, monitoring is always active as long as there is a restriction entry
with the limited flag.
• lowpriotrap - Declare traps set by matching hosts to be low priority. The number
of traps a server can maintain is limited (the current limit is 3). Traps are usually
assigned on a first come, first served basis, with later trap requestors being
denied service. This flag modifies the assignment algorithm by allowing low
priority traps to be overridden by later requests for normal priority traps.
• noepeer - Deny ephemeral peer requests, even if they come from an
authenticated source. Note that the ability to use a symmetric key for
authentication may be restricted to one or more IPs or subnets via the third field
of the ntp.keys file. This restriction is not enabled by default, to maintain
backward compatibility. Expect noepeer to become the default in ntp-4.4.
• nomodify - Deny ntpq and ntpdc queries which attempt to modify the state of the
server (i.e., run time reconfiguration). Queries which return information are
permitted.
• noquery - Deny ntpq and ntpdc queries. Time service is not affected.
• nopeer - Deny unauthenticated packets which would result in mobilizing a new
association. This includes broadcast and symmetric active packets when a
configured association does not exist. It also includes pool associations, so if you
want to use servers from a pool directive and also want to use nopeer by default,
you'll want a restrict source ... line as well that does not include the nopeer
directive.
• noserve - Deny all packets except ntpq and ntpdc queries.
• notrap - Decline to provide mode 6 control message trap service to matching
hosts. The trap service is a subsystem of the ntpq control message protocol
which is intended for use by remote event logging programs.
• notrust - Deny service unless the packet is cryptographically authenticated.
• ntpport - This is actually a match algorithm modifier, rather than a restriction
flag. Its presence causes the restriction entry to be matched only if the source
port in the packet is the standard NTP UDP port (123). Both ntpport and non-
ntpport may be specified. The ntpport is considered more specific and is sorted
later in the list.

Rationale:
If ntp is in use on the system, proper configuration is vital to ensuring time
synchronization is accurate.

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Output should be similar to:

restrict -4 default kod notrap nomodify nopeer noquery
restrict -6 default kod notrap nomodify nopeer noquery

Verify that the output includes two lines, and both lines include: default, kod, nomodify,
notrap, nopeer and noquery.
Note: The -4 in the first line is optional, options after default may appear in any order,
and additional options may exist.
Remediation:
Add or edit restrict lines in /etc/ntp.conf to match the following:
restrict -4 default kod nomodify notrap nopeer noquery
restrict -6 default kod nomodify notrap nopeer noquery

OR
If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove ntp from the system:
# apt purge ntp

Default Value:
restrict -4 default kod notrap nomodify nopeer noquery limited
restrict -6 default kod notrap nomodify nopeer noquery limited

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References:

1. http://www.ntp.org/
2. ntp.conf(5)
3. ntpd(8)
4. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: 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, T1498,

T1498.002, T1562, TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

Page 252

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2.1.4.2 Ensure ntp is configured with authorized timeserver
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The various modes are determined by the command keyword and the type of the
required IP address. Addresses are classed by type as (s) a remote server or peer
(IPv4 class A, B and C), (b) the broadcast address of a local interface, (m) a multicast
address (IPv4 class D), or (r) a reference clock address (127.127.x.x).
Note: That only those options applicable to each command are listed below. Use of
options not listed may not be caught as an error, but may result in some weird and even
destructive behavior.
If the Basic Socket Interface Extensions for IPv6 (RFC-2553) is detected, support for
the IPv6 address family is generated in addition to the default support of the IPv4
address family. In a few cases, including the reslist billboard generated by ntpq or
ntpdc, IPv6 addresses are automatically generated. IPv6 addresses can be identified by
the presence of colons “:” in the address field. IPv6 addresses can be used almost
everywhere where IPv4 addresses can be used, with the exception of reference clock
addresses, which are always IPv4.
Note: In contexts where a host name is expected, a -4 qualifier preceding the host
name forces DNS resolution to the IPv4 namespace, while a -6 qualifier forces DNS
resolution to the IPv6 namespace. See IPv6 references for the equivalent classes for
that address family.

• pool - For type s addresses, this command mobilizes a persistent client mode
association with a number of remote servers. In this mode the local clock can
synchronized to the remote server, but the remote server can never be
synchronized to the local clock.
• server - For type s and r addresses, this command mobilizes a persistent client
mode association with the specified remote server or local radio clock. In this
mode the local clock can synchronized to the remote server, but the remote
server can never be synchronized to the local clock. This command should not
be used for type b or m addresses.

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 ntp is in use on the system, run the following command to display the server and/or
pool mode:
# grep -P -- '^\h*(server|pool)\h+\H+' /etc/ntp.conf

Verify that at least one pool line and/or at least three server lines are returned, and the
timeserver on the returned lines follows local site policy
Output examples:
pool mode:
pool time.nist.gov iburst maxsources 4 #The maxsources option is unique to the pool directive

server mode:
server time-a-g.nist.gov iburst
server 132.163.97.3 iburst
server time-d-b.nist.gov iburst

Remediation:
Edit /etc/ntp.conf and add or edit server or pool lines as appropriate according to local
site policy:
<[server|pool]> <[remote-server|remote-pool]>

Examples:
pool mode:
pool time.nist.gov iburst

server mode:
server time-a-g.nist.gov iburst
server 132.163.97.3 iburst
server time-d-b.nist.gov iburst

Run the following command to load the updated time sources into ntp running config:
# systemctl restart ntp

OR
If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove ntp from the system:
# apt purge ntp

References:

1. http://www.ntp.org/
2. https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi
3. ntp.conf(5)
4. ntpd(8)
5. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8

Page 254

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, T1498,

T1498.002, T1562, TA0002 M1022
T1562.001

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2.1.4.3 Ensure ntp is running as user ntp (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The ntp package is installed with a dedicated user account ntp. This account is granted
the access required by the ntpd daemon
Note:

• If chrony or systemd-timesyncd are used, ntp should be removed and this section
skipped
• This recommendation only applies if ntp is in use on the system
• Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system

Rationale:
The ntpd daemon should run with only the required privlidge

Audit:
IF ntp is in use on the system run the following command to verify the ntpd daemon is
being run as the user ntp:
# ps -ef | awk '(/[n]tpd/ && $1!="ntp") { print $1 }'

Nothing should be returned

Run the following command to verify the RUNASUSER= is set to ntp in /usr/lib/ntp/ntp-
systemd-wrapper:
# grep -P -- '^\h*RUNASUSER=' /usr/lib/ntp/ntp-systemd-wrapper

RUNASUSER=ntp

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Remediation:
Add or edit the following line in /usr/lib/ntp/ntp-systemd-wrapper:
RUNASUSER=ntp

Run the following command to restart ntp.servocee:

# systemctl restart ntp.service

If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove ntp from the system:
# apt purge ntp

Default Value:
user ntp
References:

1. http://www.ntp.org/
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: 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

T1078, T1078.001 TA0004 M1018

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2.1.4.4 Ensure ntp is enabled and running (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
ntp is a daemon for synchronizing the system clock across the network
Rationale:
ntp 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 ntp is in use on the system, run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify that the ntp service is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled ntp.service

enabled

Run the following command to verify that the ntp service is active:
# systemctl is-active ntp.service

active

Remediation:
IF ntp is in use on the system, run the following commands:
Run the following command to unmask ntp.service:
# systemctl unmask ntp.service

Run the following command to enable and start ntp.service:

# systemctl --now enable ntp.service

If another time synchronization service is in use on the system, run the following
command to remove ntp:
# apt purge ntp

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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

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Internal Only - General

2.2 Special Purpose 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, or the service be masked to reduce the potential attack surface.
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
The following commands can be used to stop and mask the service:
# systemctl stop <service_name>
# systemctl mask <service_name>

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2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed (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:
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, if provided by your distribution.
Audit:
Verify X Windows System is not installed:
dpkg-query -s xserver-xorg &>/dev/null && echo "xserver-xorg* is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Remove the X Windows System packages:
apt purge xserver-xorg*

References:

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

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CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 262

Internal Only - General

2.2.2 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - 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.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove avahi-daemon:
# systemctl stop avahi-daaemon.service
# systemctl stop avahi-daemon.socket
# apt purge avahi-daemon

Page 263

Internal Only - General

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-4

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 264

Internal Only - General

2.2.3 Ensure CUPS is not installed (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 CUPS will prevent printing from the system, a common task for workstation
systems.
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.

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to remove cups :
# apt purge cups

References:

1. More detailed documentation on CUPS is available at the project homepage at

http://www.cups.org.
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 265

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 266

Internal Only - General

2.2.4 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed (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.
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.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove isc-dhcp-server:
# apt purge isc-dhcp-server

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 267

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 268

Internal Only - General

2.2.5 Ensure LDAP server 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 server, it is recommended that the
software be removed to reduce the potential attack surface.
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.

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to remove slapd:
# apt purge slapd

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

Page 269

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 270

Internal Only - General

2.2.6 Ensure NFS is not installed (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.

Audit:
Run the following command to verify nfs is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s nfs-kernel-server &>/dev/null && echo "nfs-kernel-server is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove nfs:
# apt purge nfs-kernel-server

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

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.

Page 271

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0010 M1042
T1543.002

Page 272

Internal Only - General

2.2.7 Ensure DNS Server is not installed (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.
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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify DNS server is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s bind9 &>/dev/null && echo "bind9 is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following commands to disable DNS server:
# apt purge bind9

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

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.

Page 273

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 274

Internal Only - General

2.2.8 Ensure FTP Server is not installed (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.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove vsftpd:
# apt purge vsftpd

References:

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

Additional Information:
Additional FTP servers also exist and should be audited.

Page 275

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 276

Internal Only - General

2.2.9 Ensure HTTP server is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
HTTP or web servers provide the ability to host web site content.
Rationale:
Unless there is a need to run the system as a web server, it is recommended that the
package be deleted to reduce the potential attack surface.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove apache2:
# apt purge apache2

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

Page 277

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 278

Internal Only - General

2.2.10 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
dovecot-imapdand 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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify dovecot-imapdis not installed:
# dpkg-query -s dovecot-imapd &>/dev/null && echo "dovecot-imapd is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Run the following command to verify dovecot-pop3d is not installed
# dpkg-query -s dovecot-pop3d &>/dev/null && echo "dovecot-pop3d is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to remove dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d:
# apt purge dovecot-imapd dovecot-pop3d

References:

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

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.

Page 279

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 280

Internal Only - General

2.2.11 Ensure Samba is not installed (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.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove samba:
# apt purge samba

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

Page 281

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 282

Internal Only - General

2.2.12 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Squid is a standard proxy server used in many distributions and environments.
Rationale:
If there is no need for a proxy server, it is recommended that the squid proxy be deleted
to reduce the potential attack surface.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove squid:
# apt purge squid

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

Additional Information:
Several HTTP proxy servers exist. These and other services should be checked

Page 283

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 284

Internal Only - General

2.2.13 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed (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.

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.

Page 285

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove snmpd:
# apt purge snmpd

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

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 286

Internal Only - General

2.2.14 Ensure NIS Server is not installed (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.
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 and other, more
secure services be used
Audit:
Run the following command to verify nis is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s nis &>/dev/null && echo "nis is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove nis:
# apt purge nis

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

Page 287

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 288

Internal Only - General

2.2.15 Ensure dnsmasq is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
dnsmasqis 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.
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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove dnsmasq:
# apt purge dnsmasq

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

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.

Page 289

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1210,

T1210.000, T1543, TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 290

Internal Only - General

2.2.16 Ensure mail transfer agent is 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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify that the MTA is not listening on any non-loopback
address ( 127.0.0.1 or ::1

Page 291

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output=""
l_output2=""
a_port_list=("25" "465" "587")

# Check if inet_interfaces is not set to all

if [ "$(postconf -n inet_interfaces)" != "inet_interfaces = all" ]; then
for l_port_number in "${a_port_list[@]}"; do
if ss -plntu | grep -P -- ':'"$l_port_number"'\b' | grep -Pvq --
'\h+(127\.0\.0\.1|\[?::1\]?):'"$l_port_number"'\b'; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - Port \"$l_port_number\" is listening on a non-loopback network interface"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - Port \"$l_port_number\" is not listening on a non-loopback network
interface"
fi
done
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - Postfix is bound to all interfaces"
fi

unset a_port_list

# Provide output from checks

if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
else
# If error output (l_output2) is not empty, we fail. Also output anything that's correctly configured
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
}

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. 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 292

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 293

Internal Only - General

2.2.17 Ensure rsync service is either not installed or is masked
(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:
The rsync service presents a security risk as the rsync protocol is unencrypted. The
rsync package should be removed or if required for dependencies, the rsync service
should be stopped and masked to reduce the attack area of the system.
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 --
Run the following commands to verify that rsync is inactive and masked:
# systemctl is-active rsync

inactive

# systemctl is-enabled rsync

masked

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove rsync:
# apt purge rsync

-- OR --
Run the following commands to stop and mask rsync:
# systemctl stop rsync

# systemctl mask rsync

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, CM-7

Page 294

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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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2.3 Service Clients

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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2.3.1 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

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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

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

Page 298

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2.3.2 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 299

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 300

Internal Only - General

2.3.3 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 301

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 302

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2.3.4 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 303

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 304

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2.3.5 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 305

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 306

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2.3.6 Ensure RPC is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a method for creating low level client server
applications across different system architectures. It requires an RPC compliant client
listening on a network port. The supporting package is rpcbind."
Rationale:
If RPC is not required, it is recommended that this services be removed to reduce the
remote attack surface.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify rpcbind is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s rpcbind &>/dev/null && echo "rpcbind is installed"

Nothing should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove rpcbind:
# apt purge rpcbind

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

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.

Page 307

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1203, T1203.000, T1543,

TA0008 M1042
T1543.002

Page 308

Internal Only - General

2.4 Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked
(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.
Audit:
Run the following command:
# ss -plntu

Review the output to ensure that all services listed are required on the system. If a listed
service is not required, remove the package containing the service. If the package
containing the service is required, stop and mask the service

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Remediation:
Run the following command to remove the package containing the service:
# apt purge <package_name>

OR If required packages have a dependency:

Run the following commands to stop and mask the service:
# systemctl stop <service_name>.socket
# systemctl stop <service_name>.service
# systemctl mask <service_name>.socket
# systemctl mask <service_name>.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

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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3 Network
This section provides guidance on for securing the network configuration of the system

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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 312

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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 trillion3 addresses.
Features of IPv6

• Hierarchical addressing and routing infrastructure

• Stateful 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.
Audit:
Run the following to identify if IPv6 is enabled on the system:
# grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && echo -e "\n - IPv6 is enabled\n" || echo -e "\n -
IPv6 is not enabled\n"

Remediation:
Enable or disable IPv6 in accordance with system requirements and local site policy

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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.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

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3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled (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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify no wireless interfaces are active on the system:

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Internal Only - General

#!/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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Remediation:
Run the following script to disable any wireless interfaces:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
module_fix()
{
if ! modprobe -n -v "$l_mname" | grep -P -- '^\h*install \/bin\/(true|false)'; then
echo -e " - setting module: \"$l_mname\" to be un-loadable"
echo -e "install $l_mname /bin/false" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mname".conf
fi
if lsmod | grep "$l_mname" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
echo -e " - unloading module \"$l_mname\""
modprobe -r "$l_mname"
fi
if ! grep -Pq -- "^\h*blacklist\h+$l_mname\b" /etc/modprobe.d/*; then
echo -e " - deny listing \"$l_mname\""
echo -e "blacklist $l_mname" >> /etc/modprobe.d/"$l_mname".conf
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_fix
done
fi
}

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

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.

Page 317

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1011, T1011.000, T1595,

TA0010 M1028
T1595.001, T1595.002

Page 318

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 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
# apt autoremove 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 will be required

References:

1. https://www.cisa.gov/tips/st05-015
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7

Page 320

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 321

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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:
Run the following script to verify the dccp module is disabled:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 323

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="dccp" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

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Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the dccp module:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install dccp /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist dccp in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload dccp from the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist dccp in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="dccp" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

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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

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 327

Internal Only - General

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:
Run the following script to verify the tipc module is disabled:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="tipc" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

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Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the tipc module:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install tipc /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist tipc in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload tipc from the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist tipc in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 330

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="tipc" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 331

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

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 332

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:
Run the following script to verify the rds module is disabled:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 333

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="rds" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 334

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the rds module:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install rds /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist rds in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload rds from the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist rds in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 335

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="rds" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 336

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

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 337

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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:
Run the following script to verify the sctp module is disabled:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• An entry including /bin/true or /bin/false exists in a file within the

/etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• The module is not loaded in the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• The module is deny listed in a file within the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system, or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No additional configuration is necessary

Page 338

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3="" l_dl="" # Unset output variables
l_mname="sctp" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_searchloc="/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/modprobe.d/*.conf /run/modprobe.d/*.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf"
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 339

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to disable the sctp module:
-IF- the module is available in the running kernel:

• Create a file with install sctp /bin/false in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

• Create a file with blacklist sctp in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory
• Unload sctp from the kernel

-IF- available in ANY installed kernel:

• Create a file with blacklist sctp in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory

-IF- the kernel module is not available on the system or pre-compiled into the kernel:

• No remediation is necessary

Page 340

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_mname="sctp" # set module name
l_mtype="net" # set module type
l_mpath="/lib/modules/**/kernel/$l_mtype"
l_mpname="$(tr '-' '_' <<< "$l_mname")"
l_mndir="$(tr '-' '/' <<< "$l_mname")"

Page 341

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

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 342

Internal Only - General

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.
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
o This behavior can be changed by updating the IPT_SYSCTL parameter in
/etc/default/ufw

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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

Page 344

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 346

Internal Only - General

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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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

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 347

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 348

Internal Only - General

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

Page 349

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 351

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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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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 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 352

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 353

Internal Only - General

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

Page 354

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 356

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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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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 357

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 358

Internal Only - General

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

Page 359

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 361

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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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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.conf.default.log_martians = 0
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 362

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 363

Internal Only - General

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:

Page 364

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi

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Internal Only - General

done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
unset A_files; unset a_sorted # Remove arrays
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then # Provide output from checks
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"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Page 366

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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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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

Page 367

Internal Only - General

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 368

Internal Only - General

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

Page 369

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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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 commands to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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 372

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 373

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3.3.7 Ensure reversepath 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 beaks 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

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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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 commands to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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

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 377

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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 378

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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.
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

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Note:

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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:

# {
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

Page 383

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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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 384

Internal Only - General

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

Page 385

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Internal Only - General

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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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

Page 388

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 389

Internal Only - General

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

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
a_parlist=("net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies=1")
l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 392

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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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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

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 393

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 394

Internal Only - General

3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
This setting disables the system's ability to accept IPv6 router 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:

Page 395

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
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 $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/"
"/lib/sysctl.d/")
unset A_files
declare -A A_files # Array of "valid" files
A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_filename; do
if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
fi
fi
done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
fi
done
a_sorted=()
while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
kernel_parameter_chk()
{
l_var="" l_var2=""
l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)" # Check running configuration
if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration
and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
fi
if [ -n "$l_ufwscf" ]; then # Check UFW kernel parameter file first
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "$l_$l_ufwscf" | tail -n 1)"
fi
fi
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" /etc/sysctl.conf; then # Check /etc/sysctl.conf parameter file next
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" /etc/sysctl.conf | tail -n 1)"
fi
if [ -z "$l_var" ]; then # If non found yet, now we loop find actual conf file parameter setting based on
presence
for l_keyname in "${a_sorted[@]}";do
if grep -Pqs -- "^\h*$l_kpname\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}"; then
l_var="$(grep -PHo -- "^\h*$l_kpname\h*=\h*\H+\b" "${A_files["$l_keyname"]}" | tail -n 1)"
break
fi
done
fi
if [ -n "$l_var" ]; then
while IFS=":" read -r l_conf_file l_var2; do
while IFS="=" read -r l_fkpname l_fkpvalue; do
l_fkpname="${l_fkpname// /}"; l_fkpvalue="${l_fkpvalue// /}"
if [ "$l_fkpvalue" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\"\n"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_fkpvalue\" in
\"$l_conf_file\" and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\"\n"
fi
done <<< "$l_var2"
done <<< "$l_var"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is not set in an included file\n ** Note: \"$l_kpname\" May
be set in a file that's ignored by load procedure **\n"
fi
}
while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do # Assess and check parameters
l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable && grep -q '^net.ipv6.' <<< "$l_kpname";
then
l_output="$l_output\n - IPv6 is disabled on the system, \"$l_kpname\" is not applicable"
else
kernel_parameter_chk
fi
done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")

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Page 397

Internal Only - General

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 command to set the active kernel parameters:

# {
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 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 398

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

Page 399

Internal Only - General

3.4 Firewall Configuration

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.

Note:

• 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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3.4.1 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.

Note:

• 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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3.4.1.1 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

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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 403

Internal Only - General

3.4.1.2 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

package 'iptables-persistent' is not installed and no information is available

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 404

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

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 405

Internal Only - General

3.4.1.3 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

Page 407

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

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 408

Internal Only - General

3.4.1.4 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 commands and verify output includes the listed rules in order:
# ufw status verbose

To Action From
-- ------ ----
Anywhere on lo ALLOW IN Anywhere
Anywhere DENY IN 127.0.0.0/8
Anywhere (v6) on lo ALLOW IN Anywhere (v6)
Anywhere (v6) DENY IN ::1

Anywhere ALLOW OUT Anywhere on lo

Anywhere (v6) ALLOW OUT Anywhere (v6) on lo

Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement the loopback rules:
# ufw allow in on lo
# ufw allow out on lo
# ufw deny in from 127.0.0.0/8
# ufw deny in from ::1

References:

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

Page 409

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

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 410

Internal Only - General

3.4.1.5 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 411

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

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 412

Internal Only - General

3.4.1.6 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
while read -r l_ufwport; do
[ -n "$l_ufwport" ] && a_ufwout+=("$l_ufwport")
done < <(ufw status verbose | grep -Po '^\h*\d+\b' | sort -u)
while read -r l_openport; do
[ -n "$l_openport" ] && a_openports+=("$l_openport")
done < <(ss -tuln | awk '($5!~/%lo:/ && $5!~/127.0.0.1:/ && $5!~/\[?::1\]?:/) {split($5, a, ":"); print
a[2]}' | sort -u)
a_diff=("$(printf '%s\n' "${a_openports[@]}" "${a_ufwout[@]}" "${a_ufwout[@]}" | sort | uniq -u)")
if [[ -n "${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 414

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 415

Internal Only - General

3.4.1.7 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 git
ufw allow in http
ufw allow out http <- required for apt to connect to repository
ufw allow in https
ufw allow out https
ufw allow out 53
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

Page 416

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

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 417

Internal Only - General

3.4.2 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.
Note:

• 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 will implement the firewall rules of this section and open ICMP, IGMP, and
port 22(ssh) from anywhere. Opening the ports for ICMP, IGMP, and 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 bellow as /etc/nftables.rules

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#!/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
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
ip protocol icmp ct state established accept

# Accept port 22(SSH) traffic from anywhere

tcp dport ssh accept

# Accept ICMP and IGMP from anywhere

icmpv6 type { destination-unreachable, packet-too-big, time-exceeded, parameter-problem, mld-
listener-query, mld-listener-report, mld-listener-done, nd-router-solicit, nd-router-advert, nd-neighbor-
solicit, nd-neighbor-advert, ind-neighbor-solicit, ind-neighbor-advert, mld2-listener-report } accept
icmp type { destination-unreachable, router-advertisement, router-solicitation, time-exceeded,
parameter-problem } accept
ip protocol igmp 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
ip protocol icmp 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

3.4.2.1 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 | grep 'Status: install ok installed'

Status: install ok installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install nftables:
# apt install nftables

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 420

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

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 421

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.2 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 -f='${binary:Package}\t${Status}\t${db:Status-Status}\n' ufw

dpkg-query: no packages found matching ufw

-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 422

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

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 423

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.3 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 424

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

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 425

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.4 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 build, 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 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

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 427

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.5 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;

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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 \; }

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

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 429

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.6 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
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

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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

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 431

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.7 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|icmp) ct state'

Output should be similar to:

ip protocol tcp ct state established accept
ip protocol udp ct state established accept
ip protocol icmp 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|icmp) 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
ip protocol icmp ct state established,related,new accept

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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 input ip protocol icmp 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

# nft add rule inet filter output ip protocol icmp ct state new,related,established 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

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 433

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.8 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: 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;

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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

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 435

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.9 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 436

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

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 437

Internal Only - General

3.4.2.10 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.
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 438

Internal Only - General

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
ip protocol icmp ct state established accept

# Accept port 22(SSH) traffic from anywhere

tcp dport ssh accept

# Accept ICMP and IGMP from anywhere

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 tcp ct state established,related,new accept
ip protocol udp ct state established,related,new accept
ip protocol icmp ct state established,related,new accept
}

Review the output base chain to ensure that it follows local site policy.

