CIS Ubuntu Linux 20.

04 LTS Benchmark
v1.0.0 - 07-21-2020
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
Overview ..........................................................................
...................................................................................
.. 13
Intended
Audience ..........................................................................
.............................................................. 13
Consensus
Guidance...........................................................................
.......................................................... 13
Typographical
Conventions .......................................................................
............................................... 15
Assessment
Status.............................................................................
............................................................ 15
Profile
Definitions .......................................................................
.................................................................. 16
Acknowledgements ..................................................................
.................................................................... 17
Recommendations ...................................................................
.......................................................................... 18
1 Initial
Setup .............................................................................
..................................................................... 18
1.1 Filesystem
Configuration .....................................................................
.......................................... 19
1.1.1 Disable unused
filesystems .......................................................................
............................ 20
1.1.1.1 Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled
(Automated) ................ 21
1.1.1.2 Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled
(Automated) .............. 23
1.1.1.3 Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled
(Automated)...................... 25
1.1.1.4 Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled
(Automated) ........................ 27
1.1.1.5 Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled
(Automated)................ 29
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled
(Automated) ........................ 31
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of FAT filesystems is limited
(Manual) ................................ 33
1.1.2 Ensure /tmp is configured
(Automated) .................................................................... 35
1.1.3 Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition
(Automated) ................................... 39
1.1.4 Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition
(Automated) .................................. 41
1.1.5 Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition
(Automated) .................................. 43
1.1.6 Ensure /dev/shm is configured
(Automated) .......................................................... 45
1.1.7 Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated) ......................... 47
1.1.8 Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated) ........................ 48
1.1.9 Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated) ........................ 49
1.1.10 Ensure separate partition exists for /var
(Automated) ..................................... 50
1.1.11 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp
(Automated) ........................... 52
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1.1.12 Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated) ........................ 54
1.1.13 Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated)....................... 55
1.1.14 Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated) ...................... 56
1.1.15 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log
(Automated) ............................. 57
1.1.16 Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit
(Automated) ................ 59
1.1.17 Ensure separate partition exists for /home
(Automated)................................. 61
1.1.18 Ensure nodev option set on /home partition
(Automated) .............................. 63
1.1.19 Ensure nodev option set on removable media partitions (Manual) .............
64
1.1.20 Ensure nosuid option set on removable media partitions (Manual) ............
65
1.1.21 Ensure noexec option set on removable media partitions (Manual) ............
66
1.1.22 Ensure sticky bit is set on all world-writable directories
(Automated) ...... 67
1.1.23 Disable Automounting
(Automated) .......................................................................
.. 68
1.1.24 Disable USB Storage
(Automated) .......................................................................
....... 70
1.2 Configure Software
Updates ...........................................................................
.............................. 72
1.2.1 Ensure package manager repositories are configured
(Manual) ...................... 73
1.2.2 Ensure GPG keys are configured
(Manual) ................................................................ 74
1.3 Configure
sudo ..............................................................................
..................................................... 75
1.3.1 Ensure sudo is installed
(Automated) .......................................................................
.. 76
1.3.2 Ensure sudo commands use pty
(Automated) ......................................................... 78
1.3.3 Ensure sudo log file exists
(Automated) .....................................................................
80
1.4 Filesystem Integrity
Checking ..........................................................................
............................ 81
1.4.1 Ensure AIDE is installed
(Automated) .......................................................................
.. 82
1.4.2 Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked
(Automated) ......................... 84
1.5 Secure Boot
Settings ..........................................................................
.............................................. 87
1.5.1 Ensure bootloader password is set
(Automated).................................................... 88
1.5.2 Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured (Automated) ........
91
1.5.3 Ensure authentication required for single user mode
(Automated) ............... 93
1.6 Additional Process
Hardening .........................................................................
............................ 94
1.6.1 Ensure XD/NX support is enabled
(Automated) ..................................................... 95
1.6.2 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is enabled (Automated)
...................................................................................
............................................................................. 97
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1.6.3 Ensure prelink is disabled
(Automated) .....................................................................
99
1.6.4 Ensure core dumps are restricted
(Automated) .................................................... 100
1.7 Mandatory Access
Control ...........................................................................
................................ 102
1.7.1 Configure
AppArmor ..........................................................................
................................... 103
1.7.1.1 Ensure AppArmor is installed
(Automated) ........................................................ 104
1.7.1.2 Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader configuration (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 105
1.7.1.3 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain mode
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 107
1.7.1.4 Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing
(Automated) ............................ 109
1.8 Warning
Banners............................................................................
