| Group
Guide to the Secure Configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4
Group contains 11 groups and 8 rules |
| Group
System Settings
Group contains 8 groups and 7 rules |
[ref]
Contains rules that check correct system settings. |
| Group
Installing and Maintaining Software
Group contains 2 groups and 3 rules |
[ref]
The following sections contain information on
security-relevant choices during the initial operating system
installation process and the setup of software
updates. |
| Group
Sudo
Group contains 2 rules |
[ref]
Sudo, which stands for "su 'do'", provides the ability to delegate authority
to certain users, groups of users, or system administrators. When configured for system
users and/or groups, Sudo can allow a user or group to execute privileged commands
that normally only root is allowed to execute.
For more information on Sudo and addition Sudo configuration options, see
https://www.sudo.ws. |
Rule
Ensure Users Re-Authenticate for Privilege Escalation - sudo !authenticate
[ref] | The sudo !authenticate option, when specified, allows a user to execute commands using
sudo without having to authenticate. This should be disabled by making sure that the
!authenticate option does not exist in /etc/sudoers configuration file or
any sudo configuration snippets in /etc/sudoers.d/. | | 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 that the user re-authenticate. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | References:
BP28(R5), BP28(R59), 1, 12, 15, 16, 5, DSS05.04, DSS05.10, DSS06.03, DSS06.10, CCI-002038, 4.3.3.5.1, 4.3.3.6.1, 4.3.3.6.2, 4.3.3.6.3, 4.3.3.6.4, 4.3.3.6.5, 4.3.3.6.6, 4.3.3.6.7, 4.3.3.6.8, 4.3.3.6.9, SR 1.1, SR 1.10, SR 1.2, SR 1.3, SR 1.4, SR 1.5, SR 1.7, SR 1.8, SR 1.9, A.18.1.4, A.9.2.1, A.9.2.2, A.9.2.3, A.9.2.4, A.9.2.6, A.9.3.1, A.9.4.2, A.9.4.3, IA-11, CM-6(a), PR.AC-1, PR.AC-7, SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00156, SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00157, SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00158 | |
|
Rule
Ensure Users Re-Authenticate for Privilege Escalation - sudo NOPASSWD
[ref] | The sudo NOPASSWD tag, when specified, allows a user to execute
commands using sudo without having to authenticate. This should be disabled
by making sure that the NOPASSWD tag does not exist in
/etc/sudoers configuration file or any sudo configuration snippets
in /etc/sudoers.d/. | | 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 that the user re-authenticate. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | References:
BP28(R5), BP28(R59), 1, 12, 15, 16, 5, DSS05.04, DSS05.10, DSS06.03, DSS06.10, CCI-002038, 4.3.3.5.1, 4.3.3.6.1, 4.3.3.6.2, 4.3.3.6.3, 4.3.3.6.4, 4.3.3.6.5, 4.3.3.6.6, 4.3.3.6.7, 4.3.3.6.8, 4.3.3.6.9, SR 1.1, SR 1.10, SR 1.2, SR 1.3, SR 1.4, SR 1.5, SR 1.7, SR 1.8, SR 1.9, A.18.1.4, A.9.2.1, A.9.2.2, A.9.2.3, A.9.2.4, A.9.2.6, A.9.3.1, A.9.4.2, A.9.4.3, IA-11, CM-6(a), PR.AC-1, PR.AC-7, SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00156, SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00157, SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00158 | |
|
| Group
Updating Software
Group contains 1 rule |
[ref]
The command line tool is used to install and
update software packages. The system also provides a graphical
software update tool in the System menu, in the Administration submenu,
called Software Update.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4 systems contain an installed software catalog called
the RPM database, which records metadata of installed packages. Consistently using
or the graphical Software Update for all software installation
allows for insight into the current inventory of installed software on the system.