Page 439

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

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 440

Internal Only - General

3.4.3 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

Page 441

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.1 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 FirewallD or NFTables are being used for configuration and
maintenance, this section should be skipped and the guidance in their respective
section followed.

Page 442

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.1.1 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 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

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 444

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed 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.

Remediation:
Run the following command to remove nftables:
# apt purge nftables

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, CM-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

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 M1033

Page 446

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.1.3 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled 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.

Run the following command to verify ufw is disabled:
# ufw status

Status: inactive

Run the following commands to verify that the ufw service is masked:
# systemctl is-enabled ufw

masked

Page 447

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run one of the following commands to either remove ufw or stop and mask ufw
Run the following command to remove ufw:
# apt purge ufw

-OR-
Run the following commands to disable ufw:
# ufw disable
# systemctl stop ufw
# systemctl mask ufw

Note: ufw disable needs to be run before systemctl mask ufw in order to correctly
disable UFW

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

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 M1033

Page 448

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.2 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 OUTPUT -p icmp -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
iptables -A INPUT -p icmp -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 449

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.2.1 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:

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 450

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

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 451

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.2.2 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).
Notes:

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) 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 (packet
and byte counts may differ):
# 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 452

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

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 453

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.2.3 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.
Notes:

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 OUTPUT -p icmp -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
# iptables -A INPUT -p icmp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CA-9, SC-7

Page 454

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

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 455

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.2.4 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.
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
• 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.

Page 456

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

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 457

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.3 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 OUTPUT -p icmp -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
ip6tables -A INPUT -p icmp -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

Page 458

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.3.1 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:

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:
# 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/bash

{
if grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable; then
echo -e " - IPv6 is enabled on the system"
else
echo -e " - IPv6 is not enabled on the system"
fi
}

Page 459

Internal Only - General

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

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

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 460

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.3.2 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:

Page 461

Internal Only - General

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/bash

{
if grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable; then
echo -e " - IPv6 is enabled on the system"
else
echo -e " - IPv6 is not enabled on the system"
fi
}

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 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

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

3.4.3.3.3 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:

-OR-

Verify IPv6 is disabled:_

Run the following script. Output will confirm if IPv6 is enabled on the system.
#!/usr/bin/bash

{
if grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable; then
echo -e " - IPv6 is enabled on the system"
else
echo -e " - IPv6 is not enabled on the system"
fi
}

Page 464

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 OUTPUT -p icmp -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
# ip6tables -A INPUT -p icmp -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

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 465

Internal Only - General

3.4.3.3.4 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.
Note:

Rationale:
Without a firewall rule configured for open ports default firewall policy will drop all
packets to these ports.

Page 466

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

-OR-

Verify IPv6 is disabled:

Run the following script. Output will confirm if IPv6 is enabled on the system:
#!/usr/bin/bash

{
if grep -Pqs '^\h*0\b' /sys/module/ipv6/parameters/disable; then
echo -e " - IPv6 is enabled on the system"
else
echo -e " - IPv6 is not enabled on the system"
fi
}

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 467

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

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

4 Access, Authentication and Authorization

Page 468

Internal Only - General

4.1 Configure time-based job schedulers

cron is a time-based job scheduler used to schedule jobs, commands or shell scripts, to
run periodically at fixed times, dates, or intervals.
atprovides the ability to execute a command or shell script at a specified date and
hour, or after a given interval of time.
Notes:

• Other methods exist for scheduling jobs, such as systemd timers. If another
method is used, it should be secured in accordance with local site policy
• systemd timers are systemd unit files whose name ends in .timer that control
.service files or events
o Timers can be used as an alternative to cron and at
o Timers have built-in support for calendar time events, monotonic time
events, and can be run asynchronously
• If cron and at are not installed, this section can be skipped

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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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
Run the following command to verify cron is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled cron

enabled

Run the following command to verify that cron is active:

# systemctl is-active cron

active

Remediation:
Run the following command to enable and start cron:
# systemctl unmask cron
# systemctl --now enable cron

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1018

Page 470

Internal Only - General

4.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are 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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
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:
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 471

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 472

Internal Only - General

4.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are 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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
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:
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 473

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 474

Internal Only - General

4.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are 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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
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:
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 475

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 476

Internal Only - General

4.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are 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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
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:
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 477

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 478

Internal Only - General

4.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are 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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
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:
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 479

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 480

Internal Only - General

4.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are 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.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured
in accordance with local site policy
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:
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)

Remediation:
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)

Page 481

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002, TA0007 M1018

Page 482

Internal Only - General

4.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure /etc/cron.allow to allow specific users to use this service. If
/etc/cron.allow does not exist, then /etc/cron.deny is checked. Any user not
specifically defined in this file is allowed to use cron. By removing the file, only users in
/etc/cron.allow are allowed to use cron.

Note:

• Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, cron should be removed, and the alternate method should be
secured in accordance with local site policy
• Even though a given user is not listed in cron.allow, cron jobs can still be run as
that user
• The cron.allow file only controls administrative access to the crontab command
for scheduling and modifying cron jobs

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.

Page 483

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following script to verify:

•
/etc/cron.deny does not exist
•
/etc/cron.allow does exist
•
/etc/cron.allow is mode 0640 or more restrictive
•
/etc/cron.allow is owned by the user root
•
/etc/cron.allow is group owned by the group crontab

-OR-

•
cron is not installed on the system

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
if dpkg-query -W cron > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_file="/etc/cron.allow"
[ -e /etc/cron.deny ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - cron.deny exists"
if [ ! -e /etc/cron.allow ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - cron.allow doesn't exist"
else
l_mask='0137'
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
while read l_mode l_fown l_fgroup; do
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" (should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or
more restrictive)"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_file\" is correctly set to mode: \"$l_mode\""
fi
if [ "$l_fown" != "root" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\" is owned by user \"$l_fown\" (should be owned by
\"root\")"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_file\" is correctly owned by user: \"$l_fown\""
fi
if [ "$l_fgroup" != "crontab" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\" is owned by group: \"$l_fgroup\" (should be owned by
group: \"crontab\")"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_file\" is correctly owned by group: \"$l_fgroup\""
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_file")
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - cron is not installed on the system"
fi
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:$l_output2\n"
fi
}

Page 484

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to:

• Remove /etc/cron.deny if it exists

• Create /etc/cron.allow if it doesn't exist
• Change ownership of /etc/cron.allow to the root user
• Change group ownership of /etc/cron.allow to the group crontab

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
if dpkg-query -W cron > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_file="/etc/cron.allow"
l_mask='0137'
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
if [ -e /etc/cron.deny ]; then
echo -e " - Removing \"/etc/cron.deny\""
rm -f /etc/cron.deny
fi
if [ ! -e /etc/cron.allow ]; then
echo -e " - creating \"$l_file\""
touch "$l_file"
fi
while read l_mode l_fown l_fgroup; do
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e " - Removing excessive permissions from \"$l_file\""
chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx "$l_file"
fi
if [ "$l_fown" != "root" ]; then
echo -e " - Changing owner on \"$l_file\" from: \"$l_fown\" to: \"root\""
chown root "$l_file"
fi
if [ "$l_fgroup" != "crontab" ]; then
echo -e " - Changing group owner on \"$l_file\" from: \"$l_fgroup\" to: \"crontab\""
chgrp crontab "$l_file"
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_file")
else
echo -e "- cron is not installed on the system, no remediation required\n"
fi
}

Page 485

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002 M1018

Page 486

Internal Only - General

4.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure /etc/at.allow to allow specific users to use this service. If /etc/at.allow
does not exist, then /etc/at.deny is checked. Any user not specifically defined in this
file is allowed to use at. By removing the file, only users in /etc/at.allow are allowed
to use at.
Note: Other methods, such as systemd timers, exist for scheduling jobs. If another
method is used, at should be removed, and the alternate method should be secured in
accordance with local site policy
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.

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Audit:
Run the following script to verify:

•
/etc/at.deny does not exist
•
/etc/at.allow does exist
•
/etc/at.allow is mode 0640 or more restrictive
•
/etc/at.allow is owned by the user root
•
/etc/at.allow is group owned by the group root

-OR-

•
at is not installed on the system

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
if dpkg-query -W at > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_file="/etc/at.allow"
[ -e /etc/at.deny ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - at.deny exists"
if [ ! -e /etc/at.allow ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - at.allow doesn't exist"
else
l_mask='0137'
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
while read l_mode l_fown l_fgroup; do
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" (should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or
more restrictive)"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_file\" is correctly set to mode: \"$l_mode\""
fi
if [ "$l_fown" != "root" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\" is owned by user \"$l_fown\" (should be owned by
\"root\")"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_file\" is correctly owned by user: \"$l_fown\""
fi
if [ "$l_fgroup" != "root" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_file\" is owned by group: \"$l_fgroup\" (should be owned by
group: \"root\")"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_file\" is correctly owned by group: \"$l_fgroup\""
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_file")
fi
else
l_output="$l_output\n - at is not installed on the system"
fi
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:$l_output2\n"
fi
}

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Remediation:
Run the following script to:

• Remove /etc/at.deny if it exists

• Create /etc/at.allow if it doesn't exist
• Change ownership of /etc/at.allow to the root user
• Change group ownership of /etc/at.allow to the group root

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
if dpkg-query -W at > /dev/null 2>&1; then
l_file="/etc/at.allow"
l_mask='0137'
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
if [ -e /etc/at.deny ]; then
echo -e " - Removing \"/etc/at.deny\""
rm -f /etc/at.deny
fi
if [ ! -e /etc/at.allow ]; then
echo -e " - creating \"$l_file\""
touch "$l_file"
fi
while read l_mode l_fown l_fgroup; do
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e " - Removing excessive permissions from \"$l_file\""
chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx "$l_file"
fi
if [ "$l_fown" != "root" ]; then
echo -e " - Changing owner on \"$l_file\" from: \"$l_fown\" to: \"root\""
chown root "$l_file"
fi
if [ "$l_fgroup" != "root" ]; then
echo -e " - Changing group owner on \"$l_file\" from: \"$l_fgroup\" to: \"root\""
chgrp root "$l_file"
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_file")
else
echo -e "- cron is not installed on the system, no remediation required\n"
fi
}

References:

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

Page 489

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1053, T1053.003 TA0002 M1018

Page 490

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4.2 Configure SSH Server

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.
Note:

• 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.
• The openSSH daemon configuration option Match, may cause the audits in this
section's recommendations to report incorrectly. It is recommended that this
option only be used if it's needed and fully understood. If this option is configured
in accordance with local site policy, it should be accounted for when following the
recommendations in this section.
• The audits of the 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.
• Once all configuration changes have been made to /etc/ssh/sshd_config the
sshd configuration must be reloaded
• Match:
o Introduces a conditional block.
o 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.
o 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, RDomain, and Address (with
RDomain representing the rdomain(4) on which the connection was
received).
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).
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.

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o Only a subset of keywords may be used on the lines following a Match
keyword.
o Available keywords are: AcceptEnv, AllowAgentForwarding, AllowGroups,
AllowStreamLocalForwarding, AllowTcpForwarding, AllowUsers,
AuthenticationMethods, AuthorizedKeysCommand,
AuthorizedKeysCommandUser, AuthorizedKeysFile,
AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand, AuthorizedPrincipalsCommandUser,
AuthorizedPrincipalsFile, Banner, ChrootDirectory,
ClientAliveCountMax, ClientAliveInterval, DenyGroups, DenyUsers,
ForceCommand, GatewayPorts, GSSAPIAuthentication,
HostbasedAcceptedKeyTypes, HostbasedAuthentication,
HostbasedUsesNameFromPacketOnly, IPQoS,
KbdInteractiveAuthentication, KerberosAuthentication,
KerberosUseKuserok, MaxAuthTries, MaxSessions,
PasswordAuthentication, PermitEmptyPasswords, PermitOpen,
PermitRootLogin, PermitTTY, PermitTunnel, PermitUserRC,
PubkeyAcceptedKeyTypes, PubkeyAuthentication, RekeyLimit,
RevokedKeys, StreamLocalBindMask, StreamLocalBindUnlink,
TrustedUserCAKeys, X11DisplayOffset, X11MaxDisplays, X11Forwarding
and X11UseLocalhost.

Command to re-load the SSH daemon configuration:

# systemctl reload-or-restart sshd

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4.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are 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 493

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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

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
perm_mask='0177' && maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
SSHD_FILES_CHK()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_mode l_user l_group; do
l_out2=""
[ $(( $l_mode & $perm_mask )) -gt 0 ] && l_out2="$l_out2\n - Is mode: \"$l_mode\" should be:
\"$maxperm\" or more restrictive"
[ "$l_user" != "root" ] && l_out2="$l_out2\n - Is owned by \"$l_user\" should be owned by \"root\""
[ "$l_group" != "root" ] && l_out2="$l_out2\n - Is group owned by \"$l_user\" should be group owned
by \"root\""
if [ -n "$l_out2" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - File: \"$l_file\":$l_out2"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - File: \"$l_file\":\n - 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" && SSHD_FILES_CHK
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
[ -e "$l_file" ] && SSHD_FILES_CHK
done < <(find -L /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d -type f $ -perm /077 -o ! -user root -o ! -group root $ -print0
2>/dev/null)
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n *** PASS ***\n- * Correctly set * :\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e " - * Correctly set * :\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

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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)
}

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1098, T1098.004, T1543,

TA0005 M1022
T1543.002

Page 495

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4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Two files are 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.
• 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. If an unauthorized user obtains the private SSH host key file, the host
could be impersonated.
Impact:
Incorrectly configured access to the SSH key files may prevent the ssh daemon from
starting, preventing remote access to the system.

Page 496

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Audit:
Run the following script to verify:

• SSH public host key files are:

o mode 0644 or more restrictive
o owned by the root user
o group owner by the group root
• SSH private host key files are:
o owned by the root user
o group owned by the group root and mode 0600 or more restrictive
- OR -
o owned by the group designated to own openSSH private keys and mode
0640 or more restrictive

Page 497

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_count="0"
if command -v ssh-keygen &>/dev/null; then
if [ -d /etc/ssh ]; then
l_ssh_key_group_name="$(grep -Po -- '^(ssh_keys|_?ssh)\b' /etc/group)" # Group designated to own
openSSH keys
f_key_chk()
{
l_out2=""
while IFS=: read -r l_mode l_owner l_group; do
if [ "$l_key_type" = "public" ]; then
l_pmask="0133"
l_auth_group="root"
else
[ "$l_ssh_key_group_name" = "$l_group" ] && l_pmask="0137" || l_pmask="0177"
[ -n "$l_ssh_key_group_name" ] && l_auth_group="(root|$l_ssh_key_group_name)" ||
l_auth_group="root"
fi
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_out2="$l_out2\n - Mode: \"$l_mode\" should be mode: \"$l_maxperm\" or more restrictive"
fi
if [ "$l_owner" != "root" ]; then
l_out2="$l_out2\n - Owned by: \"$l_owner\" should be owned by \"root\""
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_auth_group ]]; then
l_out2="$l_out2\n - Owned by group \"$l_group\" should be group owned by: \"
${l_auth_group//|/ or } \""
fi
if [ -n "$l_out2" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - $l_key_type key file: \"$l_file\"$l_out2"
else
l_output="$l_output\n - $l_key_type key file: \"$l_file\"\n - Correct: mode ($l_mode), owner
($l_owner), and group owner ($l_group) configured"
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do # Loop to populate array
if ssh-keygen -l -f "$l_file" &>/dev/null; then
(( l_count++ ))
if grep -Pq -- '\.pub$' <<< "$l_file"; then
l_key_type="public"
else
l_key_type="private"
fi
f_key_chk
fi
done < <(find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -print0)
[ "$l_count" = "0" ] && l_output=" - No ssh keys found in \"/etc/ssh\""
else
l_output=" - ssh directory: \"/etc/ssh\" not found on the system"
fi
else
l_output2=" - ssh-keygen command not found\n - manual check may be required"
fi
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n *** PASS ***\n- * Correctly set * :\n$l_output\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e " - * Correctly set * :\n$l_output\n"
fi
}

Page 498

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Run the following script to set mode, ownership, and group on the SSH key files:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_count="0"
if command -v ssh-keygen &>/dev/null; then
if [ -d /etc/ssh ]; then
l_ssh_key_group_name="$(grep -Po -- '^(ssh_keys|_?ssh)\b' /etc/group)" # Group designated to own
openSSH keys
f_key_fix()
{
while IFS=: read -r l_mode l_owner l_group; do
if [ "$l_key_type" = "public" ]; then
l_pmask="0133" && l_mode_fix="u-x,go-wx"
l_auth_group="root" && l_group_fix="root"
else
if [ "$l_ssh_key_group_name" = "$l_group" ]; then
l_pmask="0137" && l_mode_fix="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx"
else
l_pmask="0177" && l_mode_fix="u-x,go-rwx"
fi
if [ -n "$l_ssh_key_group_name" ]; then
l_auth_group="(root|$l_ssh_key_group_name)" && l_group_fix="$l_ssh_key_group_name"
else
l_auth_group="root" && l_group_fix="root"
fi
fi
if [ "$l_owner" != "root" ]; then
echo -e "\n - $l_key_type key file: \"$l_file\" - Owned by: \"$l_owner\" changing owner to:
\"root\""
chown root "$l_file"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_auth_group ]]; then
echo -e "\n - $l_key_type key file: \"$l_file\"\n - Owned by group \"$l_group\" changing
group owner to: \"$l_group_fix\""
chgrp "$l_group_fix" "$l_file"
fi
l_maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_pmask )) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_pmask )) -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e "\n - $l_key_type key file: \"$l_file\"\n - Mode: \"$l_mode\" removing excessive
permissions"
chmod "$l_mode_fix" "$l_file"
fi
done < <(stat -Lc '%#a:%U:%G' "$l_file")
}
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do # Loop to populate array
if ssh-keygen -l -f "$l_file" &>/dev/null; then
(( l_count++ ))
if grep -Pq -- '\.pub$' <<< "$l_file"; then
l_key_type="public"
else
l_key_type="private"
fi
f_key_fix
fi
done < <(find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -print0)
[ "$l_count" = "0" ] && echo " - No ssh keys found in \"/etc/ssh\""
else
echo " - ssh directory: \"/etc/ssh\" not found on the system"
fi
else
echo -e " - ssh-keygen command not found\n - manual remediation may be required"
fi
}

Page 499

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1552, T1552.004 TA0003, TA0006 M1022

Page 500

Internal Only - General

4.2.3 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.

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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(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 /etc/ssh/sshd_config and set one or more of the parameters above any Match set
statements as follows:
AllowUsers <userlist>
-OR-
AllowGroups <grouplist>
-OR-
DenyUsers <userlist>
-OR-
DenyGroups <grouplist>

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Run the following command to reload the openSSH server daemon configuration:
# systemctl reload-or-try-restart sshd.service

Default Value:
None
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3. MP-2

Page 502

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

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 503

Internal Only - General

4.2.4 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+'

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter above any Match entries as
follows:
Banner /etc/issue.net

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.

Page 504

Internal Only - General

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

2. SSHD(8)
3. SSHD_CONFIG(5)

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

TA0001, TA0007 M1035

Page 505

Internal Only - General

4.2.5 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 506

Internal Only - General

- 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
arcfour
arcfour128
arcfour256
blowfish-cbc
cast128-cbc
[email protected]

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 -:
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.

Default Value:
Ciphers [email protected],aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-
[email protected],[email protected], aes128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-
cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,3des-cbc
References:

1. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2183
2. https://www.openssh.com/txt/cbc.adv
3. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5161
4. https://www.openssh.com/txt/cbc.adv
5. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
6. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-8
7. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48795
8. SSHD(8)

Page 507

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 508

Internal Only - General

4.2.6 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.

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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.
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
is greater than zero:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- 'clientalive(interval|countmax)'

Example Output:
clientaliveinterval 15
clientalivecountmax 3

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the ClientAliveInterval and
ClientAliveCountMax parameters above any Match entries according to site policy.
Example:
ClientAliveInterval 15
ClientAliveCountMax 3

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Default Value:
ClientAliveInterval 0
ClientAliveCountMax 3

Page 510

Internal Only - General

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)

Additional Information:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1873547
https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/blob/V_8_9/serverloop.c#L137
MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0001 M1026
T1078.002, T1078.003

Page 511

Internal Only - General

4.2.7 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 -i disableforwarding

disableforwarding yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the DisableForwarding parameter to yes
above any Match entries as follows:
DisableForwarding yes

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Default Value:
DisableForwarding no
References:

1. sshd_config(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7
3. SSHD(8)

Page 513

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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

T1210, T1210.000 TA0008 M1042

Page 514

Internal Only - General

4.2.8 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

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the GSSAPIAuthentication parameter to no
above any Match entries as follows:
GSSAPIAuthentication no

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Default Value:
GSSAPIAuthentication no

Page 515

Internal Only - General

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

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 516

Internal Only - General

4.2.9 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

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the HostbasedAuthentication parameter to no
above any Match entries as follows:
HostbasedAuthentication no

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.