................................................. 111
1.8.1 Command Line Warning
Banners ...........................................................................
......... 112
1.8.1.1 Ensure message of the day is configured properly
(Automated) ................ 113
1.8.1.2 Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly (Automated) 115
1.8.1.3 Ensure remote login warning banner is configured properly (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 117
1.8.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured (Automated) ................
119
1.8.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured
(Automated) ................. 121
1.8.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured (Automated) .........
122
1.9 Ensure updates, patches, and additional security software are installed
(Manual) ..........................................................................
................................................................. 123
1.10 Ensure GDM is removed or login is configured
(Automated)............................ 125
2
Services ..........................................................................
.............................................................................. 127
2.1 inetd
Services ..........................................................................
.......................................................... 128
2.1.1 Ensure xinetd is not installed
(Automated)............................................................. 129
2.1.2 Ensure openbsd-inetd is not installed
(Automated) ............................................ 130
2.2 Special Purpose
Services ..........................................................................
.................................... 131
2.2.1 Time
Synchronization ...................................................................
........................................ 132
2.2.1.1 Ensure time synchronization is in use
(Automated) ........................................ 133
2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is configured
(Manual) ......................................... 135
2.2.1.3 Ensure chrony is configured
(Automated) ........................................................... 138
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2.2.1.4 Ensure ntp is configured
(Automated) .................................................................. 141
2.2.2 Ensure X Window System is not installed
(Automated) ..................................... 144
2.2.3 Ensure Avahi Server is not installed
(Automated) ............................................... 145
2.2.4 Ensure CUPS is not installed
(Automated) ............................................................... 146
2.2.5 Ensure DHCP Server is not installed
(Automated) ............................................... 148
2.2.6 Ensure LDAP server is not installed
(Automated) ................................................ 149
2.2.7 Ensure NFS is not installed
(Automated) ................................................................. 150
2.2.8 Ensure DNS Server is not installed
(Automated) .................................................. 151
2.2.9 Ensure FTP Server is not installed
(Automated) ................................................... 152
2.2.10 Ensure HTTP server is not installed
(Automated) ............................................. 153
2.2.11 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed
(Automated)...................... 154
2.2.12 Ensure Samba is not installed
(Automated) ......................................................... 155
2.2.13 Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed
(Automated) ................................ 156
2.2.14 Ensure SNMP Server is not installed
(Automated) ............................................ 157
2.2.15 Ensure mail transfer agent is configured for local-only mode (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 159
2.2.16 Ensure rsync service is not installed
(Automated) ............................................ 161
2.2.17 Ensure NIS Server is not installed
(Automated) ................................................. 162
2.3 Service
Clients ...........................................................................
....................................................... 163
2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed
(Automated) ..................................................... 164
2.3.2 Ensure rsh client is not installed
(Automated) ...................................................... 166
2.3.3 Ensure talk client is not installed
(Automated) ..................................................... 168
2.3.4 Ensure telnet client is not installed
(Automated) ................................................. 169
2.3.5 Ensure LDAP client is not installed
(Automated) .................................................. 171
2.3.6 Ensure RPC is not installed
(Automated) ................................................................. 172
2.4 Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked
(Manual) ....................... 173
3 Network
Configuration......................................................................
.................................................... 175
3.1 Disable unused network protocols and
devices.................................................................. 176
3.1.1 Disable IPv6
(Manual) ..........................................................................
............................ 177
3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled
(Automated) ........................................ 178
3.2 Network Parameters (Host
Only) .............................................................................
................ 180
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3.2.1 Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled
(Automated) .................................. 181
3.2.2 Ensure IP forwarding is disabled
(Automated) ..................................................... 183
3.3 Network Parameters (Host and
Router) ...........................................................................
..... 185
3.3.1 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted
(Automated) ......................... 186
3.3.2 Ensure ICMP redirects are not accepted
(Automated) ....................................... 189
3.3.3 Ensure secure ICMP redirects are not accepted
(Automated) ......................... 192
3.3.4 Ensure suspicious packets are logged
(Automated) ............................................ 194
3.3.5 Ensure broadcast ICMP requests are ignored
(Automated) ............................. 196
3.3.6 Ensure bogus ICMP responses are ignored
(Automated) .................................. 198
3.3.7 Ensure Reverse Path Filtering is enabled
(Automated)...................................... 200
3.3.8 Ensure TCP SYN Cookies is enabled
(Automated) ................................................ 202
3.3.9 Ensure IPv6 router advertisements are not accepted (Automated) ..............
204
3.4 Uncommon Network
Protocols .........................................................................