|
Rule
Ensure Red Hat GPG Key Installed
[ref] | To ensure the system can cryptographically verify base software packages
come from Red Hat (and to connect to the Red Hat Network to receive them),
the Red Hat GPG key must properly be installed. To install the Red Hat GPG
key, run:
$ sudo subscription-manager register
If the system is not connected to the Internet or an RHN Satellite, then
install the Red Hat GPG key from trusted media such as the Red Hat
installation CD-ROM or DVD. Assuming the disc is mounted in
/media/cdrom, use the following command as the root user to import
it into the keyring:
$ sudo rpm --import /media/cdrom/RPM-GPG-KEY
Alternatively, the key may be pre-loaded during the RHEL installation. In
such cases, the key can be installed by running the following command:
sudo rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release | | Rationale: | Changes to software components can have significant effects on the overall
security of the operating system. This requirement ensures the software has
not been tampered with and that it has been provided by a trusted vendor.
The Red Hat GPG key is necessary to cryptographically verify packages are
from Red Hat. | | Severity: | high | | Identifiers and References | Identifiers:
CCE-82754-3 References:
BP28(R15), 11, 2, 3, 9, 5.10.4.1, APO01.06, BAI03.05, BAI06.01, BAI10.01, BAI10.02, BAI10.03, BAI10.05, DSS06.02, 3.4.8, CCI-001749, 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(D), 164.312(b), 164.312(c)(1), 164.312(c)(2), 164.312(e)(2)(i), 4.3.4.3.2, 4.3.4.3.3, 4.3.4.4.4, SR 3.1, SR 3.3, SR 3.4, SR 3.8, SR 7.6, A.11.2.4, A.12.1.2, A.12.2.1, A.12.5.1, A.12.6.2, A.14.1.2, A.14.1.3, A.14.2.2, A.14.2.3, A.14.2.4, CIP-003-8 R4.2, CIP-003-8 R6, CIP-007-3 R4, CIP-007-3 R4.1, CIP-007-3 R4.2, CIP-007-3 R5.1, CM-5(3), SI-7, SC-12, SC-12(3), CM-6(a), PR.DS-6, PR.DS-8, PR.IP-1, FPT_TUD_EXT.1, FPT_TUD_EXT.2, Req-6.2, 6.3.3, SRG-OS-000366-GPOS-00153 | |
|
| Group
Account and Access Control
Group contains 2 groups and 2 rules |
[ref]
In traditional Unix security, if an attacker gains
shell access to a certain login account, they can perform any action
or access any file to which that account has access. Therefore,
making it more difficult for unauthorized people to gain shell
access to accounts, particularly to privileged accounts, is a
necessary part of securing a system. This section introduces
mechanisms for restricting access to accounts under
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4. |
| Group
Protect Accounts by Restricting Password-Based Login
Group contains 1 group and 2 rules |
[ref]
Conventionally, Unix shell accounts are accessed by
providing a username and password to a login program, which tests
these values for correctness using the /etc/passwd and
/etc/shadow files. Password-based login is vulnerable to
guessing of weak passwords, and to sniffing and man-in-the-middle
attacks against passwords entered over a network or at an insecure
console. Therefore, mechanisms for accessing accounts by entering
usernames and passwords should be restricted to those which are
operationally necessary. |
| Group
Set Password Expiration Parameters
Group contains 2 rules |
[ref]
The file /etc/login.defs controls several
password-related settings. Programs such as passwd,
su, and
login consult /etc/login.defs to determine
behavior with regard to password aging, expiration warnings,
and length. See the man page login.defs(5) for more information.
Users should be forced to change their passwords, in order to
decrease the utility of compromised passwords. However, the need to
change passwords often should be balanced against the risk that
users will reuse or write down passwords if forced to change them
too often. Forcing password changes every 90-360 days, depending on
the environment, is recommended. Set the appropriate value as
PASS_MAX_DAYS and apply it to existing accounts with the
-M flag.
The PASS_MIN_DAYS (-m) setting prevents password
changes for 7 days after the first change, to discourage password
cycling. If you use this setting, train users to contact an administrator
for an emergency password change in case a new password becomes
compromised. The PASS_WARN_AGE (-W) setting gives
users 7 days of warnings at login time that their passwords are about to expire.