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Internal Only - General

Default Value:
HostbasedAuthentication 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)

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0001 M1042
T1078.003

Page 518

Internal Only - General

4.2.10 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 as follows:
IgnoreRhosts yes

Default Value:
IgnoreRhosts 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 519

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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 520

Internal Only - General

4.2.11 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 521

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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

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) Ciphers preceded with a -
Example:
KexAlgorithms -diffie-hellman-group1-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1

Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence.

Default Value:
KexAlgorithms curve25519-sha256,[email protected],ecdh-sha2-
nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521, diffie-hellman-group-exchange-
sha256,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-8

Page 522

Internal Only - General

Additional Information:
The supported algorithms are:
curve25519-sha256
[email protected]
diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha1
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256
ecdh-sha2-nistp256
ecdh-sha2-nistp384
ecdh-sha2-nistp521

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 523

Internal Only - General

4.2.12 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 a value of 60
seconds (1m) or less:
Example:
LoginGraceTime 60

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence.

Default Value:
LoginGraceTime 120
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6
3. SSHD(8)

Page 524

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1110, T1110.001,
TA0006 M1036
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 525

Internal Only - General

4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
LogLevel gives the verbosity level that is used when logging messages from sshd. The
possible values are: QUIET, FATAL, ERROR, INFO, VERBOSE, DEBUG, DEBUG1, DEBUG2, and
DEBUG3. The default is INFO. DEBUG and DEBUG1 are equivalent. DEBUG2 and DEBUG3 each
specify higher levels of debugging output.
Note: Logging with a DEBUG level violates the privacy of users and is not
recommended.
Rationale:
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.
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.

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Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output matches loglevel VERBOSE or
loglevel INFO:
# sshd -T | grep loglevel

loglevel VERBOSE
- OR -
loglevel INFO

Example additional audit needed for a match block for the user sshuser:
# sshd -T -C user=sshuser | grep ignorerhosts

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the LogLevel parameter above any Match
entries as follows:
LogLevel VERBOSE
- OR -
LogLevel INFO

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Default Value:
LogLevel INFO
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12, SI-5
3. SSHD(8)

Page 527

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, T1562.006 TA0005

Page 528

Internal Only - General

4.2.14 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.
Note:

• 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.

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Nothing should be returned

The following are considered "weak" MACs, and should not be used:
hmac-md5
hmac-md5-96
hmac-ripemd160
hmac-sha1-96
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

IMPORTANT: 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.
Run the following command to determine if the the Encrypt Then Mac (etm) MACs are
in use:
# sshd -T | grep -Pi -- 'macs\h+([^#\n\r]+,)?([email protected]|[email protected]|hmac-
[email protected])\b'

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],umac-
[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

- IF - CVE-2023-48795 has been reviewed and addressed, the following etm MACs may
be dropped from the exclude list: [email protected],hmac-sha2-256-
[email protected],[email protected]
Note: First occurrence of an option takes precedence.
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,[email protected]

Page 530

Internal Only - General

References:

1. More information on SSH downgrade attacks can be found here:

http://www.mitls.org/pages/attacks/SLOTH
2. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5
4. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48795

Additional Information:
The supported MACs are:
hmac-md5
hmac-md5-96
hmac-ripemd160
hmac-sha1
hmac-sha1-96
hmac-sha2-256
hmac-sha2-512
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[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.

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.

Page 531

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1040, T1040.000, T1557,

TA0006 M1041
T1557.000

Page 532

Internal Only - General

4.2.15 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

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the MaxAuthTries parameter to 4 or less above
any Match entries as follows:
MaxAuthTries 4

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.

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Internal Only - General

Default Value:
MaxAuthTries 6
References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3
3. SSHD(8)

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 534

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4.2.16 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 -i maxsessions

maxsessions 10

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the MaxSessions parameter to 10 or less above
any Match entries as follows:
MaxSessions 10

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Default Value:
MaxSessions 10

Page 535

Internal Only - General

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)

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.002 TA0040

Page 536

Internal Only - General

4.2.17 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 | grep -i maxstartups

maxstartups 10:30:60

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the MaxStartups parameter to 10:30:60 or
more restrictive:
MaxStartups 10:30:60

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence.

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
3. SSHD(8)

Page 537

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CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.1 Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process

Establish and maintain a secure configuration process for enterprise assets
v8 (end-user devices, including portable and mobile, non-computing/IoT devices, and
servers) and software (operating systems and applications). Review and update
● ● ●
documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could
impact this Safeguard.

5.1 Establish Secure Configurations

v7 Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all ● ● ●
authorized operating systems and software.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1499, T1499.002 TA0040

Page 538

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4.2.18 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

Remediation:
Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config and set the PermitEmptyPasswords parameter to no above
any Match entries:
PermitEmptyPasswords no

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.

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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
3. SSHD(8)

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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 540

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4.2.19 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

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the PermitRootLogin parameter to no above
any Match entries as follows:
PermitRootLogin no

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements

withstanding.
Default Value:
PermitRootLogin without-password

Page 541

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References:

1. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5:AC-6
3. SSHD(8)

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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021 TA0008 M1042

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4.2.20 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 PermitUserEnviroment is set to no:
# sshd -T | grep permituserenvironment

permituserenvironment no

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter PermitUserEnvironment to no:
PermitUserEnvironment no

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence.

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 543

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1021 TA0008 M1042

Page 544

Internal Only - General

4.2.21 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 -i usepam

usepam yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the UsePAM parameter to yes:
UsePAM yes

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence.

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 545

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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 546

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4.3 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.

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4.3.1 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 or sudo-ldap is installed:
# dpkg-query -W sudo sudo-ldap > /dev/null 2>&1 && dpkg-query -W -f='${binary:Package}\t${Status}\t${db:Status-
Status}\n' sudo sudo-ldap | awk '($4=="installed" && $NF=="installed") {print "\n""PASS:""\n""Package
""\""$1"\""" is installed""\n"}' || echo -e "\nFAIL:\nneither \"sudo\" or \"sudo-ldap\" package is installed\n"

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-2, AC-6

Page 548

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.003 TA0001 M1026

Page 549

Internal Only - General

4.3.2 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:
# grep -rPi '^\h*Defaults\h+([^#\n\r]+,)?use_pty(,\h*\h+\h*)*\h*(#.*)?$' /etc/sudoers*

Verify the output matches:

/etc/sudoers:Defaults use_pty

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

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.

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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

5.1 Establish Secure Configurations

v7 Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all ● ● ●
authorized operating systems and software.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.003, T1548,

TA0001, TA0003 M1026, M1038
T1548.003

Page 551

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4.3.3 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:

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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

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 553

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4.3.4 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 554

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1548 TA0005 M1026

Page 555

Internal Only - General

4.3.5 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 556

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0004 M1026

Page 557

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4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured correctly
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
sudo caches used credentials for a default of 15 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.
This default is distribution specific. See audit section for further information.
Rationale:
Setting a timeout value reduces the window of opportunity for unauthorized privileged
access to another user.
Audit:
Ensure that the caching timeout is no more than 15 minutes.
Example:
# grep -roP "timestamp_timeout=\K[0-9]*" /etc/sudoers*

If there is no timestamp_timeout configured in /etc/sudoers* then the default is 15

minutes. This default can be checked with:
# sudo -V | grep "Authentication timestamp timeout:"

NOTE: A value of -1 means that the timeout is disabled. Depending on the

configuration of the timestamp_type, this could mean for all terminals / processes of that
user and not just that one single terminal session.
Remediation:
If the currently configured timeout is larger than 15 minutes, edit the file listed in the
audit section with visudo -f <PATH TO FILE> and modify the entry timestamp_timeout=
to 15 minutes or less as per your site policy. The value is in minutes. This particular
entry may appear on it's own, or on the same line as env_reset. See the following two
examples:
Defaults env_reset, timestamp_timeout=15
Defaults timestamp_timeout=15
Defaults env_reset

Page 558

Internal Only - General

References:

1. https://www.sudo.ws/man/1.9.0/sudoers.man.html
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

4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548 TA0004 M1026

Page 559

Internal Only - General

4.3.7 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>:

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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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.000 TA0005 M1026

Page 561

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4.4 Configure PAM

PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) is a service that implements modular

authentication modules on UNIX 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: The usage of pam-auth-update:

• As of this writing, the management of PAM via pam-auth-update does not offer all
the required functionality implemented by the benchmark. As such, the usage of
pam-auth-update is not recommended at present.

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4.4.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
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.
The following options are set in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf file:

• Password Length:
o - password must be 14 characters or more
minlen = 14
• Password complexity:
o minclass = 4 - The minimum number of required classes of characters for
the new password (digits, uppercase, lowercase, others)

o dcredit = -1 - provide at least one digit

o ucredit = -1 - provide at least one uppercase character
o ocredit = -1 - provide at least one special character
o lcredit = -1 - provide at least one lowercase character

Rationale:
Strong passwords protect systems from being hacked through brute force methods.

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Audit:
Verify password creation requirements conform to organization policy.
Password length

Run the following command:

# grep '^\s*minlen\s*' /etc/security/pwquality.conf

Verify the output matches:

minlen = 14

Password complexity

Option 1
Run the following command:
# grep '^\s*minclass\s*' /etc/security/pwquality.conf

Verify the output matches:

minclass = 4

Option 2
Run the following command:
# grep -E '^\s*[duol]credit\s*' /etc/security/pwquality.conf

Verify the output matches:

dcredit = -1
ucredit = -1
lcredit = -1
ocredit = -1

pam_pwquality.so enabled

Run the following command to verify pam_pwquality.so is enabled

grep -P '^\h*password\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_pwquality\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Example output:
password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3

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Remediation:
The following setting is a recommend example policy. Alter these values to conform to
your own organization's password policies.
Run the following command to install the pam_pwquality module:
# apt install libpam-pwquality

Edit the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following line for
password length to conform to site policy:
minlen = 14

Edit the file /etc/security/pwquality.conf and add or modify the following line for
password complexity to conform to site policy:
Option 1
minclass = 4

Option 2
dcredit = -1
ucredit = -1
ocredit = -1
lcredit = -1

Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file to include pam_pwquality.so and to conform

to site policy:
password requisite pam_pwquality.so retry=3

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Additional Information:
Additional module options may be set, recommendation requirements only cover
including try_first_pass and minlen set to 14 or more.
NOTE: As of this writing it is not possible to customize the maximum number of retries
for the creation of a password within recommended methods. The command pam-auth-
update is used to manage certain PAM configurations via profiles, such as
/etc/pam.d/common-password. Making a manual change to this file will cause pam-auth-
update to overwrite it on the next run and is thus against recommendations.
Alternatively, pam_pwquality (via /etc/security/pwquality.conf) fully supports the
configuration of the maximum number of retries for a password change with the
configuration entry retry = XXX. The issue is that the template /usr/share/pam-
configs/pwquality contains retry=3 which will override any retry setting in
/etc/security/pwquality.conf as PAM entries takes precedence. This template file
should not be modified as any package update will overwrite the change. Thus it is not
possible, in any recommended way, to modify password retries.

Page 565

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, TA0006 M1027
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003

Page 566

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4.4.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Lock out users after n unsuccessful consecutive login attempts. The first sets of
changes are made to the PAM configuration files. The second set of changes are
applied to the program specific PAM configuration file. The second set of changes must
be applied to each program that will lock out users. Check the documentation for each
secondary program for instructions on how to configure them to work with PAM.

• deny=n - n represents the number of failed attempts before the account is locked
• unlock_time=n - n represents the number of seconds before the account is
unlocked
• audit - Will log the user name into the system log if the user is not found.
• silent - Don't print informative messages. Set the lockout number and unlock time
in accordance with local site policy.

Rationale:
Locking out user IDs after n unsuccessful consecutive login attempts mitigates brute
force password attacks against your systems.

Page 567

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Verify password lockouts are configured. These settings are commonly configured with
the pam_tally2.so modules found in /etc/pam.d/common-auth:
Run the following command to verify that pam_tally2.so includes deny= exists and is set
to 5 or less in /etc/pam.d/common-auth:
# grep 'pam_tally2' /etc/pam.d/common-auth

Example output:
auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail audit silent deny=5 unlock_time=900

Run the following command to verify the pam_deny.so module and pam_tally2.so
modules are included in /etc/pam.d/common-account:
# grep -E 'pam_(tally2|deny)\.so' /etc/pam.d/common-account

account requisite pam_deny.so

account required pam_tally2.so

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-auth file and add the auth line below:
auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail audit silent deny=5 unlock_time=900

Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-account file and add the account lines bellow:
account requisite pam_deny.so
account required pam_tally2.so

References:

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

Additional Information:

• Add pam_tally2 to the account section account required pam_tally2.so for the
counter to reset to 0 when using sudo
• Use of the "audit" keyword may log credentials in the case of user error during
authentication. This risk should be evaluated in the context of the site policies of
your organization.
• If a user has been locked out because they have reached the maximum
consecutive failure count defined by deny= in the pam_tally2.so module, the user
can be unlocked by issuing the command /sbin/pam_tally2 -u <username> --
reset. This command sets the failed count to 0, effectively unlocking the user.

Page 568

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

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 569

Internal Only - General

4.4.3 Ensure password reuse is limited (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.
Rationale:
Forcing users not to reuse their past 5 passwords make it less likely that an attacker will
be able to guess the password.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the following in /etc/pam.d/common-password:

• The pam_unix.so line includes use_authtok

• The pam_pwhistory.so line includes remember= and a value no less than 5
• The pam_pwhistory.so line occurs before the pam_unix.so line

# grep -P -- '^\h*password\h+([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(pam_pwhistory\.so|pam_unix\.so)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-password

password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5

password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure sha512 use_authtok

Remediation:
NOTE: Pay special attention to the configuration. Incorrect configuration can cause
system lock outs or unexpected behavior. This is example configuration. You
configuration may differ based on previous changes to the files.
Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file to include:

•
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5
•
use_authtok on the pam_unix.so line

Example:
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5
password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure sha512 use_authtok

Page 570

Internal Only - General

References:

1. https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/focal/man8/pam_pwhistory.8.html
2. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pam/+bug/1989731
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-2, IA-5

Additional Information:
Changes only apply to accounts configured on the local system.
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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,
TA0005 M1028
T1078.004, T1110,
T1110.004

Page 571

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4.4.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Hash functions behave as one-way functions by using mathematical operations that are
extremely difficult and cumbersome to revert
When a user is created, the password is run through a one-way hashing algorithm
before being stored. When the user logs in, the password sent is run through the same
one-way hashing algorithm and compared to the hash connected with the provided
username. If the hashed password and the stored hash match, the login is valid.
Rationale:
The SHA512 hashing algorithm provides stronger hashing than previous available
algorithms like MD5, thus providing additional protection to the system by increasing the
level of effort for an attacker to successfully determine passwords.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that pam_unix.so includes sha512 in
/etc/pam.d/common-password:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*password\h+[^#\n\r]+\h+pam_unix.so([^#\n\r]+\h+)?(sha512|yescrypt)\b' /etc/pam.d/common-
password

Example Output
password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure sha512 use_authtok

Run the following command to verify that ENCRYPT_METHOD is set to SHA512 in

/etc/login.defs:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*ENCRYPT_METHOD\h+"?(sha512|yescrypt)\b' /etc/login.defs

Verify the output matches:

ENCRYPT_METHOD SHA512

Page 572

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Note:

• Pay special attention to the configuration. Incorrect configuration can cause

system lock outs.
• This is an example configuration. Your configuration may differ based on
previous changes to the files.
• The encryption method on the password success line for pam_unix.so and the
ENCRYPT_METHOD line in /etc/login.defs should match.

Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file and ensure that sha512 is included and the
pam_unix.so success line:
Example:
password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so obscure sha512 use_authtok

Edit /etc/login.defs and ensure that ENCRYPT_METHOD is set to SHA512.

ENCRYPT_METHOD SHA512

Default Value:
sha512
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5, SC-28

Additional Information:
Additional module options may be set, recommendation only covers those listed here.
yescrypt has been included in the audit commands. This hashing algorithm is not
currently supported, but it will be acceptable as an alternative to sha512 if future updates
enable its support.
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.

Page 573

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1110,

TA0006 M1041
T1110.002

Page 574

Internal Only - General

4.4.5 Ensure all current passwords uses the configured hashing
algorithm (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Currently used passwords with out of date hashing algorithms may pose a security risk
to the system.
Rationale:
In use passwords should always match the configured hashing algorithm for the system.
Impact:
If the administrator forces a password change, this could cause a large spike in CPU
usage if a large number of users change their password during the same time.
Audit:
Run the following script to get a list of users that are not using the currently configured
hashing algorithm:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
declare -A HASH_MAP=( ["y"]="yescrypt" ["1"]="md5" ["2"]="blowfish" ["5"]="SHA256" ["6"]="SHA512"
["g"]="gost-yescrypt" )

CONFIGURED_HASH=$(sed -n "s/^\sENCRYPT_METHOD\s$.$\s$/\1/p" /etc/login.defs)

for MY_USER in $(sed -n "s/^$.$:\\$./\1/p" /etc/shadow)

do
CURRENT_HASH=$(sed -n "s/${MY_USER}:\\$$.$.*/\1/p" /etc/shadow)
if [[ "${HASH_MAP["${CURRENT_HASH}"]^^}" != "${CONFIGURED_HASH^^}" ]]; then
echo "The password for '${MY_USER}' is using '${HASH_MAP["${CURRENT_HASH}"]}' instead of the configured
'${CONFIGURED_HASH}'."
fi
done
}

Nothing should be returned

Any system accounts that need to be expired should be carefully done separately by the
system administrator to prevent any potential problems.

Page 575

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
If the administrator wish to force an immediate change on all users as per the output of
the audit, execute:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
UID_MIN=$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)
awk -F: -v UID_MIN="${UID_MIN}" '( $3 >= UID_MIN && $1 != "nfsnobody" ) { print $1 }' /etc/passwd | xargs -n
1 chage -d 0
}

NOTE: This could cause significant temporary CPU load on the system if a large
number of users reset their passwords at the same time.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5, SC-28

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

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 576

Internal Only - General

4.5 User Accounts and Environment

This section provides guidance on setting up secure defaults for system and user
accounts and their environment.

Page 577

Internal Only - General

4.5.1 Set 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 578

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is
configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The PASS_MIN_DAYS parameter in /etc/login.defs allows an administrator to prevent
users from changing their password until a minimum number of days have passed since
the last time the user changed their password. It is recommended that PASS_MIN_DAYS
parameter be set to 1 or more days.
Rationale:
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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify PASS_MIN_DAYS conforms to site policy (no less
than 1 day):
# grep PASS_MIN_DAYS /etc/login.defs

PASS_MIN_DAYS 1

Run the following command and Review list of users and PAS_MIN_DAYS to Verify that
all users' PAS_MIN_DAYS conforms to site policy (no less than 1 day):
# awk -F : '(/^[^:]+:[^!*]/ && $4 < 1){print $1 " " $4}' /etc/shadow

No <user>:<PASS_MIN_DAYS> should be returned

Remediation:
Set the PASS_MIN_DAYS parameter to 1 in /etc/login.defs:
PASS_MIN_DAYS 1

Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match:
# chage --mindays 1 <user>

Default Value:
PASS_MIN_DAYS 0
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 579

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, TA0006 M1027
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 580

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less
(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.
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. It is recommended that the PASS_MAX_DAYS
parameter does not exceed 365 days and is greater than the value of PASS_MIN_DAYS.

Audit:
Run the following command and verify PASS_MAX_DAYS conforms to site policy, does not
exceed 365 days, and is greater than PASS_MIN_DAYS:
# grep PASS_MAX_DAYS /etc/login.defs

PASS_MAX_DAYS 365

Run the following command and Review list of users and PASS_MAX_DAYS to verify that all
users' PASS_MAX_DAYS conforms to site policy, does not exceed 365 days, and is no less
than PASS_MIN_DAYS
# awk -F: '(/^[^:]+:[^!*]/ && ($5>365 || $5~/([0-1]|-1|\s*)/)){print $1 " " $5}' /etc/shadow

No <user>:<PASS_MAX_DAYS> 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>

Default Value:
PASS_MAX_DAYS 99999

Page 581

Internal Only - General

References:

1. https://www.cisecurity.org/white-papers/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
The password expiration must be greater than the minimum days between
password changes or users will be unable to change their password
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, TA0006 M1027
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 582

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more
(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. It is recommended
that the PASS_WARN_AGE parameter be set to 7 or more days.

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 conforms to site policy (No less
than 7 days):
# grep PASS_WARN_AGE /etc/login.defs

PASS_WARN_AGE 7

Verify all users with a password have their number of days of warning before password
expires set to 7 or more:
Run the following command and Review list of users and PASS_WARN_AGE to verify that all
users' PASS_WARN_AGE conforms to site policy (No less than 7 days):
# awk -F: '(/^[^:]+:[^!*]/ && $6<7){print $1 " " $6}' /etc/shadow

No <user>:<PASS_WARN_AGE> should be returned

Remediation:
Set the PASS_WARN_AGE parameter to 7 in /etc/login.defs:
PASS_WARN_AGE 7

Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match:
# chage --warndays 7 <user>

Default Value:
PASS_WARN_AGE 7

Page 583

Internal Only - General

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

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, TA0006 M1027
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 584

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less
(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. It is recommended that accounts that are inactive for 30 days
after password expiration be disabled.
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
30 days):
# useradd -D | grep INACTIVE

INACTIVE=30

Verify all users with a password have Password inactive no more than 30 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 30 days):
# awk -F: '(/^[^:]+:[^!*]/ && ($7~/(\s*|-1)/ || $7>30)){print $1 " " $7}' /etc/shadow

No <user>:<INACTIVE> should be returned

Remediation:
Run the following command to set the default password inactivity period to 30 days:
# useradd -D -f 30

Modify user parameters for all users with a password set to match:
# chage --inactive 30 <user>

Default Value:
INACTIVE=-1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

Page 585

Internal Only - General

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

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, T1078.002,
TA0001 M1027
T1078.003

Page 586

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.5 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 users recorded password change date is in the future then they could bypass any
set password expiration.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify all users last password change was in the past:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output2=""
while read -r l_user; do
l_change="$(chage --list $l_user | awk -F: '($1 ~ /^\s*Last\s+password\s+change/ && $2 !~ /never/){print
$2}' | xargs)"
if [[ "$(date -d "$l_change" +%s)" -gt "$(date +%s)" ]]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - User: \"$l_user\" last password change is in the future \"$l_change\""
fi
done < <(awk -F: '($2 ~ /^[^*!xX\n\r][^\n\r]+/){print $1}' /etc/shadow)
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then # If l_output2 is empty, we pass
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - All user password changes are in the past \n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :$l_output2\n"
fi
}

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.
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 587

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, TA0006 M1027
T1110.001, T1110.002,
T1110.003, T1110.004

Page 588

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new
password 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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the difok option in
/etc/security/pwquality.conf is set to 2 or more:
# grep -P '^\h*difok\h*=\h*([2-9]|[1-9][0-9]+)\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf

difok = 2

Remediation:
Edit or add the following line in /etc/security/pwquality.conf to a value of 2 or more:
difok = 2

Default Value:
difok = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 589

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, T1110 TA0001, TA0006 M1027

Page 590

Internal Only - General

4.5.1.7 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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the dictcheck option in
/etc/security/pwquality.conf is not set to 0:
# grep -Pi -- '^\h*dictcheck\h*=\h*0\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit or add the following line in /etc/security/pwquality.conf to a value of 1:
dictcheck = 1

Default Value:
dictcheck = 1
References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: IA-5

Page 591

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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, T1110 TA0001, TA0006 M1027

Page 592

Internal Only - General

4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured (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.
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.