........................ 206
3.4.1 Ensure DCCP is disabled
(Automated) ......................................................................
207
3.4.2 Ensure SCTP is disabled
(Automated) .......................................................................
209
3.4.3 Ensure RDS is disabled
(Automated) .......................................................................
.. 211
3.4.4 Ensure TIPC is disabled
(Automated) .......................................................................
. 212
3.5 Firewall
Configuration .....................................................................
............................................. 213
3.5.1 Configure
UncomplicatedFirewall .............................................................
...................... 214
3.5.1.1 Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is installed
(Automated) ............................. 215
3.5.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed
(Automated)................................ 217
3.5.1.3 Ensure ufw service is enabled
(Automated) ........................................................ 218
3.5.1.4 Ensure loopback traffic is configured
(Automated) ......................................... 220
3.5.1.5 Ensure outbound connections are configured
(Manual) ................................ 222
3.5.1.6 Ensure firewall rules exist for all open ports
(Manual)................................... 223
3.5.1.7 Ensure default deny firewall policy
(Automated) ............................................. 226
3.5.2 Configure
nftables ..........................................................................
........................................ 228
3.5.2.1 Ensure nftables is installed
(Automated) ............................................................. 231
3.5.2.2 Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is not installed or disabled (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 233
3.5.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed
(Manual) .................................................................... 235
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3.5.2.4 Ensure a table exists
(Automated) .......................................................................
... 237
3.5.2.5 Ensure base chains exist
(Automated) ................................................................... 239
3.5.2.6 Ensure loopback traffic is configured
(Automated) ......................................... 241
3.5.2.7 Ensure outbound and established connections are configured (Manual)243
3.5.2.8 Ensure default deny firewall policy
(Automated) ............................................. 245
3.5.2.9 Ensure nftables service is enabled
(Automated) ............................................... 247
3.5.2.10 Ensure nftables rules are permanent
(Automated) ....................................... 248
3.5.3 Configure
iptables...........................................................................
........................................ 251
3.5.3.1.1 Ensure iptables packages are installed
(Automated) ................................... 253
3.5.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed
(Automated) .................................................. 254
3.5.3.1.3 Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is not installed or disabled (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 255
3.5.3.2.1 Ensure default deny firewall policy
(Automated) .......................................... 258
3.5.3.2.2 Ensure loopback traffic is configured
(Automated) ...................................... 260
3.5.3.2.3 Ensure outbound and established connections are configured (Manual)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 262
3.5.3.2.4 Ensure firewall rules exist for all open ports
(Automated) ....................... 264
3.5.3.3.1 Ensure IPv6 default deny firewall policy
(Automated) ............................... 267
3.5.3.3.2 Ensure IPv6 loopback traffic is configured
(Automated) ........................... 269
3.5.3.3.3 Ensure IPv6 outbound and established connections are configured
(Manual) ..........................................................................
................................................................. 271
3.5.3.3.4 Ensure IPv6 firewall rules exist for all open ports
(Manual)..................... 273
4 Logging and
Auditing ..........................................................................
................................................... 276
4.1 Configure System Accounting
(auditd) ..........................................................................
......... 277
4.1.1 Ensure auditing is
enabled ...........................................................................
....................... 278
4.1.1.1 Ensure auditd is installed
(Automated)................................................................. 279
4.1.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled
(Automated) .................................................. 280
4.1.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is enabled
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 281
4.1.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient
(Automated) ..................................... 283
4.1.2 Configure Data
Retention .........................................................................
........................... 285
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4.1.2.1 Ensure audit log storage size is configured
(Automated) .............................. 286
4.1.2.2 Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted
(Automated) .................... 288
4.1.2.3 Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full
(Automated) ............... 289
4.1.3 Ensure events that modify date and time information are collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 290
4.1.4 Ensure events that modify user/group information are collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 293
4.1.5 Ensure events that modify the system's network environment are collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 295
4.1.6 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory Access Controls are
collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
......................................... 298
4.1.7 Ensure login and logout events are collected
(Automated) .............................. 300
4.1.8 Ensure session initiation information is collected
(Automated)..................... 302
4.1.9 Ensure discretionary access control permission modification events are
collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
......................................... 304
4.1.10 Ensure unsuccessful unauthorized file access attempts are collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 308
4.1.11 Ensure use of privileged commands is collected
(Automated) ..................... 311
4.1.12 Ensure successful file system mounts are collected
(Automated) ............... 313
4.1.13 Ensure file deletion events by users are collected
(Automated) .................. 316
4.1.14 Ensure changes to system administration scope (sudoers) is collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 319
4.1.15 Ensure system administrator command executions (sudo) are collected
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 321
4.1.16 Ensure kernel module loading and unloading is collected (Automated) .. 324
4.1.17 Ensure the audit configuration is immutable
(Automated)............................ 327
4.2 Configure
Logging ...........................................................................