For example, for each existing human user USER, expiration parameters
could be adjusted to a 180 day maximum password age, 7 day minimum password
age, and 7 day warning period with the following command:
$ sudo chage -M 180 -m 7 -W 7 USER |
Rule
Set Password Maximum Age
[ref] | To specify password maximum age for new accounts,
edit the file /etc/login.defs
and add or correct the following line:
PASS_MAX_DAYS 90
A value of 180 days is sufficient for many environments.
The DoD requirement is 60.
The profile requirement is 90. | | Rationale: | Any password, no matter how complex, can eventually be cracked. Therefore, passwords
need to be changed periodically. If the operating system does not limit the lifetime
of passwords and force users to change their passwords, there is the risk that the
operating system passwords could be compromised.
Setting the password maximum age ensures users are required to
periodically change their passwords. Requiring shorter password lifetimes
increases the risk of users writing down the password in a convenient
location subject to physical compromise. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | References:
BP28(R18), 1, 12, 15, 16, 5, 5.6.2.1, DSS05.04, DSS05.05, DSS05.07, DSS05.10, DSS06.03, DSS06.10, 3.5.6, CCI-000199, 4.3.3.2.2, 4.3.3.5.1, 4.3.3.5.2, 4.3.3.6.1, 4.3.3.6.2, 4.3.3.6.3, 4.3.3.6.4, 4.3.3.6.5, 4.3.3.6.6, 4.3.3.6.7, 4.3.3.6.8, 4.3.3.6.9, 4.3.3.7.2, 4.3.3.7.4, SR 1.1, SR 1.10, SR 1.2, SR 1.3, SR 1.4, SR 1.5, SR 1.7, SR 1.8, SR 1.9, SR 2.1, 0418, 1055, 1402, A.18.1.4, A.7.1.1, A.9.2.1, A.9.2.2, A.9.2.3, A.9.2.4, A.9.2.6, A.9.3.1, A.9.4.2, A.9.4.3, IA-5(f), IA-5(1)(d), CM-6(a), PR.AC-1, PR.AC-6, PR.AC-7, Req-8.2.4, 8.3.9, SRG-OS-000076-GPOS-00044 | |
|
Rule
Set Password Minimum Length in login.defs
[ref] | To specify password length requirements for new accounts, edit the file
/etc/login.defs and add or correct the following line:
PASS_MIN_LEN 18
The DoD requirement is 15.
The FISMA requirement is 12.
The profile requirement is
18.
If a program consults /etc/login.defs and also another PAM module
(such as pam_pwquality) during a password change operation, then
the most restrictive must be satisfied. See PAM section for more
information about enforcing password quality requirements. | | Rationale: | Requiring a minimum password length makes password
cracking attacks more difficult by ensuring a larger
search space. However, any security benefit from an onerous requirement
must be carefully weighed against usability problems, support costs, or counterproductive
behavior that may result. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | References:
BP28(R18), 1, 12, 15, 16, 5, 5.6.2.1, DSS05.04, DSS05.05, DSS05.07, DSS05.10, DSS06.03, DSS06.10, 3.5.7, CCI-000205, 4.3.3.2.2, 4.3.3.5.1, 4.3.3.5.2, 4.3.3.6.1, 4.3.3.6.2, 4.3.3.6.3, 4.3.3.6.4, 4.3.3.6.5, 4.3.3.6.6, 4.3.3.6.7, 4.3.3.6.8, 4.3.3.6.9, 4.3.3.7.2, 4.3.3.7.4, SR 1.1, SR 1.10, SR 1.2, SR 1.3, SR 1.4, SR 1.5, SR 1.7, SR 1.8, SR 1.9, SR 2.1, 0421, 0422, 0431, 0974, 1173, 1401, 1504, 1505, 1546, 1557, 1558, 1559, 1560, 1561, A.18.1.4, A.7.1.1, A.9.2.1, A.9.2.2, A.9.2.3, A.9.2.4, A.9.2.6, A.9.3.1, A.9.4.2, A.9.4.3, IA-5(f), IA-5(1)(a), CM-6(a), PR.AC-1, PR.AC-6, PR.AC-7, SRG-OS-000078-GPOS-00046 | |
|
| Group
File Permissions and Masks
Group contains 1 group and 2 rules |
[ref]
Traditional Unix security relies heavily on file and
directory permissions to prevent unauthorized users from reading or
modifying files to which they should not have access.