Page 593

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following script to verify all local system accounts:

• Do not have a valid login shell

• Are locked
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
a_users=(); a_ulock=() # initialize arrays
while read -r l_user; do # Populate array with system accounts that have a valid login shell
a_users+=("$l_user")
done < <(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1!~/(root|sync|shutdown|halt|^\+)/ && $3<'"$(awk
'/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' && $(NF) ~ pat) { print $1 }' /etc/passwd)
while read -r l_ulock; do # Populate array with system accounts that aren't locked
a_ulock+=("$l_ulock")
done < <(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '($1!~/(root|^\+)/ && $2!~/LK?/ && $3<'"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print
$2}' /etc/login.defs)"' && $(NF) ~ pat) { print $1 }' /etc/passwd)
if ! (( ${#a_users[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - local system accounts login is disabled"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - There are \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_users[@]}")\" system accounts with login
enabled\n - List of accounts:\n$(printf '%s\n' "${a_users[@]:0:$l_limit}")\n - end of list\n"
fi
if ! (( ${#a_ulock[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output="$l_output\n - local system accounts are locked"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - There are \"$(printf '%s' "${#a_ulock[@]}")\" system accounts that are not
locked\n - List of accounts:\n$(printf '%s\n' "${a_ulock[@]:0:$l_limit}")\n - end of list\n"
fi
unset a_users; unset a_ulock # Remove arrays
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:

• The root, sync, shutdown, and halt users are exempted from requiring a non-
login shell
•
root is exempt from being locked

Page 594

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Set the shell for any accounts returned by the audit to nologin:
# usermod -s $(which nologin) <user>

Lock any non root accounts returned by the audit:

# usermod -L <user>

The following script will:

• Set the shell for any accounts returned by the audit to nologin
• Lock any non root system accounts returned by the audit:
#!/usr/bin/env bash

References:

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Page 595

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1026
T1078.003

Page 596

Internal Only - General

4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The usermod command can be used to specify which group the root user belongs to.
This affects permissions of files that are created by the root user.
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 and verify the result is 0 :
# grep "^root:" /etc/passwd | cut -f4 -d:
0

Remediation:
Run the following command to set the root user default group to GID 0 :
# usermod -g 0 root

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

Page 597

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.000 TA0005 M1026

Page 598

Internal Only - General

4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
The user file-creation mode mask (umask) is use 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-----.

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
▪ 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:

Page 599

Internal Only - General

o /etc/profile - used to set system wide environmental variables on users
shells. The variables are sometimes the same ones that are in the
.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/bash.bashrc - System wide version of .bashrc. 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

User Shell Configuration Files:

• ~/.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

Rationale:
Setting a very secure default value for umask ensures that users make a conscious
choice about their file permissions. A default umask setting of 077 causes files and
directories created by users to not be readable by any other user on the system. A
umask of 027 would make files and directories readable by users in the same Unix group,
while a umask of 022 would make files readable by every user on the system.

Impact:
Setting USERGROUPS_ENAB no in /etc/login.defs may change the expected behavior of
useradd and userdel.

Setting USERGROUPS_ENAB yes in /etc/login.defs

• userdel will remove the user's group if it contains no more members

• useradd will create by default a group with the name of the user.

Page 600

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following to verify:

• A default user umask is set to enforce a newly created directories's permissions

to be 750 (drwxr-x---), and a newly created file's permissions be 640 (rw-r-----), or
more restrictive
• No less restrictive System Wide umask is set

Run the following script to verify that a default user umask is set enforcing a newly
created directories's permissions to be 750 (drwxr-x---), and a newly created file's
permissions be 640 (rw-r-----), or more restrictive:
#!/bin/bash

passing=""
grep -Eiq '^\s*UMASK\s+(0[0-7][2-7]7|[0-7][2-7]7)\b' /etc/login.defs && grep -Eqi
'^\s*USERGROUPS_ENAB\s*"?no"?\b' /etc/login.defs && grep -Eq
'^\s*session\s+(optional|requisite|required)\s+pam_umask\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-session && passing=true
grep -REiq '^\s*UMASK\s+\s*(0[0-7][2-7]7|[0-7][2-7]7|u=(r?|w?|x?)(r?|w?|x?)(r?|w?|x?),g=(r?x?|x?r?),o=)\b'
/etc/profile* /etc/bash.bashrc* && passing=true
[ "$passing" = true ] && echo "Default user umask is set"

Verify output is: "Default user umask is set"

Run the following to verify that no less restrictive system wide umask is set:
# grep -RPi '(^|^[^#]*)\s*umask\s+([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]{0,3},)?(g=[rwx]{0,3},)?o=[rwx]+\b|(u=[rwx]{1,3},)?g=[^rx]{1,3}(,o=[rwx]{0,3})?\b)'
/etc/login.defs /etc/profile* /etc/bash.bashrc*

No file should be returned

Page 601

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Remediation:
Run the following command and remove or modify the umask of any returned files:
# grep -RPi '(^|^[^#]*)\s*umask\s+([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]{0,3},)?(g=[rwx]{0,3},)?o=[rwx]+\b|(u=[rwx]{1,3},)?g=[^rx]{1,3}(,o=[rwx]{0,3})?\b)'
/etc/login.defs /etc/profile* /etc/bash.bashrc*

Follow one of the following methods to set the default user umask:
Edit /etc/login.defs and edit the UMASK and USERGROUPS_ENAB lines as follows:
UMASK 027

USERGROUPS_ENAB no

Edit /etc/pam.d/common-session and add or edit the following:

session optional pam_umask.so

OR
Configure umask in one of the following files:

• A file in the /etc/profile.d/ directory ending in .sh

•
/etc/profile
•
/etc/bash.bashrc

Example: /etc/profile.d/set_umask.sh
umask 027

Note: 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.
Default Value:
UMASK 022
References:

1. pam_umask(8)
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, MP-2

Page 602

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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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1565, T1565.001 TA0007 M1022

Page 603

Internal Only - General

4.5.5 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 bash.bashrc. etc/bash.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 604

Internal Only - General

Audit:
Run the following script to verify TMOUT is configured:

• as multiple lines, or a single line

• once, and only once
• in one and only one of the following locations:
o A file in the /etc/profile.d/ directory ending in .sh
o
/etc/profile
o
/etc/bash.bashrc
• Follows local site policy:
o Not to exceed 900
o Not equal to 0
• to be readonly
• to be exported
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2=""
l_tmv_max="900"
l_searchloc="/etc/bashrc /etc/bash.bashrc /etc/profile /etc/profile.d/*.sh"
a_tmofile=()
while read -r l_file; do
[ -e "$l_file" ] && a_tmofile+=("$(readlink -f $l_file)")
done < <(grep -PRils '^\h*([^#\n\r]+\h+)?TMOUT=\d+\b' $l_searchloc)
if ! (( ${#a_tmofile[@]} > 0 )); then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - TMOUT is not set"
elif (( ${#a_tmofile[@]} > 1 )); then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - TMOUT is set in multiple locations.\n - List of files where TMOUT is
set:\n$(printf '%s\n' "${a_tmofile[@]}")\n - end of list\n"
else
for l_file in ${a_tmofile[@]}; do
if (( "$(grep -Pci '^\h*([^#\n\r]+\h+)?TMOUT=\d+' "$l_file")" > 1 )); then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - TMOUT is set multiple times in \"$l_file\""
else
l_tmv="$(grep -Pi '^\h*([^#\n\r]+\h+)?TMOUT=\d+' "$l_file" | grep -Po '\d+')"
if (( "$l_tmv" > "$l_tmv_max" )); then
l_output2="$l_output\n - TMOUT is \"$l_tmv\" in \"$l_file\"\n - Should be \"$l_tmv_max\" or
less and not \"0\""
else
l_output="$l_output\n- TMOUT is correctly set to \"$l_tmv\" in \"$l_file\""
if grep -Piq '^\h*([^#\n\r]+\h+)?readonly\h+TMOUT\b' "$l_file"; then
l_output="$l_output\n- TMOUT is correctly set to \"readonly\" in \"$l_file\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n- TMOUT is not set to \"readonly\""
fi
if grep -Piq '^(\h*|\h*[^#\n\r]+\h*;\h*)export\h+TMOUT\b' "$l_file"; then
l_output="$l_output\n- TMOUT is correctly set to \"export\" in \"$l_file\""
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n- TMOUT is not set to \"export\""
fi
fi
fi
done
fi
unset a_tmofile # Remove array
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
}

Page 605

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Review /etc/bash.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:

• Be configured once, as multiple lines, or a single line, in one and only one of the
following locations:
o A file in the /etc/profile.d/ directory ending in .sh
o
/etc/profile
o
/etc/bash.bashrc
• Not exceed 900
• Not be equal to 0

Multiple line example:

TMOUT=900
readonly TMOUT
export TMOUT

Single line example:

readonly TMOUT=900 ; export TMOUT

References:

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

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 are
also checked
Other methods of setting a timeout exist not covered here
CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.3 Configure Automatic Session Locking on Enterprise

v7 16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity ● ● ●

Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

Page 606

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1026
T1078.002, T1078.003

Page 607

Internal Only - General

4.5.6 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 '/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 608

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1026
T1078.003

Page 609

Internal Only - General

4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive characters
in a password 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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the maxrepeat option in
/etc/security/pwquality.conf is set to 3 or less, and not 0:
# grep -Pi '^\h*maxrepeat\h*=\h*[1-3]\b' /etc/security/pwquality.conf

maxrepeat = 3

Note: The check is disabled if the value is 0

Remediation:
Edit or add the following line in /etc/security/pwquality.conf to a value of 3 or less
and not 0:
maxrepeat = 3

Default Value:
maxrepeat = 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

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, T1110 TA0001, TA0006 M1027

Page 611

Internal Only - General

5 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.
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).

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5.1 Configure 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 does 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 dependant 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.

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5.1.1 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

Page 614

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5.1.1.1 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to a remote log
host

Page 615

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Journald (via 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
centralised 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 to verify systemd-journal-remote is installed.
Run the following command:
# dpkg-query -W -f='${binary:Package}\t${Status}\t${db:Status-Status}\n' systemd-journal-remote

systemd-journal-remote install ok installed 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-12, SI-5

Page 616

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 617

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Journald (via 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
centralised 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:
Verify systemd-journal-remote is configured.
Run the following command:
# grep -P "^ *URL=|^ *ServerKeyFile=|^ *ServerCertificateFile=|^ *TrustedCertificateFile="
/etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf

Verify the output matches per your environments certificate locations and the URL of
the log server. Example:
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

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journal-upload.conf file and ensure the following lines are set
per your environment:
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

Restart the service:

# systemctl restart systemd-journal-upload

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Page 618

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 619

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Journald (via 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
centralised 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:
Verify systemd-journal-remote is enabled.
Run the following command:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-journal-upload.service

Verify the output matches:

enabled

Remediation:
Run the following command to enable systemd-journal-remote:
# systemctl --now enable systemd-journal-upload.service

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, CM-7, SI-5

Page 620

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 621

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a
remote client (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Journald 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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify systemd-journal-remote.socket is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-journal-remote.socket

Verify the output matches:

disabled

Remediation:
Run the following command to disable systemd-journal-remote.socket:
# systemctl --now disable systemd-journal-remote.socket

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, CM-6, CM-7

Page 622

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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.

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 623

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled (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

Verify the output matches:

static

Remediation:
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.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7 AU-12

Page 624

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 625

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files
(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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that large files will be compressed:
# grep -Psi '^\h*Compress\h*=\h*yes\b' /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify the output matches:

Compress=yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file or a file ending in .conf in
/etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ and add the following line:
Compress=yes

Restart the service:

# systemctl restart systemd-journald

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-4

Additional Information:
The main configuration file /etc/systemd/journald.conf is read before any of the
custom *.conf files. If there are custom configs present, they override the main
configuration parameters.
It is possible to change the default threshold of 512 bytes per object before compression
is used.

Page 626

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.

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, T1562.002 TA0040 M1053

Page 627

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to persistent
disk (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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that logs are persisted to disk:
# grep -Psi '^\h*Storage\h*=\h*persistent\b' /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify the output matches:

Storage=persistent

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file or a file ending in .conf in
/etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ and add the following line:
Storage=persistent

Restart the service:

# systemctl restart systemd-journald

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

Page 628

Internal Only - General

Additional Information:
The main configuration file /etc/systemd/journald.conf is read before any of the
custom *.conf files. If there are custom configs present, they override the main
configuration parameters.
Note: a bug in systemd versions prior to v243 caused an error at the unmounting of
/var/log (and thus, /var) if Storage=persistent is set in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.

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 629

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Data from journald should be kept in the confines of the service and not forwarded on
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.
Audit:
IF journald is the method for capturing logs
Run the following command to verify that logs are not forwarded to rsyslog:
# grep -Psi '^\h*ForwardToSyslog\h*=\h*yes\b` /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*

Verify that there is no output.

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file and files in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/
and ensure that ForwardToSyslog=yes is removed.
Restart the service:
# systemctl restart systemd-journald

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-6, AU-7, AU-12

Page 630

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

Page 631

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy
(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.
Audit:
Review /etc/systemd/journald.conf, and files in /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/, and
verify logs are rotated according to site policy. The specific parameters for log rotation
are:
SystemMaxUse=
SystemKeepFree=
RuntimeMaxUse=
RuntimeKeepFree=
MaxFileSec=

Remediation:
Review /etc/systemd/journald.conf and verify logs are rotated according to site
policy. The settings should be carefully understood as there are specific edge cases
and prioritisation of parameters.
The specific parameters for log rotation are:
SystemMaxUse=
SystemKeepFree=
RuntimeMaxUse=
RuntimeKeepFree=
MaxFileSec=

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-7, AU-12

Page 632

Internal Only - General

Additional Information:
See man 5 journald.conf for detailed information regarding the parameters in use.

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 633

Internal Only - General

5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions 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.
Audit:
First see if there is an override file /etc/tmpfiles.d/systemd.conf. If so, this file will
override all default settings as defined in /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/systemd.conf and
should be inspected.
If there is no override file, inspect the default /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/systemd.conf
against the site specific requirements.
Ensure that file permissions are 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:
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. Requirements is either 0640 or site policy if that is less restrictive.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AU-2, AU-12, MP-2, SI-5

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

Page 634

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 635

Internal Only - General

5.1.2 Configure rsyslog

The rsyslog software package may be used instead of the default journald logging
mechanism.
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 636

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.1 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:
Run the following command to verify rsyslog is installed:
# dpkg-query -s rsyslog &>/dev/null && echo "rsyslog is installed"

rsyslog is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install rsyslog:
# apt install rsyslog

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12, SI-5

Page 637

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 M1028
T1070.002

Page 638

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled (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:
Run the following command to verify rsyslog is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled rsyslog

Verify the output matches:

enabled

Remediation:
Run the following command to enable rsyslog:
# systemctl --now enable rsyslog

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-3, AU-12

Page 639

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 M1028
T1562.001

Page 640

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog
(Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Data from journald may be stored in volatile memory or persisted locally on the server.
Utilities exist to accept remote export of 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.
Audit:
IF RSyslog is the preferred method for capturing logs
Review /etc/systemd/journald.conf and verify that logs are forwarded to rsyslog.
# grep ^\s*ForwardToSyslog /etc/systemd/journald.conf

Verify the output matches:

ForwardToSyslog=yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file and add the following line:
ForwardToSyslog=yes

Restart the service:

# systemctl restart rsyslog

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-9

Page 641

Internal Only - General

Additional Information:
As noted in the journald man pages, 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.
The main configuration file /etc/systemd/journald.conf is read before any of the
custom *.conf files. If there are custom configurations present, they override the main
configuration parameters
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.

Page 642

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1562,

TA0040 M1029
T1562.006

Page 643

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
RSyslog 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.
Impact:
The systems global umask could override, but only making the file permissions stricter,
what is configured in RSyslog with the FileCreateMode directive. RSyslog also has it's
own $umask directive that can alter the intended file creation mode. In addition,
consideration should be given to how FileCreateMode is used.
Thus it is critical to ensure that the intended file creation mode is not overridden with
less restrictive settings in /etc/rsyslog.conf, /etc/rsyslog.d/*conf files and that
FileCreateMode is set before any file is created.

Audit:
Run the following command:
# 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.

Page 644

Internal Only - General

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

Restart the service:

# systemctl restart rsyslog

References:

1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AC-6, MP-2

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

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 M1028
T1083.000

Page 645

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf 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/

Remediation:
Edit the following lines in the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files as
appropriate for your environment.
NOTE: The below configuration is shown for example purposes only. Due care should
be given to how the organization wish 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 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 646

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 M1028

Page 647

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.6 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 centralised 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:
Review the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files and verify that logs are
sent to a central host (where loghost.example.com is the name of your central log host):

Old 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

New 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>, for example:

*.* action(type="omfwd" target="loghost.example.com" port="514" protocol="tcp"

Page 648

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files 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 the rsyslogd configuration:

# systemctl restart rsyslog

References:

1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.

2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-6

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

4v8 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 649

Internal Only - General

5.1.2.7 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 it's operational boundary.
Audit:
Review the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files and verify that the
system is not configured to accept incoming logs.
Old format

# grep '$ModLoad imtcp' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

# grep '$InputTCPServerRun' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

No output expected.
New format

# grep -P -- '^\hmodule$load="imtcp"$' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/.conf

# grep -P -- '^\h*input$type="imtcp" port="514"$' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

No output expected.

Page 650

Internal Only - General

Remediation:
Should there be any active log server configuration found in the auditing section, modify
those file and remove the specific lines highlighted by the audit. Ensure none of the
following entries are present in any of /etc/rsyslog.conf or /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf.

Old format

$ModLoad imtcp
$InputTCPServerRun

New format

module(load="imtcp")
input(type="imtcp" port="514")

Restart the service:

# systemctl restart rsyslog

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

4.8 Uninstall or Disable Unnecessary Services on

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.

Page 651

Internal Only - General

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

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 M1028
T1562.006

Page 652

Internal Only - General

5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description:
Log files stored in /var/log/ contain logged information from many services on the
system and potentially from other logged hosts as well.
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.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify that files in /var/log/ have appropriate permissions
and ownership:

Page 653

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_op2="" l_output2=""
l_uidmin="$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"
file_test_chk()
{
l_op2=""
if [ $(( $l_mode & $perm_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_op2="$l_op2\n - Mode: \"$l_mode\" should be \"$maxperm\" or more restrictive"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_user" =~ $l_auser ]]; then
l_op2="$l_op2\n - Owned by: \"$l_user\" and should be owned by \"${l_auser//|/ or }\""
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_agroup ]]; then
l_op2="$l_op2\n - Group owned by: \"$l_group\" and should be group owned by \"${l_agroup//|/ or }\""
fi
[ -n "$l_op2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - File: \"$l_fname\" is:$l_op2\n"
}
unset a_file && a_file=() # clear and initialize array
# Loop to create array with stat of files that could possibly fail one of the audits
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
[ -e "$l_file" ] && a_file+=("$(stat -Lc '%n^%#a^%U^%u^%G^%g' "$l_file")")
done < <(find -L /var/log -type f $ -perm /0137 -o ! -user root -o ! -group root $ -print0)
while IFS="^" read -r l_fname l_mode l_user l_uid l_group l_gid; do
l_bname="$(basename "$l_fname")"
case "$l_bname" in
lastlog | lastlog.* | wtmp | wtmp.* | wtmp-* | btmp | btmp.* | btmp-* | README)
perm_mask='0113'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="root"
l_agroup="(root|utmp)"
file_test_chk
;;
secure | auth.log | syslog | messages)
perm_mask='0137'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="(root|syslog)"
l_agroup="(root|adm)"
file_test_chk
;;
SSSD | sssd)
perm_mask='0117'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="(root|SSSD)"
l_agroup="(root|SSSD)"
file_test_chk
;;
gdm | gdm3)
perm_mask='0117'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="root"
l_agroup="(root|gdm|gdm3)"
file_test_chk
;;
*.journal | *.journal~)
perm_mask='0137'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="root"
l_agroup="(root|systemd-journal)"
file_test_chk
;;
*)
perm_mask='0137'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="(root|syslog)"
l_agroup="(root|adm)"
if [ "$l_uid" -lt "$l_uidmin" ] && [ -z "$(awk -v grp="$l_group" -F: '$1==grp {print $4}'
/etc/group)" ]; then
if [[ ! "$l_user" =~ $l_auser ]]; then
l_auser="(root|syslog|$l_user)"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_agroup ]]; then
l_tst=""
while l_out3="" read -r l_duid; do
[ "$l_duid" -ge "$l_uidmin" ] && l_tst=failed
done <<< "$(awk -F: '$4=='"$l_gid"' {print $3}' /etc/passwd)"
[ "$l_tst" != "failed" ] && l_agroup="(root|adm|$l_group)"
fi
fi
file_test_chk

Page 654

Internal Only - General

;;
esac
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_file[@]}")"
unset a_file # Clear array
# If all files passed, then we pass
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "\n- Audit Results:\n ** Pass **\n- All files in \"/var/log/\" have appropriate permissions and
ownership\n"
else
# print the reason why we are failing
echo -e "\n- Audit Results:\n ** Fail **\n$l_output2"
fi
}

Page 655

Internal Only - General

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 is captured in the event that
the remediation causes issues.

Page 656

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_op2="" l_output2=""
l_uidmin="$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"
file_test_fix()
{
l_op2=""
l_fuser="root"
l_fgroup="root"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $perm_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_op2="$l_op2\n - Mode: \"$l_mode\" should be \"$maxperm\" or more restrictive\n - Removing excess
permissions"
chmod "$l_rperms" "$l_fname"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_user" =~ $l_auser ]]; then
l_op2="$l_op2\n - Owned by: \"$l_user\" and should be owned by \"${l_auser//|/ or }\"\n - Changing
ownership to: \"$l_fuser\""
chown "$l_fuser" "$l_fname"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_agroup ]]; then
l_op2="$l_op2\n - Group owned by: \"$l_group\" and should be group owned by \"${l_agroup//|/ or }\"\n
- Changing group ownership to: \"$l_fgroup\""
chgrp "$l_fgroup" "$l_fname"
fi
[ -n "$l_op2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2\n - File: \"$l_fname\" is:$l_op2\n"
}
unset a_file && a_file=() # clear and initialize array
# Loop to create array with stat of files that could possibly fail one of the audits
while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' l_file; do
[ -e "$l_file" ] && a_file+=("$(stat -Lc '%n^%#a^%U^%u^%G^%g' "$l_file")")
done < <(find -L /var/log -type f $ -perm /0137 -o ! -user root -o ! -group root $ -print0)
while IFS="^" read -r l_fname l_mode l_user l_uid l_group l_gid; do
l_bname="$(basename "$l_fname")"
case "$l_bname" in
lastlog | lastlog.* | wtmp | wtmp.* | wtmp-* | btmp | btmp.* | btmp-* | README)
perm_mask='0113'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_rperms="ug-x,o-wx"
l_auser="root"
l_agroup="(root|utmp)"
file_test_fix
;;
secure | auth.log | syslog | messages)
perm_mask='0137'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_rperms="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx"
l_auser="(root|syslog)"
l_agroup="(root|adm)"
file_test_fix
;;
SSSD | sssd)
perm_mask='0117'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_rperms="ug-x,o-rwx"
l_auser="(root|SSSD)"
l_agroup="(root|SSSD)"
file_test_fix
;;
gdm | gdm3)
perm_mask='0117'
l_rperms="ug-x,o-rwx"
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_auser="root"
l_agroup="(root|gdm|gdm3)"
file_test_fix
;;
*.journal | *.journal~)
perm_mask='0137'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_rperms="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx"
l_auser="root"
l_agroup="(root|systemd-journal)"
file_test_fix
;;
*)
perm_mask='0137'
maxperm="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$perm_mask)) )"
l_rperms="u-x,g-wx,o-rwx"
l_auser="(root|syslog)"
l_agroup="(root|adm)"

Page 657

Internal Only - General

if [ "$l_uid" -lt "$l_uidmin" ] && [ -z "$(awk -v grp="$l_group" -F: '$1==grp {print $4}'
/etc/group)" ]; then
if [[ ! "$l_user" =~ $l_auser ]]; then
l_auser="(root|syslog|$l_user)"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_group" =~ $l_agroup ]]; then
l_tst=""
while l_out3="" read -r l_duid; do
[ "$l_duid" -ge "$l_uidmin" ] && l_tst=failed
done <<< "$(awk -F: '$4=='"$l_gid"' {print $3}' /etc/passwd)"
[ "$l_tst" != "failed" ] && l_agroup="(root|adm|$l_group)"
fi
fi
file_test_fix
;;
esac
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_file[@]}")"
unset a_file # Clear array
# If all files passed, then we report no changes
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
echo -e "- All files in \"/var/log/\" have appropriate permissions and ownership\n - No changes
required\n"
else
# print report of changes
echo -e "\n$l_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 access configured.

Page 658

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1028
T1083.000

Page 659

Internal Only - General

5.2 Configure System Accounting (auditd)

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. For 32 bit systems, only one rule
is needed.
• 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
organisation 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 660

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 661

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5.2.1 Ensure auditing is enabled

The capturing of system events provides system administrators with information to allow
them to determine if unauthorized access to their system is occurring.

Page 662

Internal Only - General

5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is 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 and audispd-plugins are installed:
# dpkg-query -s auditd &>/dev/null && echo "auditd is installed"

auditd is installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to Install auditd
# apt install auditd

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-3, AU-12, SI-5

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

6.2 Activate audit logging

v7 Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking ● ● ●
devices.

Page 663

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.001 TA0005 M1028

Page 664

Internal Only - General

5.2.1.2 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

enabled

Verify result is "enabled".

Run the following command to verify auditd is active:
# systemctl is-active auditd

active

Verify result is active

Remediation:
Run the following command to enable and start auditd:
# systemctl --now enable auditd

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Page 665

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 666

Internal Only - General

5.2.1.3 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 -L /boot -type f -name 'grub.cfg' -exec grep -Ph -- '^\h*linux\b' {} + | 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

Additional Information:
This recommendation is designed around the grub2 bootloader, if another bootloader is
in use in your environment enact equivalent settings.

Page 667

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 668

Internal Only - General

5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient (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 -L /boot -type f -name 'grub.cfg' -exec grep -Ph -- '^\h*linux\b' {} + | 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 669

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, M1047

Page 670

Internal Only - General

5.2.2 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 671

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5.2.2.1 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 672

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 TA0040 M1047

Page 673

Internal Only - General

5.2.2.2 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

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.

Page 674

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1047

Page 675

Internal Only - General

5.2.2.3 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 when the audit logs are full.
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,
suspend, single, and halt.

• ignore, the audit daemon does nothing

• Syslog, the audit daemon will issue a warning to syslog
• 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 shutdown the system

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 parameter is set to halt the audit daemon will
shutdown the system when the disk partition containing the audit logs becomes full.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# grep space_left_action /etc/audit/auditd.conf

space_left_action = email
# grep action_mail_acct /etc/audit/auditd.conf

action_mail_acct = root

Run the following command and verify the output is either halt or single:
# grep -E 'admin_space_left_action\s*=\s*(halt|single)' /etc/audit/auditd.conf

admin_space_left_action = <halt|single>

Page 676

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/audit/auditd.conf:
space_left_action = email
action_mail_acct = root

set admin_space_left_action to either halt or single in /etc/audit/auditd.conf.

Example:
admin_space_left_action = halt

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-8, 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.

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 M1028

Page 677

Internal Only - General

5.2.3 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/audit.d/ directory.

Page 678

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5.2.3.1 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.

Page 679

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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

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

Page 680

Internal Only - General

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

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 681

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.2 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.

Page 682

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Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 683

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 elevated privileges.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 684

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 685

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.3 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 686

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Audit:

On disk configuration

Run the following command to check the on disk rules:

# {
SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED=$(grep -r logfile /etc/sudoers* | sed -e 's/.*logfile=//;s/,? .*//' -e 's/"//g' -e
's|/|\\/|g')
[ -n "${SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED}" ] && awk "/^ *-w/ \
&&/"${SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED}"/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED' 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_ESCAPED=$(grep -r logfile /etc/sudoers* | sed -e 's/.*logfile=//;s/,? .*//' -e 's/"//g' -e
's|/|\\/|g')
[ -n "${SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED}" ] && auditctl -l | awk "/^ *-w/ \
&&/"${SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED}"/ \
&&/ +-p *wa/ \
&&(/ key= *[!-~]* *$/||/ -k *[!-~]* *$/)" \
|| printf "ERROR: Variable 'SUDO_LOG_FILE_ESCAPED' is unset.\n"
}

Verify output matches:

-w /var/log/sudo.log -p wa -k sudo_log_file

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 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_ESCAPED' 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 687

Internal Only - General

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 688

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.4 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 689

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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,clock_settime -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday,clock_settime -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,clock_settime -F key=time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday,clock_settime -F key=time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.
In addition, also audit for the stime system call rule. For example:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday,clock_settime,stime -k time-change

Page 690

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.
64 Bit systems

Example:
# printf "
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S adjtimex,settimeofday,clock_settime -k time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday,clock_settime -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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64. In
addition, add stime to the system call audit. Example:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex,settimeofday,clock_settime,stime -k time-change

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 691

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 692

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.5 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

Rationale:
Monitoring sethostname and setdomainname will identify potential unauthorized changes
to host and domainname of a system. The changing of these names could potentially
break security parameters that are set based on those names. The /etc/hosts file is
monitored for changes that can indicate an unauthorized intruder is trying to change
machine associations with IP addresses and trick users and processes into connecting
to unintended machines. Monitoring /etc/issue and /etc/issue.net is important, as
intruders could put disinformation into those files and trick users into providing
information to the intruder. Monitoring /etc/network is important as it can show if
network interfaces or scripts are being modified in a way that can lead to the machine
becoming unavailable or compromised. All audit records should have a relevant tag
associated with them.

Page 693

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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/) \
&&/ +-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

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/) \
&&/ +-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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64

Page 694

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.
64 Bit systems

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
" >> /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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 695

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0003 M1047

Page 696

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.6 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 697

Internal Only - General

Audit:

On disk configuration

Run the following command to check on disk rules:

# 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 command to check loaded rules:

# {
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 698

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:
# {
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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 699

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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, M1047

Page 700

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.7 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 701

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 702

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.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 703

Internal Only - General

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

14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0007 M1047

Page 704

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.8 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

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 705

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/) \
&&/ +-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

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/) \
&&/ +-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

Page 706

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
" >> /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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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.

Page 707

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1047

Page 708

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.9 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 709

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 710

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.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 711

Internal Only - General

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 712

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.10 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 713

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 714

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 successful file system mounts.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 715

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 716

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.11 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 717

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

Page 718

Internal Only - General

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 719

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.12 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.

Page 720

Internal Only - General

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

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

Page 721

Internal Only - General

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 722

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.13 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 723

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 724

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 file deletion events by users.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-12, SC-7

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 725

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 726

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.14 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.

Page 727

Internal Only - General

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

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

Page 728

Internal Only - General

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1562, T1562.006 TA0004 M1022

Page 729

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
chcon command are recorded (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 730

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 731

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 successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the chcon
command.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 732

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, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 733

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
setfacl command are recorded (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 734

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 735

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 successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
setfacl command.

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 736

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, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 737

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
chacl command are recorded (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 738

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 739

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 successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the chacl
command.
64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 740

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, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 741

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
usermod command are recorded (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 742

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

Page 743

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 successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
usermod command.

64 Bit systems

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

32 Bit systems

Follow the same procedures as for 64 bit systems and ignore any entries with b64.

References:

1. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-2, AU-12, SI-5

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Page 744

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, T1562.006 TA0005 M1022

Page 745

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.19 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 746

Internal Only - General

Audit:

64 Bit systems

On disk configuration
Run the following commands to check the on disk rules:
# {
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 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/) \
&&/ -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 747

Internal Only - General

Symlink audit

Audit if the symlinks that kmod accepts is indeed pointing at it:

# S_LINKS=$(ls -l /usr/sbin/lsmod /usr/sbin/rmmod /usr/sbin/insmod /usr/sbin/modinfo /usr/sbin/modprobe
/usr/sbin/depmod | grep -v " -> ../bin/kmod" || true) \
&& if [[ "${S_LINKS}" != "" ]]; then printf "Issue with symlinks: ${S_LINKS}\n"; else printf "OK\n"; fi

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.
64 Bit systems

Example:
# {
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

Page 748

Internal Only - General

References:

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

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 749

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.20 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 -- "-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 750

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 751

Internal Only - General

5.2.3.21 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 752

Internal Only - General

Additional Information:

Potential reboot required

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

8.5 Collect Detailed Audit Logs

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 753

Internal Only - General

5.2.4 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 754

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive
(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 audit log files have mode 0640 or less permissive:
# [ -f /etc/audit/auditd.conf ] && find "$(dirname $(awk -F "=" '/^\s*log_file/ {print $2}'
/etc/audit/auditd.conf | xargs))" -type f -perm /0137 -exec stat -Lc "%n %#a" {} +

Nothing should be returned

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 {} +

References:

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

Page 755

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 756

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files
(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 audit log files are 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 stat -Lc "%n %U" {} +

Nothing should be returned

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 757

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1022, M1047
T1083.000

Page 758

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership of
audit log files (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

Page 759

Internal Only - General

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

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 760

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive
(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 command to verify that the audit log directory has a mode of 0750 or
less permissive:
# stat -Lc "%n %a" "$(dirname $( awk -F"=" '/^\s*log_file/ {print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf))" | grep -Pv --
'^\h*\H+\h+([0,5,7][0,5]0)'

Nothing should be returned

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/ {print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf))"

Default Value:
750
References:

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

Page 761

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 762

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more restrictive
(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 have mode 640 or
more restrictive and are owned by the root user and root group:
# find /etc/audit/ -type f $ -name '*.conf' -o -name '*.rules' $ -exec stat -Lc "%n %a" {} + | grep -Pv --
'^\h*\H+\h*([0,2,4,6][0,4]0)\h*$'

Nothing should be returned

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 763

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 764

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

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 765

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 766

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• Level 2 - Server
• Level 2 - Workstation

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 767

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 768

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive (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 have mode 755 or more restrictive,
are owned by the root user and group root:
# stat -c "%n %a" /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules |
grep -Pv -- '^\h*\H+\h+([0-7][0,1,4,5][0,1,4,5])\h*$'

Nothing should be returned

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 769

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 770

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root (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 have mode 755 or more restrictive,
are owned by the root user and group root:
# stat -c "%n %U" /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules |
grep -Pv -- '^\h*\H+\h+root\h*$'

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 771

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 772

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root (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 have mode 755 or more restrictive,
are owned by the root user and group root:
# stat -c "%n %a %U %G" /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd
/sbin/augenrules | grep -Pv -- '^\h*\H+\h+([0-7][0,1,4,5][0,1,4,5])\h+root\h+root\h*$'

Nothing should be returned

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

Run the following command to change owner and group of the audit tools to root user
and group:
# chown root:root /sbin/auditctl /sbin/aureport /sbin/ausearch /sbin/autrace /sbin/auditd /sbin/augenrules

References:

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

Page 773

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 774

Internal Only - General

5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect
the integrity of audit tools (Automated)
Profile Applicability:

• 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 775

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

4.1 Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process

5.1 Establish Secure Configurations

v7 Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all ● ● ●
authorized operating systems and software.

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1070, T1070.002, T1083,

TA0007 M1047
T1083.000

Page 776

Internal Only - General

6 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 777

Internal Only - General

6.1 System File Permissions

This section provides guidance on securing aspects of system files and directories.

Page 778

Internal Only - General

6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are 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 779

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 780

Internal Only - General

6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are 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 781

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 782

Internal Only - General

6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are 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 783

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 784

Internal Only - General

6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are 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 785

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 786

Internal Only - General

6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are 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 787

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 788

Internal Only - General

6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are 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 789

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 790

Internal Only - General

6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are 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 791

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 792

Internal Only - General

6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are 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 793

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 794

Internal Only - General

6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are 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 795

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 796

Internal Only - General

6.1.10 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 797

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 798

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}')
}

Page 799

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002, T1548 TA0004, TA0005 M1022, M1028

Page 800

Internal Only - General

6.1.11 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 801

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

Page 802

Internal Only - General

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0007 M1022

Page 803

Internal Only - General

6.1.12 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 804

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_point; do
if ! grep -Pqs '^\h*\/run\/usr\b' <<< "$l_mount_point" && ! grep -Pqs -- '\bnoexec\b' <<< "$(findmnt -krn
"$l_mount_point")"; then
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_point" -xdev -type f $ -perm -2000 -o -perm -4000 $ -print0 2>/dev/null)
fi
done <<< "$(findmnt -Derno target)"
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 - There are 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

Page 805

Internal Only - General

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

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1548, T1548.001 TA0004 M1028

Page 806

Internal Only - General

6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are 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 807

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008, T1222,

TA0005 M1022
T1222.002

Page 808

Internal Only - General

6.2 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 809

Internal Only - General

6.2.1 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 810

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.

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest

v7 16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials ● ●

Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

Page 811

Internal Only - General

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008 TA0003 M1027

Page 812

Internal Only - General

6.2.2 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

Page 813

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

5.2 Use Unique Passwords

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 814

Internal Only - General

6.2.3 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 815

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

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 816

Internal Only - General

6.2.4 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 817

Internal Only - General

CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1003, T1003.008 TA0005 M1022

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6.2.5 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.
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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1027
T1078.003

Page 819

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6.2.6 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.

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MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0005 M1027
T1078.003

Page 821

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6.2.7 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/group | 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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0004 M1027
T1078.003

Page 822

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6.2.8 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

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1078, T1078.001,
TA0004 M1027
T1078.003

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6.2.9 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.

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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

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_heout2="" l_hoout2="" l_haout2=""
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
unset a_uarr && a_uarr=() # Clear and initialize array
while read -r l_epu l_eph; do # Populate array with users and user home location
a_uarr+=("$l_epu $l_eph")
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
l_asize="${#a_uarr[@]}" # Here if we want to look at number of users before proceeding
[ "$l_asize " -gt "10000" ] && echo -e "\n ** INFO **\n - \"$l_asize\" Local interactive users found on
the system\n - This may be a long running check\n"
while read -r l_user l_home; do
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
l_mask='0027'
l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
while read -r l_own l_mode; do
[ "$l_user" != "$l_own" ] && l_hoout2="$l_hoout2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is owned
by: \"$l_own\""
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_haout2="$l_haout2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" should be mode:
\"$l_max\" or more restrictive"
fi
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%U %#a' "$l_home")"
else
l_heout2="$l_heout2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" Doesn't exist"
fi
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_uarr[@]}")"
[ -z "$l_heout2" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - home directories exist" || l_output2="$l_output2$l_heout2"
[ -z "$l_hoout2" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - own their home directory" || l_output2="$l_output2$l_hoout2"
[ -z "$l_haout2" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - home directories are mode: \"$l_max\" or more restrictive"
|| l_output2="$l_output2$l_haout2"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && l_output=" - All local interactive users:$l_output"
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"
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"
fi
}

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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

{
l_output2=""
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
unset a_uarr && a_uarr=() # Clear and initialize array
while read -r l_epu l_eph; do # Populate array with users and user home location
a_uarr+=("$l_epu $l_eph")
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
l_asize="${#a_uarr[@]}" # Here if we want to look at number of users before proceeding
[ "$l_asize " -gt "10000" ] && echo -e "\n ** INFO **\n - \"$l_asize\" Local interactive users found on
the system\n - This may be a long running process\n"
while read -r l_user l_home; do
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
l_mask='0027'
l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
while read -r l_own l_mode; do
if [ "$l_user" != "$l_own" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is owned by: \"$l_own\"\n -
changing ownership to: \"$l_user\"\n"
chown "$l_user" "$l_home"
fi
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" should be
mode: \"$l_max\" or more restrictive\n - removing excess permissions\n"
chmod g-w,o-rwx "$l_home"
fi
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%U %#a' "$l_home")"
else
l_output2="$l_output2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home \"$l_home\" Doesn't exist\n - Please create a home
in accordance with local site policy"
fi
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_uarr[@]}")"
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then # If l_output2 is empty, we pass
echo -e " - No modification needed to local interactive users home directories"
else
echo -e "\n$l_output2"
fi
}

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CIS Controls:

Controls
Control IG 1 IG 2 IG 3
Version

3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.002 TA0005 M1022

Page 827

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6.2.10 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.

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#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_output="" l_output2="" l_output3=""
l_bf="" l_df="" l_nf="" l_hf=""
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
unset a_uarr && a_uarr=() # Clear and initialize array
while read -r l_epu l_eph; do # Populate array with users and user home location
[[ -n "$l_epu" && -n "$l_eph" ]] && a_uarr+=("$l_epu $l_eph")
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
l_asize="${#a_uarr[@]}" # Here if we want to look at number of users before proceeding
l_maxsize="1000" # Maximun number of local interactive users before warning (Default 1,000)
[ "$l_asize " -gt "$l_maxsize" ] && echo -e "\n ** INFO **\n - \"$l_asize\" Local interactive users found
on the system\n - This may be a long running check\n"
file_access_chk()
{
l_facout2=""
l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
l_facout2="$l_facout2\n - File: \"$l_hdfile\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" and should be mode: \"$l_max\" or
more restrictive"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_owner" =~ ($l_user) ]]; then
l_facout2="$l_facout2\n - File: \"$l_hdfile\" owned by: \"$l_owner\" and should be owned by
\"${l_user//|/ or }\""
fi
if [[ ! "$l_gowner" =~ ($l_group) ]]; then
l_facout2="$l_facout2\n - File: \"$l_hdfile\" group owned by: \"$l_gowner\" and should be group owned
by \"${l_group//|/ or }\""
fi
}
while read -r l_user l_home; do
l_fe="" l_nout2="" l_nout3="" l_dfout2="" l_hdout2="" l_bhout2=""
if [ -d "$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 "$l_hdfile")" in
.forward | .rhost )
l_fe="Y" && l_bf="Y"
l_dfout2="$l_dfout2\n - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists" ;;
.netrc )
l_mask='0177'
file_access_chk
if [ -n "$l_facout2" ]; then
l_fe="Y" && l_nf="Y"
l_nout2="$l_facout2"
else
l_nout3=" - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists"
fi ;;
.bash_history )
l_mask='0177'
file_access_chk
if [ -n "$l_facout2" ]; then
l_fe="Y" && l_hf="Y"
l_bhout2="$l_facout2"
fi ;;
* )
l_mask='0133'
file_access_chk
if [ -n "$l_facout2" ]; then
l_fe="Y" && l_df="Y"
l_hdout2="$l_facout2"
fi ;;
esac
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_hdfile")"
done < <(find "$l_home" -xdev -type f -name '.*' -print0)
fi
if [ "$l_fe" = "Y" ]; then
l_output2="$l_output2\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\""
[ -n "$l_dfout2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2$l_dfout2"
[ -n "$l_nout2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2$l_nout2"
[ -n "$l_bhout2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2$l_bhout2"
[ -n "$l_hdout2" ] && l_output2="$l_output2$l_hdout2"
fi
[ -n "$l_nout3" ] && l_output3="$l_output3\n - User: \"$l_user\" Home Directory: \"$l_home\"\n$l_nout3"
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_uarr[@]}")"
unset a_uarr # Remove array
[ -n "$l_output3" ] && l_output3=" - ** Warning **\n - \".netrc\" files should be removed unless deemed

Page 829

Internal Only - General

necessary\n and in accordance with local site policy:$l_output3"
[ -z "$l_bf" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - \".forward\" or \".rhost\" files"
[ -z "$l_nf" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - \".netrc\" files with incorrect access configured"
[ -z "$l_hf" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - \".bash_history\" files with incorrect access configured"
[ -z "$l_df" ] && l_output="$l_output\n - \"dot\" files with incorrect access configured"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && l_output=" - No local interactive users home directories contain:$l_output"
if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then # If l_output2 is empty, we pass
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** PASS **\n - * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
echo -e "$l_output3\n"
else
echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n ** FAIL **\n - * Reasons for audit failure * :\n$l_output2\n"
echo -e "$l_output3\n"
[ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "- * Correctly configured * :\n$l_output\n"
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