Several of the commands in this section search filesystems
for files or directories with certain characteristics, and are
intended to be run on every local partition on a given system.
When the variable PART appears in one of the commands below,
it means that the command is intended to be run repeatedly, with the
name of each local partition substituted for PART in turn.
The following command prints a list of all xfs partitions on the local
system, which is the default filesystem for Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4
installations:
$ mount -t xfs | awk '{print $3}'
For any systems that use a different
local filesystem type, modify this command as appropriate. |
| Group
Verify Permissions on Important Files and
Directories
Group contains 2 rules |
[ref]
Permissions for many files on a system must be set
restrictively to ensure sensitive information is properly protected.
This section discusses important
permission restrictions which can be verified
to ensure that no harmful discrepancies have
arisen. |
Rule
Verify that All World-Writable Directories Have Sticky Bits Set
[ref] | When the so-called 'sticky bit' is set on a directory,
only the owner of a given file may remove that file from the
directory. Without the sticky bit, any user with write access to a
directory may remove any file in the directory. Setting the sticky
bit prevents users from removing each other's files. In cases where
there is no reason for a directory to be world-writable, a better
solution is to remove that permission rather than to set the sticky
bit. However, if a directory is used by a particular application,
consult that application's documentation instead of blindly
changing modes.
To set the sticky bit on a world-writable directory DIR, run the
following command:
$ sudo chmod +t DIR | | Rationale: | Failing to set the sticky bit on public directories allows unauthorized
users to delete files in the directory structure.
The only authorized public directories are those temporary directories
supplied with the system, or those designed to be temporary file
repositories. The setting is normally reserved for directories used by the
system, by users for temporary file storage (such as /tmp), and
for directories requiring global read/write access. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | Identifiers:
CCE-82753-5 References:
BP28(R40), 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 3, 5, APO01.06, DSS05.04, DSS05.07, DSS06.02, CCI-001090, 4.3.3.7.3, SR 2.1, SR 5.2, A.10.1.1, A.11.1.4, A.11.1.5, A.11.2.1, A.13.1.1, A.13.1.3, A.13.2.1, A.13.2.3, A.13.2.4, A.14.1.2, A.14.1.3, A.6.1.2, A.7.1.1, A.7.1.2, A.7.3.1, A.8.2.2, A.8.2.3, A.9.1.1, A.9.1.2, A.9.2.3, A.9.4.1, A.9.4.4, A.9.4.5, CIP-003-8 R5.1.1, CIP-003-8 R5.3, CIP-004-6 R2.3, CIP-007-3 R2.1, CIP-007-3 R2.2, CIP-007-3 R2.3, CIP-007-3 R5.1, CIP-007-3 R5.1.1, CIP-007-3 R5.1.2, CM-6(a), AC-6(1), PR.AC-4, PR.DS-5, 2.2.6, SRG-OS-000138-GPOS-00069 | |
|
Rule
Ensure No World-Writable Files Exist
[ref] | It is generally a good idea to remove global (other) write
access to a file when it is discovered. However, check with
documentation for specific applications before making changes.