Page 831

Internal Only - General

#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
l_valid_shells="^($( awk -F\/ '$NF != "nologin" {print}' /etc/shells | sed -rn '/^\//{s,/,\\\\/,g;p}' |
paste -s -d '|' - ))$"
unset a_uarr && a_uarr=() # Clear and initialize array
while read -r l_epu l_eph; do # Populate array with users and user home location
[[ -n "$l_epu" && -n "$l_eph" ]] && a_uarr+=("$l_epu $l_eph")
done <<< "$(awk -v pat="$l_valid_shells" -F: '$(NF) ~ pat { print $1 " " $(NF-1) }' /etc/passwd)"
l_asize="${#a_uarr[@]}" # Here if we want to look at number of users before proceeding
l_maxsize="1000" # Maximum number of local interactive users before warning (Default 1,000)
[ "$l_asize " -gt "$l_maxsize" ] && echo -e "\n ** INFO **\n - \"$l_asize\" Local interactive users found
on the system\n - This may be a long running check\n"
file_access_fix()
{
l_facout2=""
l_max="$( printf '%o' $(( 0777 & ~$l_mask)) )"
if [ $(( $l_mode & $l_mask )) -gt 0 ]; then
echo -e " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" is mode: \"$l_mode\" and should be mode: \"$l_max\" or more
restrictive\n - Changing to mode \"$l_max\""
chmod "$l_chp" "$l_hdfile"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_owner" =~ ($l_user) ]]; then
echo -e " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" owned by: \"$l_owner\" and should be owned by \"${l_user//|/ or }\"\n
- Changing ownership to \"$l_user\""
chown "$l_user" "$l_hdfile"
fi
if [[ ! "$l_gowner" =~ ($l_group) ]]; then
echo -e " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" group owned by: \"$l_gowner\" and should be group owned by
\"${l_group//|/ or }\"\n - Changing group ownership to \"$l_group\""
chgrp "$l_group" "$l_hdfile"
fi
}
while read -r l_user l_home; do
if [ -d "$l_home" ]; then
echo -e "\n - Checking user: \"$l_user\" home directory: \"$l_home\""
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 "$l_hdfile")" in
.forward | .rhost )
echo -e " - File: \"$l_hdfile\" exists\n - Please investigate and manually delete
\"$l_hdfile\""
;;
.netrc )
l_mask='0177'
l_chp="u-x,go-rwx"
file_access_fix ;;
.bash_history )
l_mask='0177'
l_chp="u-x,go-rwx"
file_access_fix ;;
* )
l_mask='0133'
l_chp="u-x,go-wx"
file_access_fix ;;
esac
done <<< "$(stat -Lc '%#a %U %G' "$l_hdfile")"
done < <(find "$l_home" -xdev -type f -name '.*' -print0)
fi
done <<< "$(printf '%s\n' "${a_uarr[@]}")"
unset a_uarr # Remove array
}

Page 832

Internal Only - General

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

14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings:

Techniques / Sub-
Tactics Mitigations
techniques

T1222, T1222.001,
T1222.002, T1552, TA0005 M1022
T1552.003, T1552.004

Page 833

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Appendix: Summary Table
CIS Benchmark Recommendation Set
Correctly

Yes No

1 Initial Setup

1.1 Filesystem Configuration

1.1.1 Disable unused filesystems

1.1.1.1 Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled  

(Automated)

1.1.2 Configure /tmp

1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition (Automated)  

1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition (Automated)  

1.1.3 Configure /var

Page 834

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CIS Benchmark Recommendation Set
Correctly

Yes No

1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var (Automated)  

1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition (Automated)  

1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition (Automated)  

1.1.4 Configure /var/tmp

1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp (Automated)  

1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  

(Automated)

1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  

(Automated)

1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  

(Automated)

1.1.5 Configure /var/log

1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log (Automated)  

1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  

(Automated)

1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  

(Automated)

1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  

(Automated)

1.1.6 Configure /var/log/audit

1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  

(Automated)

1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  

(Automated)

1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  

(Automated)

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1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  

(Automated)

1.1.7 Configure /home

1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home (Automated)  

1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition (Automated)  

1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition (Automated)  

1.1.8 Configure /dev/shm

1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  

(Automated)

1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  

(Automated)

1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  

(Automated)

1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is  

disabled (Automated)

1.1.10 Disable USB Storage (Automated)  

1.2 Configure Filesystem Integrity Checking

1.2.1 Ensure AIDE is installed (Automated)  

1.2.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  

(Automated)

1.3 Configure Software and Patch Management

1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security  

software are installed (Manual)

1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  

(Manual)

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1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured (Manual)  

1.4 Configure Secure Boot Settings

1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set (Automated)  

1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  

(Automated)

1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode  

(Automated)

1.5 Configure Additional Process Hardening

1.5.1 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted (Automated)  

1.5.2 Ensure core dumps are restricted (Automated)  

1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is  

enabled (Automated)

1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed (Automated)  

1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  

(Automated)

1.6 Mandatory Access Control

1.6.1 Configure AppArmor

1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed (Automated)  

1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader  

configuration (Automated)

1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain  

mode (Automated)

1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing (Automated)  

1.7 Configure Command Line Warning Banners

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1.7.1 Ensure message of the day is configured properly  

(Automated)

1.7.2 Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly  

(Automated)

1.7.3 Ensure remote login warning banner is configured  

properly (Automated)

1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  

(Automated)

1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  

(Automated)

1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  

(Automated)

1.8 Configure GNOME Display Manager

1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager is removed  

(Automated)

1.8.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured (Automated)  

1.8.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled  

(Automated)

1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  

(Automated)

1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

(Automated)

1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is  

disabled (Automated)

1.8.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable  

media is not overridden (Automated)

1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled (Automated)  

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1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  

(Automated)

1.8.10 Ensure XDCMP is not enabled (Automated)  

2 Services

2.1 Configure Time Synchronization

2.1.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use

2.1.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  

(Automated)

2.1.2 Configure chrony

2.1.2.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  

(Manual)

2.1.2.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony (Automated)  

2.1.2.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running (Automated)  

2.1.3 Configure systemd-timesyncd

2.1.3.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized  

timeserver (Automated)

2.1.3.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  

(Manual)

2.1.4 Configure ntp

2.1.4.1 Ensure ntp access control is configured (Automated)  

2.1.4.2 Ensure ntp is configured with authorized timeserver  

(Manual)

2.1.4.3 Ensure ntp is running as user ntp (Automated)  

2.1.4.4 Ensure ntp is enabled and running (Automated)  

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2.2 Special Purpose Services

2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.2 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.3 Ensure CUPS is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.4 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.5 Ensure LDAP server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.6 Ensure NFS is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.7 Ensure DNS Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.8 Ensure FTP Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.9 Ensure HTTP server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.10 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed  

(Automated)

2.2.11 Ensure Samba is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.12 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.13 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.14 Ensure NIS Server is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.15 Ensure dnsmasq is not installed (Automated)  

2.2.16 Ensure mail transfer agent is configured for local-only  

mode (Automated)

2.2.17 Ensure rsync service is either not installed or is masked  

(Automated)

2.3 Service Clients

2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed (Automated)  

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2.3.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed (Automated)  

2.3.3 Ensure talk client is not installed (Automated)  

2.3.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed (Automated)  

2.3.5 Ensure LDAP client is not installed (Automated)  

2.3.6 Ensure RPC is not installed (Automated)  

2.4 Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked  

(Manual)

3 Network

3.1 Configure Network Devices

3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified (Manual)  

3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled (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)

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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)  

3.3.11 Ensure ipv6 router advertisements are not accepted  

(Automated)

3.4 Firewall Configuration

3.4.1 Configure UncomplicatedFirewall

3.4.1.1 Ensure ufw is installed (Automated)  

3.4.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  

(Automated)

3.4.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled (Automated)  

3.4.1.4 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured (Automated)  

3.4.1.5 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  

(Manual)

3.4.1.6 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
(Automated)

3.4.1.7 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

3.4.2 Configure nftables

3.4.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed (Automated)  

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3.4.2.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  

(Automated)

3.4.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables (Manual)  

3.4.2.4 Ensure a nftables table exists (Automated)  

3.4.2.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist (Automated)  

3.4.2.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  

(Automated)

3.4.2.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections  

are configured (Manual)

3.4.2.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

3.4.2.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled (Automated)  

3.4.2.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent (Automated)  

3.4.3 Configure iptables

3.4.3.1 Configure iptables software

3.4.3.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed (Automated)  

3.4.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed with iptables (Automated)  

3.4.3.1.3 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with iptables  

(Automated)

3.4.3.2 Configure IPv4 iptables

3.4.3.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

3.4.3.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  

(Automated)

3.4.3.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections  

are configured (Manual)

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3.4.3.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
(Automated)

3.4.3.3 Configure IPv6 ip6tables

3.4.3.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy (Automated)  

3.4.3.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  

(Automated)

3.4.3.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections  

are configured (Manual)

3.4.3.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
(Automated)

4 Access, Authentication and Authorization

4.1 Configure time-based job schedulers

4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active (Automated)  

4.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured  

(Automated)

4.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured  

(Automated)

4.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured  

(Automated)

4.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured  

(Automated)

4.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured  

(Automated)

4.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured  

(Automated)

4.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users  

(Automated)

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4.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users (Automated)  

4.2 Configure SSH Server

4.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are  

configured (Automated)

4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured  

(Automated)

4.2.3 Ensure sshd access is configured (Automated)  

4.2.4 Ensure sshd Banner is configured (Automated)  

4.2.5 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured (Automated)  

4.2.6 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and  

ClientAliveCountMax are configured (Automated)

4.2.7 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled (Automated)  

4.2.8 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  

(Automated)

4.2.9 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  

(Automated)

4.2.10 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled (Automated)  

4.2.11 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured (Automated)  

4.2.12 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured (Automated)  

4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured (Automated)  

4.2.14 Ensure sshd MACs are configured (Automated)  

4.2.15 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured (Automated)  

4.2.16 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured (Automated)  

4.2.17 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured (Automated)  

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4.2.18 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  

(Automated)

4.2.19 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled (Automated)  

4.2.20 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled  

(Automated)

4.2.21 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled (Automated)  

4.3 Configure privilege escalation

4.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed (Automated)  

4.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty (Automated)  

4.3.3 Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated)  

4.3.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege  

escalation (Automated)

4.3.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not  

disabled globally (Automated)

4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured  

correctly (Automated)

4.3.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  

(Automated)

4.4 Configure PAM

4.4.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured  

(Automated)

4.4.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is  

configured (Automated)

4.4.3 Ensure password reuse is limited (Automated)  

4.4.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  

(Automated)

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4.4.5 Ensure all current passwords uses the configured  

hashing algorithm (Manual)

4.5 User Accounts and Environment

4.5.1 Set Shadow Password Suite Parameters

4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is  

configured (Automated)

4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less  

(Automated)

4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more  

(Automated)

4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less  

(Automated)

4.5.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
(Automated)

4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new  

password is configured (Automated)

4.5.1.7 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  

(Automated)

4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured (Automated)  

4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0  

(Automated)

4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive  

(Automated)

4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  

(Automated)

4.5.6 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells (Automated)  

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4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive  

characters in a password is configured (Automated)

5 Logging and Auditing

5.1 Configure Logging

5.1.1 Configure journald

5.1.1.1 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to a remote log host

5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed (Automated)  

5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured (Manual)  

5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled (Manual)  

5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a  

remote client (Automated)

5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled (Automated)  

5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files  

(Automated)

5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to  

persistent disk (Automated)

5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog  

(Manual)

5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy  

(Manual)

5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured  

(Manual)

5.1.2 Configure rsyslog

5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated)  

5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled (Automated)  

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5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  

(Manual)

5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  

(Automated)

5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured (Manual)  

5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log  

host (Manual)

5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a  

remote client (Automated)

5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  

(Automated)

5.2 Configure System Accounting (auditd)

5.2.1 Ensure auditing is enabled

5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed (Automated)  

5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active (Automated)  

5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is  

enabled (Automated)

5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient (Automated)  

5.2.2 Configure Data Retention

5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured (Automated)  

5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  

(Automated)

5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  

(Automated)

5.2.3 Configure auditd rules

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5.2.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope  

(sudoers) is collected (Automated)

5.2.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  

(Automated)

5.2.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
(Automated)

5.2.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are  
collected (Automated)

5.2.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network  

environment are collected (Automated)

5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  

(Automated)

5.2.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  

(Automated)

5.2.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are  

collected (Automated)

5.2.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission  

modification events are collected (Automated)

5.2.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  

(Automated)

5.2.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  

(Automated)

5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  

(Automated)

5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  

(Automated)

5.2.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory  

Access Controls are collected (Automated)

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5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

chcon command are recorded (Automated)

5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

setfacl command are recorded (Automated)

5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

chacl command are recorded (Automated)

5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the  

usermod command are recorded (Automated)

5.2.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and  

modification is collected (Automated)

5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable (Automated)  

5.2.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  

(Manual)

5.2.4 Configure auditd file access

5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive  
(Automated)

5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files  

(Automated)

5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership  

of audit log files (Automated)

5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive  

(Automated)

5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more  

restrictive (Automated)

5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root  

(Automated)

5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root  

(Automated)

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5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive  

(Automated)

5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root (Automated)  

5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root (Automated)  

5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect  

the integrity of audit tools (Automated)

6 System Maintenance

6.1 System File Permissions

6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured  

(Automated)

6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are  

configured (Automated)

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CIS Benchmark Recommendation Set
Correctly

Yes No

6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  

(Automated)

6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a  

group exist (Automated)

6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed (Manual)  

6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured  

(Automated)

6.2 Local User and Group Settings

6.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed  

passwords (Automated)

6.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  

(Automated)

6.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  

(Automated)

6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty (Automated)  

6.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist (Automated)  

6.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist (Automated)  

6.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist (Automated)  

6.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist (Automated)  

6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are  

configured (Automated)

6.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is  

configured (Automated)

Page 853

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Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 1 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
 
disabled
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage  

Page 854

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed  
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
 
mode
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  
1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed  
2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed  
3.3.9 Ensure suspicious packets are logged  
3.4.1.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
3.4.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
3.4.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
3.4.1.4 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.1.5 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
3.4.1.6 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.1.7 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
3.4.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
3.4.2.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
3.4.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
3.4.2.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
3.4.2.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
3.4.2.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.2.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.2.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.2.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
3.4.2.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
3.4.3.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
3.4.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed with iptables  
3.4.3.1.3 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with iptables  
3.4.3.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.3.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.3.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.3.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.3.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.3.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.3.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.3.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured  
4.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured  
4.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured  
4.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured  
4.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured  
4.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured  
4.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users  
4.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users  
4.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are
 
configured

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured  
4.2.3 Ensure sshd access is configured  
4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
4.2.17 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured  
4.2.19 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
4.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
4.3.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
4.3.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured
 
correctly
4.3.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured  
4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0  
4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive  
4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured  
5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled  
5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled  
5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files  
5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to
 
persistent disk
5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy  
5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured  
5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled  
5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured  
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  
5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed  
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient  
5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are recorded
5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are recorded
5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are recorded
5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are recorded
5.2.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive  
5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files  
5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership
 
of audit log files
5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more
 
restrictive
5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root  
5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root  
5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root  
5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect
 
the integrity of audit tools
6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured  
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured  
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured  
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured  
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured  
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured  
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured  
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured  
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are
 
configured
6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured  
6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
6.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

Page 859

Internal Only - General

Appendix: CIS Controls v7 IG 2 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.1 Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled  
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
 
disabled
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage  
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  
1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode  
1.5.1 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is
 
enabled
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed  
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
 
mode
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  
1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager is removed  
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  
1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled

Page 861

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.8.10 Ensure XDCMP is not enabled  
2.1.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.1.2.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.1.2.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony  
2.1.2.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.1.3.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.1.3.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.1.4.1 Ensure ntp access control is configured  
2.1.4.2 Ensure ntp is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.1.4.3 Ensure ntp is running as user ntp  
2.1.4.4 Ensure ntp is enabled and running  
2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure CUPS is not installed  
2.2.4 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure LDAP server is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure NFS is not installed  
2.2.7 Ensure DNS Server is not installed  
2.2.8 Ensure FTP Server is not installed  
2.2.9 Ensure HTTP server is not installed  
2.2.10 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed  
2.2.11 Ensure Samba is not installed  
2.2.12 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed  
2.2.13 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed  
2.2.14 Ensure NIS Server is not installed  
2.2.15 Ensure dnsmasq is not installed  
2.2.16 Ensure mail transfer agent is configured for local-only
 
mode
2.2.17 Ensure rsync service is either not installed or is masked  

Page 862

Internal Only - General

Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed  
2.3.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed  
2.3.3 Ensure talk client is not installed  
2.3.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed  
2.3.5 Ensure LDAP client is not installed  
2.3.6 Ensure RPC is not installed  
2.4 Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked  
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  
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  
3.4.1.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
3.4.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
3.4.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
3.4.1.4 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.1.5 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
3.4.1.6 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.1.7 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
3.4.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
3.4.2.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
3.4.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
3.4.2.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
3.4.2.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
3.4.2.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.2.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.2.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.2.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
3.4.2.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
3.4.3.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
3.4.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed with iptables  
3.4.3.1.3 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with iptables  
3.4.3.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.3.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.3.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.3.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.3.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.3.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.3.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.3.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured  
4.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured  
4.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured  
4.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured  
4.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured  
4.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured  
4.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users  
4.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are
 
configured
4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured  
4.2.3 Ensure sshd access is configured  
4.2.5 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled  
4.2.8 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
4.2.10 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
4.2.11 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured  
4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
4.2.14 Ensure sshd MACs are configured  
4.2.17 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured  
4.2.18 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
4.2.19 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
4.2.21 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
4.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
4.3.3 Ensure sudo log file exists  
4.3.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
4.3.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured
 
correctly
4.3.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
4.4.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured  
4.4.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured  
4.4.3 Ensure password reuse is limited  
4.4.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
4.4.5 Ensure all current passwords uses the configured
 
hashing algorithm
4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is
 
configured

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less  
4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more  
4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less  
4.5.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new
 
password is configured
4.5.1.7 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured  
4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0  
4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive  
4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive
 
characters in a password is configured
5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured  
5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled  
5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled  
5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files  
5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to
 
persistent disk
5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy  
5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured  
5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled  
5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured  
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  
5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed  
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient  
5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
5.2.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
5.2.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
5.2.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
5.2.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
5.2.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
5.2.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
5.2.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
5.2.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
5.2.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
5.2.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are recorded
5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are recorded

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are recorded
5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are recorded
5.2.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
5.2.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive  
5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files  
5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership
 
of audit log files
5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more
 
restrictive
5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root  
5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root  
5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root  
5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root  
5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect
 
the integrity of audit tools
6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured  
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured  
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured  
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured  
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured  
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured  
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured  
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured  
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are
 
configured
6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured  
6.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords
6.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
6.2.10 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 mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled  
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
 
disabled
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage  
1.2.1 Ensure AIDE is installed  
1.2.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  
1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode  
1.5.1 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is
 
enabled
1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed  
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed  
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
 
mode
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  
1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager is removed  
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  
1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.8.10 Ensure XDCMP is not enabled  
2.1.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.1.2.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.1.2.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony  
2.1.2.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.1.3.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.1.3.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.1.4.1 Ensure ntp access control is configured  
2.1.4.2 Ensure ntp is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.1.4.3 Ensure ntp is running as user ntp  
2.1.4.4 Ensure ntp is enabled and running  
2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure CUPS is not installed  
2.2.4 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure LDAP server is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure NFS is not installed  
2.2.7 Ensure DNS Server is not installed  
2.2.8 Ensure FTP Server is not installed  
2.2.9 Ensure HTTP server is not installed  
2.2.10 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed  
2.2.11 Ensure Samba is not installed  
2.2.12 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed  
2.2.13 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed  
2.2.14 Ensure NIS Server is not installed  
2.2.15 Ensure dnsmasq is not installed  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
2.2.16 Ensure mail transfer agent is configured for local-only
 
mode
2.2.17 Ensure rsync service is either not installed or is masked  
2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed  
2.3.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed  
2.3.3 Ensure talk client is not installed  
2.3.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed  
2.3.5 Ensure LDAP client is not installed  
2.3.6 Ensure RPC is not installed  
2.4 Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked  
3.1.1 Ensure IPv6 status is identified  
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled  
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  
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  
3.4.1.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
3.4.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
3.4.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
3.4.1.4 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.1.5 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
3.4.1.6 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.1.7 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
3.4.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
3.4.2.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  
3.4.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed with nftables  
3.4.2.4 Ensure a nftables table exists  
3.4.2.5 Ensure nftables base chains exist  
3.4.2.6 Ensure nftables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.2.7 Ensure nftables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.2.8 Ensure nftables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.2.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled  
3.4.2.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent  
3.4.3.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed  
3.4.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed with iptables  
3.4.3.1.3 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with iptables  
3.4.3.2.1 Ensure iptables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.3.2.2 Ensure iptables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.3.2.3 Ensure iptables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.3.2.4 Ensure iptables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.3.3.1 Ensure ip6tables default deny firewall policy  
3.4.3.3.2 Ensure ip6tables loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.3.3.3 Ensure ip6tables outbound and established connections
 
are configured
3.4.3.3.4 Ensure ip6tables firewall rules exist for all open ports  
4.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured  
4.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured  
4.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured  
4.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured  
4.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured  
4.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users  
4.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users  
4.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are
 
configured
4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured  
4.2.3 Ensure sshd access is configured  
4.2.5 Ensure sshd Ciphers are configured  
4.2.7 Ensure sshd DisableForwarding is enabled  
4.2.8 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
4.2.10 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
4.2.11 Ensure sshd KexAlgorithms is configured  
4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
4.2.14 Ensure sshd MACs are configured  
4.2.15 Ensure sshd MaxAuthTries is configured  
4.2.17 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured  
4.2.18 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
4.2.19 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
4.2.21 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
4.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
4.3.3 Ensure sudo log file exists  
4.3.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
4.3.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured
 
correctly
4.3.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
4.4.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured  
4.4.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.4.3 Ensure password reuse is limited  
4.4.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
4.4.5 Ensure all current passwords uses the configured
 
hashing algorithm
4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is
 
configured
4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less  
4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more  
4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less  
4.5.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new
 
password is configured
4.5.1.7 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured  
4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0  
4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive  
4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive
 
characters in a password is configured
5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured  
5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled  
5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled  
5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files  
5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to
 
persistent disk
5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy  
5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured  
5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured  
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  
5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed  
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient  
5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
5.2.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
5.2.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
5.2.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
5.2.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
5.2.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
5.2.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  
5.2.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
5.2.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
5.2.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
5.2.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  
5.2.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are recorded
5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are recorded
5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are recorded
5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are recorded
5.2.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
5.2.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive  
5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files  
5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership
 
of audit log files
5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more
 
restrictive
5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root  
5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root  
5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root  
5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root  
5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect
 
the integrity of audit tools
6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured  
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured  
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured  
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured  
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured  
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured  
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured  
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are
 
configured
6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured  
6.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords
6.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
6.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

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Appendix: CIS Controls v7 Unmapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.5.2 Ensure core dumps are restricted  
1.7.1 Ensure message of the day is configured properly  
1.7.2 Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly  
1.7.3 Ensure remote login warning banner is configured
 
properly
1.8.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured  
1.8.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled  
1.8.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable
 
media is not overridden
4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active  
4.2.4 Ensure sshd Banner is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax
 
are configured
4.2.9 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
4.2.12 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured  
4.2.16 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured  
4.2.20 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled  
4.5.6 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells  
6.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  
6.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist  
6.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist  
6.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist  
6.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist  

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Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 1 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
 
disabled

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage  
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  
1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode  
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed  
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
 
mode
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  
1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
3.4.1.1 Ensure ufw is installed  
3.4.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed with ufw  
3.4.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled  
3.4.1.4 Ensure ufw loopback traffic is configured  
3.4.1.5 Ensure ufw outbound connections are configured  
3.4.1.6 Ensure ufw firewall rules exist for all open ports  
3.4.1.7 Ensure ufw default deny firewall policy  
3.4.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed  
3.4.2.2 Ensure ufw is uninstalled or disabled with nftables  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.2.2 Ensure access to SSH key files is configured  
4.2.3 Ensure sshd access is configured  
4.2.8 Ensure sshd GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled  
4.2.10 Ensure sshd IgnoreRhosts is enabled  
4.2.13 Ensure sshd LogLevel is configured  
4.2.17 Ensure sshd MaxStartups is configured  
4.2.18 Ensure sshd PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled  
4.2.19 Ensure sshd PermitRootLogin is disabled  
4.2.21 Ensure sshd UsePAM is enabled  
4.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed  
4.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty  
4.3.4 Ensure users must provide password for privilege
 
escalation
4.3.5 Ensure re-authentication for privilege escalation is not
 
disabled globally
4.3.6 Ensure sudo authentication timeout is configured
 
correctly
4.3.7 Ensure access to the su command is restricted  
4.4.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured  
4.4.3 Ensure password reuse is limited  
4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is
 
configured
4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less  
4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more  
4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less  
4.5.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new
 
password is configured
4.5.1.7 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured  
4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0  
4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive  
4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive
 
characters in a password is configured
5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured  
5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled  
5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled  
5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files  
5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to
 
persistent disk
5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy  
5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured  
5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled  
5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured  
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient  
5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are recorded

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are recorded
5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are recorded
5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are recorded
5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive  
5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files  
5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership
 
of audit log files
5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more
 
restrictive
5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root  
5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root  
5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root  
5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root  
5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect
 
the integrity of audit tools
6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured  
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured  
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured  
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured  
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured  
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured  
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured  
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured  
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are
 
configured
6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured  
6.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
6.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  
6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
6.2.10 Ensure local interactive user dot files access is
 
configured

Page 887

Internal Only - General

Appendix: CIS Controls v8 IG 2 Mapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.1.1 Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled  
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
 
disabled
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage  
1.2.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  
1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode  
1.5.1 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is
 
enabled
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed  
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
 
mode
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  
1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager is removed  
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  
1.8.5 Ensure GDM screen locks cannot be overridden  

Page 889

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.8.6 Ensure GDM automatic mounting of removable media is
 
disabled
1.8.8 Ensure GDM autorun-never is enabled  
1.8.9 Ensure GDM autorun-never is not overridden  
1.8.10 Ensure XDCMP is not enabled  
2.1.1.1 Ensure a single time synchronization daemon is in use  
2.1.2.1 Ensure chrony is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.1.2.2 Ensure chrony is running as user _chrony  
2.1.2.3 Ensure chrony is enabled and running  
2.1.3.1 Ensure systemd-timesyncd configured with authorized
 
timeserver
2.1.3.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is enabled and running  
2.1.4.1 Ensure ntp access control is configured  
2.1.4.2 Ensure ntp is configured with authorized timeserver  
2.1.4.3 Ensure ntp is running as user ntp  
2.1.4.4 Ensure ntp is enabled and running  
2.2.1 Ensure X Window System is not installed  
2.2.2 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed  
2.2.3 Ensure CUPS is not installed  
2.2.4 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed  
2.2.5 Ensure LDAP server is not installed  
2.2.6 Ensure NFS is not installed  
2.2.7 Ensure DNS Server is not installed  
2.2.8 Ensure FTP Server is not installed  
2.2.9 Ensure HTTP server is not installed  
2.2.10 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed  
2.2.11 Ensure Samba is not installed  
2.2.12 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed  
2.2.13 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed  
2.2.14 Ensure NIS Server is not installed  
2.2.15 Ensure dnsmasq is not installed  

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Page 893

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
4.4.4 Ensure strong password hashing algorithm is configured  
4.4.5 Ensure all current passwords uses the configured
 
hashing algorithm
4.5.1.1 Ensure minimum days between password changes is
 
configured
4.5.1.2 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less  
4.5.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more  
4.5.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less  
4.5.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past  
4.5.1.6 Ensure the number of changed characters in a new
 
password is configured
4.5.1.7 Ensure password dictionary check is enabled  
4.5.2 Ensure system accounts are secured  
4.5.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0  
4.5.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive  
4.5.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is configured  
4.5.7 Ensure maximum number of same consecutive
 
characters in a password is configured
5.1.1.1.1 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is installed  
5.1.1.1.2 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is configured  
5.1.1.1.3 Ensure systemd-journal-remote is enabled  
5.1.1.1.4 Ensure journald is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.1.2 Ensure journald service is enabled  
5.1.1.3 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files  
5.1.1.4 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to
 
persistent disk
5.1.1.5 Ensure journald is not configured to send logs to rsyslog  
5.1.1.6 Ensure journald log rotation is configured per site policy  
5.1.1.7 Ensure journald default file permissions configured  
5.1.2.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed  
5.1.2.2 Ensure rsyslog service is enabled  
5.1.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured  
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  
5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed  
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient  
5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
5.2.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
5.2.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
5.2.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
5.2.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
5.2.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
5.2.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  
5.2.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
5.2.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
5.2.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
5.2.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.2.3.14 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory
 
Access Controls are collected
5.2.3.15 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chcon command are recorded
5.2.3.16 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
setfacl command are recorded
5.2.3.17 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
chacl command are recorded
5.2.3.18 Ensure successful and unsuccessful attempts to use the
 
usermod command are recorded
5.2.3.19 Ensure kernel module loading unloading and modification
 
is collected
5.2.3.20 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable  
5.2.3.21 Ensure the running and on disk configuration is the same  
5.2.4.1 Ensure audit log files are mode 0640 or less permissive  
5.2.4.2 Ensure only authorized users own audit log files  
5.2.4.3 Ensure only authorized groups are assigned ownership
 
of audit log files
5.2.4.4 Ensure the audit log directory is 0750 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.5 Ensure audit configuration files are 640 or more
 
restrictive
5.2.4.6 Ensure audit configuration files are owned by root  
5.2.4.7 Ensure audit configuration files belong to group root  
5.2.4.8 Ensure audit tools are 755 or more restrictive  
5.2.4.9 Ensure audit tools are owned by root  
5.2.4.10 Ensure audit tools belong to group root  
5.2.4.11 Ensure cryptographic mechanisms are used to protect
 
the integrity of audit tools
6.1.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured  
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured  
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured  
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured  
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured  
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured  
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured  
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/security/opasswd are
 
configured
6.1.10 Ensure world writable files and directories are secured  
6.1.11 Ensure no files or directories without an owner and a
 
group exist
6.1.12 Ensure SUID and SGID files are reviewed  
6.1.13 Ensure permissions on /etc/shells are configured  
6.2.1 Ensure accounts in /etc/passwd use shadowed
 
passwords
6.2.2 Ensure /etc/shadow password fields are not empty  
6.2.3 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group  
6.2.4 Ensure shadow group is empty  
6.2.9 Ensure local interactive user home directories are
 
configured
6.2.10 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 mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of squashfs filesystems is disabled  
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled  
1.1.2.1 Ensure /tmp is a separate partition  
1.1.2.2 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.3 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.2.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition  
1.1.3.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var  
1.1.3.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var partition  
1.1.3.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /var partition  
1.1.4.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp  
1.1.4.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.4.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition  
1.1.5.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log  
1.1.5.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.5.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log partition  
1.1.6.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit  
1.1.6.2 Ensure nodev option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.6.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/log/audit partition  
1.1.7.1 Ensure separate partition exists for /home  

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.1.7.2 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition  
1.1.7.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /home partition  
1.1.8.1 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.2 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.8.3 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition  
1.1.9 Ensure autofs is not installed or the autofs service is
 
disabled
1.1.10 Disable USB Storage  
1.2.1 Ensure AIDE is installed  
1.2.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked  
1.3.1 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security
 
software are installed
1.3.2 Ensure package manager repositories are configured  
1.3.3 Ensure GPG keys are configured  
1.4.1 Ensure bootloader password is set  
1.4.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured  
1.4.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode  
1.5.1 Ensure ptrace_scope is restricted  
1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is
 
enabled
1.5.4 Ensure prelink is not installed  
1.5.5 Ensure Automatic Error Reporting is not enabled  
1.6.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed  
1.6.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
 
configuration
1.6.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
 
mode
1.6.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing  
1.7.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured  
1.7.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured  
1.7.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured  
1.8.1 Ensure GNOME Display Manager is removed  
1.8.4 Ensure GDM screen locks when the user is idle  

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Page 904

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Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
5.1.2.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions are configured  
5.1.2.5 Ensure logging is configured  
5.1.2.6 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
 
host
5.1.2.7 Ensure rsyslog is not configured to receive logs from a
 
remote client
5.1.3 Ensure all logfiles have appropriate access configured  
5.2.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed  
5.2.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled and active  
5.2.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
 
enabled
5.2.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient  
5.2.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured  
5.2.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted  
5.2.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full  
5.2.3.1 Ensure changes to system administration scope
 
(sudoers) is collected
5.2.3.2 Ensure actions as another user are always logged  
5.2.3.3 Ensure events that modify the sudo log file are collected  
5.2.3.4 Ensure events that modify date and time information are
 
collected
5.2.3.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network
 
environment are collected
5.2.3.6 Ensure use of privileged commands are collected  
5.2.3.7 Ensure unsuccessful file access attempts are collected  
5.2.3.8 Ensure events that modify user/group information are
 
collected
5.2.3.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission
 
modification events are collected
5.2.3.10 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected  
5.2.3.11 Ensure session initiation information is collected  
5.2.3.12 Ensure login and logout events are collected  
5.2.3.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected  

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Page 906

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Page 907

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Appendix: CIS Controls v8 Unmapped
Recommendations
Recommendation Set
Correctly
Yes No
1.5.2 Ensure core dumps are restricted  
1.7.1 Ensure message of the day is configured properly  
1.7.2 Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly  
1.7.3 Ensure remote login warning banner is configured
 
properly
1.8.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured  
1.8.3 Ensure GDM disable-user-list option is enabled  
1.8.7 Ensure GDM disabling automatic mounting of removable
 
media is not overridden
4.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and active  
4.2.4 Ensure sshd Banner is configured  
4.2.6 Ensure sshd ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax
 
are configured
4.2.9 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled  
4.2.12 Ensure sshd LoginGraceTime is configured  
4.2.16 Ensure sshd MaxSessions is configured  
4.2.20 Ensure sshd PermitUserEnvironment is disabled  
4.4.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured  
4.5.6 Ensure nologin is not listed in /etc/shells  
6.2.5 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist  
6.2.6 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist  
6.2.7 Ensure no duplicate user names exist  
6.2.8 Ensure no duplicate group names exist  

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Appendix: Change History
ADDED RECOMMENDATIONS

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.6 - Ensure mounting of

squashfs filesystems is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.1 - Ensure /tmp is a

separate partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.3.2 - Ensure nodev option set

on /var partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.3.3 - Ensure nosuid option

set on /var partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.4.2 - Ensure nodev option set

on /var/tmp partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.4.3 - Ensure noexec option

set on /var/tmp partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.4.4 - Ensure nosuid option

set on /var/tmp partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.5.2 - Ensure nodev option set

on /var/log partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.5.3 - Ensure noexec option

set on /var/log partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.5.4 - Ensure nosuid option

set on /var/log partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.6.2 - Ensure nodev option set

on /var/log/audit partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.6.3 - Ensure noexec option

set on /var/log/audit partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.6.4 - Ensure nosuid option

set on /var/log/audit partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.7.2 - Ensure nodev option set

on /home partition

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3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.7.3 - Ensure nosuid option
set on /home partition

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.9 - Ensure autofs is not

installed or the autofs service is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.1 - Ensure ptrace_scope is

restricted

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.4 - Ensure prelink is not

installed

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.5 - Ensure Automatic Error

Reporting is not enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.3 - Ensure GDM disable-

user-list option is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.4 - Ensure GDM screen locks

when the user is idle

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.5 - Ensure GDM screen locks

cannot be overridden

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.6 - Ensure GDM automatic

mounting of removable media is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.7 - Ensure GDM disabling

automatic mounting of removable media is not overridden

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.8 - Ensure GDM autorun-

never is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.9 - Ensure GDM autorun-

never is not overridden

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.1.1 - Ensure a single time

synchronization daemon is in use

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.2.1 - Ensure chrony is

configured with authorized timeserver

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.2.2 - Ensure chrony is

running as user _chrony

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.2.3 - Ensure chrony is

enabled and running

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3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.3.1 - Ensure systemd-
timesyncd configured with authorized timeserver

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.3.2 - Ensure systemd-

timesyncd is enabled and running

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.1 - Ensure ntp access

control is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.2 - Ensure ntp is configured

with authorized timeserver

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.3 - Ensure ntp is running as

user ntp

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.4.4 - Ensure ntp is enabled

and running

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.15 - Ensure dnsmasq is not

installed

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.17 - Ensure rsync service is

either not installed or is masked

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.1 - Ensure IPv6 status is

identified

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.3 - Ensure bluetooth services

are not in use

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.1 - Ensure dccp kernel

module is not available

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.2 - Ensure tipc kernel module

is not available

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.3 - Ensure rds kernel module

is not available

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.4 - Ensure sctp kernel

module is not available

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.1 - Ensure ip forwarding is

disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.10 - Ensure tcp syn cookies

is enabled

Page 911

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.11 - Ensure ipv6 router
advertisements are not accepted

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.3 - Ensure bogus icmp

responses are ignored

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.4 - Ensure broadcast icmp

requests are ignored

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.5 - Ensure icmp redirects are

not accepted

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.6 - Ensure secure icmp

redirects are not accepted

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.7 - Ensure reverse path

filtering is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.1 - Ensure cron daemon is

enabled and active

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.10 - Ensure sshd

IgnoreRhosts is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.11 - Ensure sshd

KexAlgorithms is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.12 - Ensure sshd

LoginGraceTime is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.13 - Ensure sshd LogLevel is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.14 - Ensure sshd MACs are

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.15 - Ensure sshd

MaxAuthTries is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.16 - Ensure sshd

MaxSessions is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.17 - Ensure sshd

MaxStartups is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.18 - Ensure sshd

PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled

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3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.19 - Ensure sshd
PermitRootLogin is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.2 - Ensure access to SSH

key files is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.20 - Ensure sshd

PermitUserEnvironment is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.21 - Ensure sshd UsePAM is

enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.3 - Ensure sshd access is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.4 - Ensure sshd Banner is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.5 - Ensure sshd Ciphers are

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.6 - Ensure sshd

ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.7 - Ensure sshd

DisableForwarding is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.8 - Ensure sshd

GSSAPIAuthentication is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.9 - Ensure sshd

HostbasedAuthentication is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.4 - Ensure users must

provide password for privilege escalation

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.5 - Ensure re-authentication

for privilege escalation is not disabled globally

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.6 - Ensure sudo

authentication timeout is configured correctly

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.4 - Ensure strong password

hashing algorithm is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.5 - Ensure all current

passwords uses the configured hashing algorithm

Page 913

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.6 - Ensure the number of
changed characters in a new password is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.7 - Ensure password

dictionary check is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.5 - Ensure default user shell

timeout is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.6 - Ensure nologin is not

listed in /etc/shells

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.7 - Ensure maximum number

of same consecutive characters in a password is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.1 - Ensure systemd-

journal-remote is installed

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.2 - Ensure systemd-

journal-remote is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.3 - Ensure systemd-

journal-remote is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.1.4 - Ensure journald is not

configured to receive logs from a remote client

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.2 - Ensure journald service

is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.5 - Ensure journald is not

configured to send logs to rsyslog

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.6 - Ensure journald log

rotation is configured per site policy

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.7 - Ensure journald default

file permissions configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.2 - Ensure rsyslog service

is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.4 - Ensure rsyslog default

file permissions are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.7 - Ensure rsyslog is not

configured to receive logs from a remote client

Page 914

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.3 - Ensure all logfiles have
appropriate access configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.2 - Ensure auditd service is

enabled and active

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.15 - Ensure successful and

unsuccessful attempts to use the chcon command are recorded

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.16 - Ensure successful and

unsuccessful attempts to use the setfacl command are recorded

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.17 - Ensure successful and

unsuccessful attempts to use the chacl command are recorded

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.18 - Ensure successful and

unsuccessful attempts to use the usermod command are
recorded

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.19 - Ensure kernel module

loading unloading and modification is collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.2 - Ensure actions as

another user are always logged

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.21 - Ensure the running

and on disk configuration is the same

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.3 - Ensure events that

modify the sudo log file are collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.6 - Ensure use of privileged

commands are collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.7 - Ensure unsuccessful file

access attempts are collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.1 - Ensure audit log files

are mode 0640 or less permissive

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.10 - Ensure audit tools

belong to group root

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.11 - Ensure cryptographic

mechanisms are used to protect the integrity of audit tools

Page 915

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.2 - Ensure only authorized
users own audit log files

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.3 - Ensure only authorized

groups are assigned ownership of audit log files

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.4 - Ensure the audit log

directory is 0750 or more restrictive

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.5 - Ensure audit

configuration files are 640 or more restrictive

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.6 - Ensure audit

configuration files are owned by root

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.7 - Ensure audit

configuration files belong to group root

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.8 - Ensure audit tools are

755 or more restrictive

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.4.9 - Ensure audit tools are

owned by root

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.10 - Ensure world writable

files and directories are secured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.11 - Ensure no files or

directories without an owner and a group exist

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.12 - Ensure SUID and SGID

files are reviewed

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.13 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/shells are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.9 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/security/opasswd are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.10 - Ensure local interactive

user dot files access is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2 - Ensure /etc/shadow

password fields are not empty

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.9 - Ensure local interactive

user home directories are configured

Page 916

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.2 - Configure /tmp

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.3 - Configure /var

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.4 - Configure /var/tmp

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.5 - Configure /var/log

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.6 - Configure /var/log/audit

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.7 - Configure /home

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.1.8 - Configure /dev/shm

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.2 - Configure Filesystem Integrity Checking

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.3 - Configure Software and Patch

Management

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.4 - Configure Secure Boot Settings

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.5 - Configure Additional Process

Hardening

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.7 - Configure Command Line Warning

Banners

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 1.8 - Configure GNOME Display Manager

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.1 - Configure Time Synchronization

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.1.2 - Configure chrony

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.1.3 - Configure systemd-timesyncd

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 2.1.4 - Configure ntp

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 3 - Network

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 3.1 - Configure Network Devices

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 3.2 - Configure Network Kernel Modules

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 3.3 - Configure Network Kernel Parameters

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 4.3 - Configure privilege escalation

Page 917

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.1.1.1 - Ensure journald is configured to
send logs to a remote log host

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.2.3 - Configure auditd rules

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 5.2.4 - Configure auditd file access

3/27/2024 2.2.0 ADDED SECTION: 6.2 - Local User and Group Settings

DROPPED RECOMMENDATIONS

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.12 - Ensure /var/tmp

partition includes the nodev option

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.13 - Ensure /var/tmp

partition includes the nosuid option

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.14 - Ensure /var/tmp

partition includes the noexec option

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.18 - Ensure /home

partition includes the nodev option

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.19 - Ensure nodev option

set on removable media partitions

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2 - Ensure /tmp is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.20 - Ensure nosuid option

set on removable media partitions

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.21 - Ensure noexec

option set on removable media partitions

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.22 - Ensure sticky bit is

set on all world-writable directories

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.23 - Disable

Automounting

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.6 - Ensure /dev/shm is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.1 - Ensure permissions on

bootloader config are not overridden

Page 918

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.1 - Ensure XD/NX support
is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.3 - Ensure prelink is

disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.3 - Ensure disable-user-

list is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.1.2 - Ensure systemd-

timesyncd is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.1.3 - Ensure chrony is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.1.4 - Ensure ntp is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 2.1.16 - Ensure rsync service

is not installed

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.1 - Disable IPv6

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.2.2 - Ensure IP forwarding

is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.2 - Ensure ICMP redirects

are not accepted

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.3 - Ensure secure ICMP

redirects are not accepted

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.5 - Ensure broadcast

ICMP requests are ignored

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.6 - Ensure bogus ICMP

responses are ignored

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.7 - Ensure Reverse Path

Filtering is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.8 - Ensure TCP SYN

Cookies is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.9 - Ensure IPv6 router

advertisements are not accepted

Page 919

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1 - Ensure DCCP is
disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2 - Ensure SCTP is

disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3 - Ensure RDS is

disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.4 - Ensure TIPC is

disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.1.2 - Ensure auditd

service is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.10 - Ensure unsuccessful

unauthorized file access attempts are collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.11 - Ensure use of

privileged commands is collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.15 - Ensure system

administrator command executions (sudo) are collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.16 - Ensure kernel

module loading and unloading is collected

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1.2 - Ensure rsyslog

Service is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1.4 - Ensure rsyslog

default file permissions configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1.6 - Ensure remote

rsyslog messages are only accepted on designated log hosts.