Also, monitor for recurring world-writable files, as these may be
symptoms of a misconfigured application or user account. Finally,
this applies to real files and not virtual files that are a part of
pseudo file systems such as sysfs or procfs. | | Rationale: | Data in world-writable files can be modified by any
user on the system. In almost all circumstances, files can be
configured using a combination of user and group permissions to
support whatever legitimate access is needed without the risk
caused by world-writable files. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | References:
BP28(R40), 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 3, 5, APO01.06, DSS05.04, DSS05.07, DSS06.02, 4.3.3.7.3, SR 2.1, SR 5.2, A.10.1.1, A.11.1.4, A.11.1.5, A.11.2.1, A.13.1.1, A.13.1.3, A.13.2.1, A.13.2.3, A.13.2.4, A.14.1.2, A.14.1.3, A.6.1.2, A.7.1.1, A.7.1.2, A.7.3.1, A.8.2.2, A.8.2.3, A.9.1.1, A.9.1.2, A.9.2.3, A.9.4.1, A.9.4.4, A.9.4.5, CIP-003-8 R5.1.1, CIP-003-8 R5.3, CIP-004-6 R2.3, CIP-007-3 R2.1, CIP-007-3 R2.2, CIP-007-3 R2.3, CIP-007-3 R5.1, CIP-007-3 R5.1.1, CIP-007-3 R5.1.2, CM-6(a), AC-6(1), PR.AC-4, PR.DS-5, 2.2.6 | |
|
| Group
Services
Group contains 1 group and 1 rule |
[ref]
The best protection against vulnerable software is running less software. This section describes how to review
the software which Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4 installs on a system and disable software which is not needed. It
then enumerates the software packages installed on a default Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4 system and provides guidance about which
ones can be safely disabled.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4 provides a convenient minimal install option that essentially installs the bare necessities for a functional
system. When building Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4 systems, it is highly recommended to select the minimal packages and then build up
the system from there. |
| Group
Mail Server Software
Group contains 1 rule |
[ref]
Mail servers are used to send and receive email over the network.
Mail is a very common service, and Mail Transfer Agents (MTAs) are obvious
targets of network attack.
Ensure that systems are not running MTAs unnecessarily,
and configure needed MTAs as defensively as possible.
Very few systems at any site should be configured to directly receive email over the
network. Users should instead use mail client programs to retrieve email
from a central server that supports protocols such as IMAP or POP3.
However, it is normal for most systems to be independently capable of sending email,
for instance so that cron jobs can report output to an administrator.
Most MTAs, including Postfix, support a submission-only mode in which mail can be sent from
the local system to a central site MTA (or directly delivered to a local account),
but the system still cannot receive mail directly over a network.
The alternatives program in Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS 4 permits selection of other mail server software
(such as Sendmail), but Postfix is the default and is preferred.
Postfix was coded with security in mind and can also be more effectively contained by
SELinux as its modular design has resulted in separate processes performing specific actions.
More information is available on its website,
http://www.postfix.org. |
Rule
Uninstall Sendmail Package
[ref] | Sendmail is not the default mail transfer agent and is
not installed by default.
The sendmail package can be removed with the following command:
| | Rationale: | The sendmail software was not developed with security in mind and
its design prevents it from being effectively contained by SELinux. Postfix
should be used instead. | | Severity: | medium | | Identifiers and References | References:
BP28(R1), 11, 14, 3, 9, BAI10.01, BAI10.02, BAI10.03, BAI10.05, DSS05.02, DSS05.05, DSS06.06, CCI-000381, 4.3.3.5.1, 4.3.3.5.2, 4.3.3.5.3, 4.3.3.5.4, 4.3.3.5.5, 4.3.3.5.6, 4.3.3.5.7, 4.3.3.5.8, 4.3.3.6.1, 4.3.3.6.2, 4.3.3.6.3, 4.3.3.6.4, 4.3.3.6.5, 4.3.3.6.6, 4.3.3.6.7, 4.3.3.6.8, 4.3.3.6.9, 4.3.3.7.1, 4.3.3.7.2, 4.3.3.7.3, 4.3.3.7.4, 4.3.4.3.2, 4.3.4.3.3, SR 1.1, SR 1.10, SR 1.11, SR 1.12, SR 1.13, SR 1.2, SR 1.3, SR 1.4, SR 1.5, SR 1.6, SR 1.7, SR 1.8, SR 1.9, SR 2.1, SR 2.2, SR 2.3, SR 2.4, SR 2.5, SR 2.6, SR 2.7, SR 7.6, A.12.1.2, A.12.5.1, A.12.6.2, A.14.2.2, A.14.2.3, A.14.2.4, A.9.1.2, CM-7(a), CM-7(b), CM-6(a), PR.IP-1, PR.PT-3, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227, SRG-OS-000095-GPOS-00049 | |
|