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.3 - Ensure permissions on

all logfiles are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3 - Ensure logrotate is

configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4 - Ensure logrotate assigns

appropriate permissions

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1 - Ensure cron daemon

is enabled and running

Page 920

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.10 - Ensure SSH root
login is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.11 - Ensure SSH

PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.12 - Ensure SSH

PermitUserEnvironment is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.13 - Ensure only strong

Ciphers are used

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.14 - Ensure only strong

MAC algorithms are used

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.15 - Ensure only strong

Key Exchange algorithms are used

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.16 - Ensure SSH Idle

Timeout Interval is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.17 - Ensure SSH

LoginGraceTime is set to one minute or less

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.18 - Ensure SSH warning

banner is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.19 - Ensure SSH PAM is

enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.2 - Ensure permissions on

SSH private host key files are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.20 - Ensure SSH

AllowTcpForwarding is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.21 - Ensure SSH

MaxStartups is configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.22 - Ensure SSH

MaxSessions is limited

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.3 - Ensure permissions on

SSH public host key files are configured

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.4 - Ensure SSH access is

limited

Page 921

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.5 - Ensure SSH LogLevel
is appropriate

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.6 - Ensure SSH X11

forwarding is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.7 - Ensure SSH

MaxAuthTries is set to 4 or less

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.8 - Ensure SSH

IgnoreRhosts is enabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.3.9 - Ensure SSH

HostbasedAuthentication is disabled

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.4.4 - Ensure password

hashing algorithm is SHA-512

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.5.5 - Ensure default user

shell timeout is 900 seconds or less

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 5.6 - Ensure root login is

restricted to system console

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.1 - Audit system file

permissions

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.10 - Ensure no world

writable files exist

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.11 - Ensure no unowned

files or directories exist

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.12 - Ensure no ungrouped

files or directories exist

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.13 - Audit SUID

executables

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.14 - Audit SGID

executables

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.10 - Ensure no users

have .rhosts files

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.11 - Ensure root is the

only UID 0 account

Page 922

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.12 - Ensure root PATH
Integrity

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.2 - Ensure password

fields are not empty

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.4 - Ensure all users' home

directories exist

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.5 - Ensure users own

their home directories

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.6 - Ensure users' home

directories permissions are 750 or more restrictive

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.7 - Ensure users' dot files

are not group or world writable

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.8 - Ensure no users

have .netrc files

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.9 - Ensure no users

have .forward files

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.2 - Configure Software Updates

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.3 - Filesystem Integrity Checking

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.4 - Secure Boot Settings

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.5 - Additional Process Hardening

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.7 - Command Line Warning Banners

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 1.8 - GNOME Display Manager

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 2.1.1 - Time Synchronization

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3 - Network Configuration

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.1 - Disable unused network protocols

and devices

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.2 - Network Parameters (Host Only)

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.3 - Network Parameters (Host and

Router)

Page 923

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 3.4 - Uncommon Network Protocols

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 5.2 - Configure sudo

3/27/2024 2.2.0 DROPPED SECTION: 6.2 - User and Group Settings

MOVED RECOMMENDATIONS

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.7 - Ensure mounting of udf

filesystems is disabled moved from 1.1.1.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.10 - Disable USB Storage

moved from 1.1.24 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2 - Ensure nodev option

set on /tmp partition moved from 1.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3 - Ensure noexec option

set on /tmp partition moved from 1.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4 - Ensure nosuid option

set on /tmp partition moved from 1.1.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.3.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var moved from 1.1.10 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.4.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var/tmp moved from 1.1.11 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.5.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var/log moved from 1.1.15 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.6.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var/log/audit moved from 1.1.16 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.7.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /home moved from 1.1.17 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.8.1 - Ensure nodev option

set on /dev/shm partition moved from 1.1.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.8.2 - Ensure noexec option

set on /dev/shm partition moved from 1.1.9 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.8.3 - Ensure nosuid option

set on /dev/shm partition moved from 1.1.8 in 2.1.0

Page 924

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.1 - Ensure AIDE is installed
moved from 1.3.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.2 - Ensure filesystem

integrity is regularly checked moved from 1.3.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.1 - Ensure updates, patches,

and additional security software are installed moved from 1.9 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.2 - Ensure package manager

repositories are configured moved from 1.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.3.3 - Ensure GPG keys are

configured moved from 1.2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.1 - Ensure bootloader

password is set moved from 1.4.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.2 - Ensure permissions on

bootloader config are configured moved from 1.4.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.3 - Ensure authentication

required for single user mode moved from 1.4.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.2 - Ensure core dumps are

restricted moved from 1.5.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.3 - Ensure address space

layout randomization (ASLR) is enabled moved from 1.5.2 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.2 - Ensure local login

warning banner is configured properly moved from 1.7.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.3 - Ensure remote login

warning banner is configured properly moved from 1.7.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.5 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/issue are configured moved from 1.7.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.6 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/issue.net are configured moved from 1.7.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.10 - Ensure XDCMP is not

enabled moved from 1.8.4 in 2.1.0

Page 925

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.1 - Ensure X Window
System is not installed moved from 2.1.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.10 - Ensure IMAP and POP3

server are not installed moved from 2.1.11 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.11 - Ensure Samba is not

installed moved from 2.1.12 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.12 - Ensure HTTP Proxy

Server is not installed moved from 2.1.13 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.13 - Ensure SNMP Server is

not installed moved from 2.1.14 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.14 - Ensure NIS Server is

not installed moved from 2.1.17 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.16 - Ensure mail transfer

agent is configured for local-only mode moved from 2.1.15 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.2 - Ensure Avahi Server is

not installed moved from 2.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.3 - Ensure CUPS is not

installed moved from 2.1.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.4 - Ensure DHCP Server is

not installed moved from 2.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.5 - Ensure LDAP server is

not installed moved from 2.1.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.6 - Ensure NFS is not

installed moved from 2.1.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.7 - Ensure DNS Server is not

installed moved from 2.1.8 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.8 - Ensure FTP Server is not

installed moved from 2.1.9 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.9 - Ensure HTTP server is

not installed moved from 2.1.10 in 2.1.0

Page 926

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.1 - Ensure NIS Client is not
installed moved from 2.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.2 - Ensure rsh client is not

installed moved from 2.2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3 - Ensure talk client is not

installed moved from 2.2.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.4 - Ensure telnet client is not

installed moved from 2.2.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.5 - Ensure LDAP client is not

installed moved from 2.2.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.6 - Ensure RPC is not

installed moved from 2.2.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4 - Ensure nonessential

services are removed or masked moved from 2.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.2 - Ensure packet redirect

sending is disabled moved from 3.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.8 - Ensure source routed

packets are not accepted moved from 3.3.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.9 - Ensure suspicious

packets are logged moved from 3.3.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.1 - Ensure ufw is installed

moved from 3.5.1.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.2 - Ensure iptables-

persistent is not installed with ufw moved from 3.5.1.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.3 - Ensure ufw service is

enabled moved from 3.5.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.4 - Ensure ufw loopback

traffic is configured moved from 3.5.1.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.5 - Ensure ufw outbound

connections are configured moved from 3.5.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.6 - Ensure ufw firewall

rules exist for all open ports moved from 3.5.1.6 in 2.1.0

Page 927

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.7 - Ensure ufw default
deny firewall policy moved from 3.5.1.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.1 - Ensure nftables is

installed moved from 3.5.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.10 - Ensure nftables rules

are permanent moved from 3.5.2.10 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.2 - Ensure ufw is

uninstalled or disabled with nftables moved from 3.5.2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.3 - Ensure iptables are

flushed with nftables moved from 3.5.2.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.4 - Ensure a nftables table

exists moved from 3.5.2.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.5 - Ensure nftables base

chains exist moved from 3.5.2.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.6 - Ensure nftables

loopback traffic is configured moved from 3.5.2.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.7 - Ensure nftables

outbound and established connections are configured moved
from 3.5.2.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.8 - Ensure nftables default

deny firewall policy moved from 3.5.2.8 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.9 - Ensure nftables service

is enabled moved from 3.5.2.9 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.1 - Ensure iptables

packages are installed moved from 3.5.3.1.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.2 - Ensure nftables is not

installed with iptables moved from 3.5.3.1.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.3 - Ensure ufw is

uninstalled or disabled with iptables moved from 3.5.3.1.3 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.2.1 - Ensure iptables

default deny firewall policy moved from 3.5.3.2.1 in 2.1.0

Page 928

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.2.2 - Ensure iptables
loopback traffic is configured moved from 3.5.3.2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.2.3 - Ensure iptables

outbound and established connections are configured moved
from 3.5.3.2.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.2.4 - Ensure iptables

firewall rules exist for all open ports moved from 3.5.3.2.4 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.1 - Ensure ip6tables

default deny firewall policy moved from 3.5.3.3.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.2 - Ensure ip6tables

loopback traffic is configured moved from 3.5.3.3.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.3 - Ensure ip6tables

outbound and established connections are configured moved
from 3.5.3.3.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.4 - Ensure ip6tables

firewall rules exist for all open ports moved from 3.5.3.3.4 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.2 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/crontab are configured moved from 5.1.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.3 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/cron.hourly are configured moved from 5.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.4 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/cron.daily are configured moved from 5.1.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.5 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/cron.weekly are configured moved from 5.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.6 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/cron.monthly are configured moved from 5.1.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.7 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/cron.d are configured moved from 5.1.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.8 - Ensure cron is restricted

to authorized users moved from 5.1.8 in 2.1.0

Page 929

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.9 - Ensure at is restricted to
authorized users moved from 5.1.9 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured moved from 5.3.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.1 - Ensure sudo is installed

moved from 5.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.2 - Ensure sudo commands

use pty moved from 5.2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.3 - Ensure sudo log file

exists moved from 5.2.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.7 - Ensure access to the su

command is restricted moved from 5.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1 - Ensure password

creation requirements are configured moved from 5.4.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2 - Ensure lockout for failed

password attempts is configured moved from 5.4.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3 - Ensure password reuse

is limited moved from 5.4.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.1 - Ensure minimum days

between password changes is configured moved from 5.5.1.1 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.2 - Ensure password

expiration is 365 days or less moved from 5.5.1.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.3 - Ensure password

expiration warning days is 7 or more moved from 5.5.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.4 - Ensure inactive

password lock is 30 days or less moved from 5.5.1.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.5 - Ensure all users last

password change date is in the past moved from 5.5.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.2 - Ensure system accounts

are secured moved from 5.5.2 in 2.1.0

Page 930

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.3 - Ensure default group for
the root account is GID 0 moved from 5.5.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.4 - Ensure default user

umask is 027 or more restrictive moved from 5.5.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.3 - Ensure journald is

configured to compress large log files moved from 4.2.2.2 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.4 - Ensure journald is

configured to write logfiles to persistent disk moved from 4.2.2.3
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.1 - Ensure rsyslog is

installed moved from 4.2.1.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.3 - Ensure journald is

configured to send logs to rsyslog moved from 4.2.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.5 - Ensure logging is

configured moved from 4.2.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.6 - Ensure rsyslog is

configured to send logs to a remote log host moved from 4.2.1.5
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.1 - Ensure auditd is

installed moved from 4.1.1.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.3 - Ensure auditing for

processes that start prior to auditd is enabled moved from
4.1.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.4 - Ensure

audit_backlog_limit is sufficient moved from 4.1.1.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2.1 - Ensure audit log

storage size is configured moved from 4.1.2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2.2 - Ensure audit logs are

not automatically deleted moved from 4.1.2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2.3 - Ensure system is

disabled when audit logs are full moved from 4.1.2.3 in 2.1.0

Page 931

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.1 - Ensure changes to
system administration scope (sudoers) is collected moved from
4.1.14 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.10 - Ensure successful file

system mounts are collected moved from 4.1.12 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.11 - Ensure session

initiation information is collected moved from 4.1.8 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.12 - Ensure login and

logout events are collected moved from 4.1.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.13 - Ensure file deletion

events by users are collected moved from 4.1.13 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.14 - Ensure events that

modify the system's Mandatory Access Controls are collected
moved from 4.1.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.20 - Ensure the audit

configuration is immutable moved from 4.1.17 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.4 - Ensure events that

modify date and time information are collected moved from 4.1.3
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.5 - Ensure events that

modify the system's network environment are collected moved
from 4.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.8 - Ensure events that

modify user/group information are collected moved from 4.1.4 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.9 - Ensure discretionary

access control permission modification events are collected
moved from 4.1.9 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.1 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/passwd are configured moved from 6.1.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.2 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/passwd- are configured moved from 6.1.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.3 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/group are configured moved from 6.1.4 in 2.1.0

Page 932

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.4 - Ensure permissions on
/etc/group- are configured moved from 6.1.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.5 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/shadow are configured moved from 6.1.6 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.6 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/shadow- are configured moved from 6.1.7 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.7 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/gshadow are configured moved from 6.1.8 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.8 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/gshadow- are configured moved from 6.1.9 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.4 - Ensure shadow group is

empty moved from 6.2.17 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.5 - Ensure no duplicate UIDs

exist moved from 6.2.13 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.6 - Ensure no duplicate GIDs

exist moved from 6.2.14 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.7 - Ensure no duplicate user

names exist moved from 6.2.15 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.8 - Ensure no duplicate

group names exist moved from 6.2.16 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 2.2 - Special Purpose Services moved from
2.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 2.3 - Service Clients moved from 2.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4 - Firewall Configuration moved from 3.5
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4.1 - Configure UncomplicatedFirewall

moved from 3.5.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4.2 - Configure nftables moved from 3.5.2
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4.3 - Configure iptables moved from 3.5.3
in 2.1.0

Page 933

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4.3.1 - Configure iptables software moved
from 3.5.3.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4.3.2 - Configure IPv4 iptables moved from
3.5.3.2 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 3.4.3.3 - Configure IPv6 ip6tables moved

from 3.5.3.3 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 4 - Access, Authentication and Authorization

moved from 5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.1 - Configure time-based job schedulers

moved from 5.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.2 - Configure SSH Server moved from 5.3
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.4 - Configure PAM moved from 5.4 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.5 - User Accounts and Environment

moved from 5.5 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 4.5.1 - Set Shadow Password Suite

Parameters moved from 5.5.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5 - Logging and Auditing moved from 4 in

2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.1 - Configure Logging moved from 4.2 in
2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.1.1 - Configure journald moved from 4.2.2
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.1.2 - Configure rsyslog moved from 4.2.1
in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.2 - Configure System Accounting (auditd)

moved from 4.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.2.1 - Ensure auditing is enabled moved

from 4.1.1 in 2.1.0

3/27/2024 2.2.0 MOVED SECTION: 5.2.2 - Configure Data Retention moved

from 4.1.2 in 2.1.0

Page 934

Internal Only - General

UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.7 - Ensure mounting of

udf filesystems is disabled - Sections Modified: Profile; Impact
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.10 - Disable USB Storage

- Sections Modified: Description; Impact Statement; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.2 - Ensure nodev option

set on /tmp partition - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.3 - Ensure noexec

option set on /tmp partition - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.2.4 - Ensure nosuid

option set on /tmp partition - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.3.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.4.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var/tmp - Sections Modified: Description;
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.5.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var/log - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.6.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /var/log/audit - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.7.1 - Ensure separate

partition exists for /home - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.8.1 - Ensure nodev option

set on /dev/shm partition - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 935

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.8.2 - Ensure noexec
option set on /dev/shm partition - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.8.3 - Ensure nosuid

option set on /dev/shm partition - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.1 - Ensure AIDE is

installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.2.2 - Ensure filesystem

integrity is regularly checked - Sections Modified: Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.1 - Ensure bootloader

password is set - Sections Modified: Impact Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.4.2 - Ensure permissions

on bootloader config are configured - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.2 - Ensure core dumps

are restricted - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.5.3 - Ensure address space

layout randomization (ASLR) is enabled - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.2 - Ensure local login

warning banner is configured properly - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.3 - Ensure remote login

warning banner is configured properly - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.5 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/issue are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.6 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/issue.net are configured - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 936

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.1 - Ensure X Window
System is not installed - Sections Modified: Profile; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.10 - Ensure IMAP and

POP3 server are not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.11 - Ensure Samba is not

installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.12 - Ensure HTTP Proxy

Server is not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.13 - Ensure SNMP

Server is not installed - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.14 - Ensure NIS Server is

not installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.16 - Ensure mail transfer

agent is configured for local-only mode - Sections Modified:
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.2 - Ensure Avahi Server

is not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure;
Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.3 - Ensure CUPS is not

installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.4 - Ensure DHCP Server

is not installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.5 - Ensure LDAP server

is not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure;
Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.6 - Ensure NFS is not

installed - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 937

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.7 - Ensure DNS Server is
not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.8 - Ensure FTP Server is

not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.2.9 - Ensure HTTP server

is not installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure;
Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.1 - Ensure NIS Client is

not installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.2 - Ensure rsh client is

not installed - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.3 - Ensure talk client is

not installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.4 - Ensure telnet client is

not installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.5 - Ensure LDAP client is

not installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.3.6 - Ensure RPC is not

installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 2.4 - Ensure nonessential

services are removed or masked - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.2 - Ensure packet redirect

sending is disabled - Sections Modified: Impact Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.8 - Ensure source routed

packets are not accepted - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.3.9 - Ensure suspicious

packets are logged - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 938

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.1 - Ensure ufw is
installed - Sections Modified: Rationale Statement; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.3 - Ensure ufw service

is enabled - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.5 - Ensure ufw

outbound connections are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.6 - Ensure ufw firewall

rules exist for all open ports - Sections Modified: Assessment
Status; Description; Rationale Statement; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.1.7 - Ensure ufw default

deny firewall policy - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale
Statement; Impact Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.2 - Ensure ufw is

uninstalled or disabled with nftables - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.6 - Ensure nftables

loopback traffic is configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.2.8 - Ensure nftables

default deny firewall policy - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.1 - Ensure iptables

packages are installed - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.2 - Ensure nftables is

not installed with iptables - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.1.3 - Ensure ufw is

uninstalled or disabled with iptables - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 939

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.2.1 - Ensure iptables
default deny firewall policy - Sections Modified: Description;
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.1 - Ensure ip6tables

default deny firewall policy - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.2 - Ensure ip6tables

loopback traffic is configured - Sections Modified: Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.3 - Ensure ip6tables

outbound and established connections are configured - Sections
Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.4.3.3.4 - Ensure ip6tables

firewall rules exist for all open ports - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.2 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/crontab are configured - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.3 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/cron.hourly are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.4 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/cron.daily are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.5 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/cron.weekly are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.6 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/cron.monthly are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.7 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/cron.d are configured - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.8 - Ensure cron is

restricted to authorized users - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 940

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.1.9 - Ensure at is restricted
to authorized users - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.2.1 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.1 - Ensure sudo is

installed - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.2 - Ensure sudo

commands use pty - Sections Modified: Description; Rationale
Statement; Impact Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.3 - Ensure sudo log file

exists - Sections Modified: Description; Impact Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.3.7 - Ensure access to the

su command is restricted - Sections Modified: Description;
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.1 - Ensure password

creation requirements are configured - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.2 - Ensure lockout for

failed password attempts is configured - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.4.3 - Ensure password

reuse is limited - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure;
Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.1 - Ensure minimum

days between password changes is configured - Sections
Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.2 - Ensure password

expiration is 365 days or less - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 941

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.3 - Ensure password
expiration warning days is 7 or more - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.4 - Ensure inactive

password lock is 30 days or less - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.1.5 - Ensure all users last

password change date is in the past - Sections Modified: Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 4.5.2 - Ensure system

accounts are secured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.3 - Ensure journald is

configured to compress large log files - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.1.4 - Ensure journald is

configured to write logfiles to persistent disk - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.1 - Ensure rsyslog is

installed - Sections Modified: Description; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.3 - Ensure journald is

configured to send logs to rsyslog - Sections Modified:
Assessment Status; Description; Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.5 - Ensure logging is

configured - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.1.2.6 - Ensure rsyslog is

configured to send logs to a remote log host - Sections Modified:
Assessment Status; Description; Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.1 - Ensure auditd is

installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

Page 942

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.3 - Ensure auditing for
processes that start prior to auditd is enabled - Sections
Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.1.4 - Ensure

audit_backlog_limit is sufficient - Sections Modified: Description;
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2.1 - Ensure audit log

storage size is configured - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.2.3 - Ensure system is

disabled when audit logs are full - Sections Modified:
Description; Impact Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.1 - Ensure changes to

system administration scope (sudoers) is collected - Sections
Modified: Description; Rationale Statement; Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.10 - Ensure successful

file system mounts are collected - Sections Modified:
Description; Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.11 - Ensure session

initiation information is collected - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.12 - Ensure login and

logout events are collected - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.13 - Ensure file deletion

events by users are collected - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.14 - Ensure events that

modify the system's Mandatory Access Controls are collected -
Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 943

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.20 - Ensure the audit
configuration is immutable - Sections Modified: Description;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.4 - Ensure events that

modify date and time information are collected - Sections
Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.5 - Ensure events that

modify the system's network environment are collected -
Sections Modified: Description; Rationale Statement;
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.8 - Ensure events that

modify user/group information are collected - Sections Modified:
Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 5.2.3.9 - Ensure discretionary

access control permission modification events are collected -
Sections Modified: Description; Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.1 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/passwd are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.2 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/passwd- are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.3 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/group are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.4 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/group- are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.5 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/shadow are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.6 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/shadow- are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

Page 944

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.7 - Ensure permissions
on /etc/gshadow are configured - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.1.8 - Ensure permissions

on /etc/gshadow- are configured - Sections Modified:
Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.4 - Ensure shadow group

is empty - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.5 - Ensure no duplicate

UIDs exist - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.6 - Ensure no duplicate

GIDs exist - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.7 - Ensure no duplicate

user names exist - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.8 - Ensure no duplicate

group names exist - Sections Modified: Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.1 - Ensure mounting of

cramfs filesystems is disabled - Sections Modified: Rationale
Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.2 - Ensure mounting of

freevxfs filesystems is disabled - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.3 - Ensure mounting of

jffs2 filesystems is disabled - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.4 - Ensure mounting of

hfs filesystems is disabled - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.1.1.5 - Ensure mounting of

hfsplus filesystems is disabled - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.6.1.1 - Ensure AppArmor is

installed - Sections Modified: Remediation Procedure; Audit
Procedure

Page 945

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.1 - Ensure message of the
day is configured properly - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.7.4 - Ensure permissions on

/etc/motd are configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.1 - Ensure GNOME

Display Manager is removed - Sections Modified: Assessment
Status; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 1.8.2 - Ensure GDM login

banner is configured - Sections Modified: Remediation
Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 3.1.2 - Ensure wireless

interfaces are disabled - Sections Modified: Profile; Description;
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.1 - Ensure accounts in

/etc/passwd use shadowed passwords - Sections Modified:
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED RECOMMENDATION: 6.2.3 - Ensure all groups in

/etc/passwd exist in /etc/group - Sections Modified: Audit
Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1.1 - Filesystem Configuration - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1.1.1 - Disable unused filesystems -

Sections Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 1.6 - Mandatory Access Control - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 2.1.1 - Ensure time synchronization is in

use - Sections Modified: Profile; Assessment Status; Description;
Rationale Statement; Remediation Procedure; Audit Procedure

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 2.2 - Special Purpose Services - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 2.3 - Service Clients - Sections Modified:

Description

Page 946

Internal Only - General

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 3.4 - Firewall Configuration - Sections
Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 3.4.1 - Configure UncomplicatedFirewall -

Sections Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 3.4.2 - Configure nftables - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 3.4.3 - Configure iptables - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 3.4.3.2 - Configure IPv4 iptables -

Sections Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 3.4.3.3 - Configure IPv6 ip6tables -

Sections Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 4.2 - Configure SSH Server - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 4.4 - Configure PAM - Sections Modified:

Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 5.1 - Configure Logging - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 5.1.1 - Configure journald - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 5.1.2 - Configure rsyslog - Sections

Modified: Description

3/27/2024 2.2.0 UPDATED SECTION: 5.2 - Configure System Accounting

(auditd) - Sections Modified: Description

Page 947

Internal Only - General

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