................................................ 329
4.2.1 Configure
rsyslog ...........................................................................
......................................... 330
4.2.1.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed
(Automated) ............................................................... 331
4.2.1.2 Ensure rsyslog Service is enabled
(Automated)................................................. 332
4.2.1.3 Ensure logging is configured
(Manual) .................................................................. 333
4.2.1.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions configured
(Automated) .............. 335
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4.2.1.5 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log host (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 337
4.2.1.6 Ensure remote rsyslog messages are only accepted on designated log
hosts.
(Manual) ..........................................................................
.................................................... 339
4.2.2 Configure
journald...........................................................................
....................................... 342
4.2.2.1 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog
(Automated) .......... 343
4.2.2.2 Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files (Automated) ..
345
4.2.2.3 Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to persistent disk
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 347
4.2.3 Ensure permissions on all logfiles are configured
(Automated) ..................... 349
4.3 Ensure logrotate is configured
(Manual) ..................................................................... 350
4.4 Ensure logrotate assigns appropriate permissions
(Automated) ...................... 351
5 Access, Authentication and
Authorization .....................................................................
................ 352
5.1 Configure time-based job
schedulers ........................................................................
.............. 353
5.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and running
(Automated) .............................. 354
5.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured (Automated) ...............
356
5.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured (Automated) ....... 358
5.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured (Automated) ...........
360
5.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured (Automated) ...... 362
5.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured (Automated) ... 364
5.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured
(Automated) .................. 366
5.1.8 Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users
(Automated) ............................. 368
5.1.9 Ensure at is restricted to authorized users
(Automated)................................... 370
5.2 Configure SSH
Server ............................................................................
......................................... 372
5.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 373
5.2.2 Ensure permissions on SSH private host key files are configured
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 374
5.2.3 Ensure permissions on SSH public host key files are configured (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 376
5.2.4 Ensure SSH LogLevel is appropriate
(Automated) ............................................... 378
5.2.5 Ensure SSH X11 forwarding is disabled
(Automated) ......................................... 380
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5.2.6 Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is set to 4 or less
(Automated) ................................ 381
5.2.7 Ensure SSH IgnoreRhosts is enabled
(Automated) .............................................. 383
5.2.8 Ensure SSH HostbasedAuthentication is disabled
(Automated) ..................... 384
5.2.9 Ensure SSH root login is disabled
(Automated) ..................................................... 385
5.2.10 Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled
(Automated) ..................... 386
5.2.11 Ensure SSH PermitUserEnvironment is disabled
(Automated) .................... 387
5.2.12 Ensure only strong Ciphers are used
(Automated)............................................ 388
5.2.13 Ensure only strong MAC algorithms are used
(Automated)........................... 390
5.2.14 Ensure only strong Key Exchange algorithms are used (Automated) ........ 393
5.2.15 Ensure SSH Idle Timeout Interval is configured
(Automated) ...................... 395
5.2.16 Ensure SSH LoginGraceTime is set to one minute or less (Automated) .... 397
5.2.17 Ensure SSH access is limited
(Automated) ............................................................ 399
5.2.18 Ensure SSH warning banner is configured
(Automated) ................................. 401
5.2.19 Ensure SSH PAM is enabled
(Automated) ............................................................. 402
5.2.20 Ensure SSH AllowTcpForwarding is disabled
(Automated) ........................... 404
5.2.21 Ensure SSH MaxStartups is configured
(Automated) ....................................... 406
5.2.22 Ensure SSH MaxSessions is limited
(Automated) ............................................... 408
5.3 Configure
PAM................................................................................
.................................................. 410
5.3.1 Ensure password creation requirements are configured (Automated) ....... 411
5.3.2 Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured (Automated) .. 414
5.3.3 Ensure password reuse is limited
(Automated) .................................................... 416
5.3.4 Ensure password hashing algorithm is SHA-512
(Automated) ....................... 417
5.4 User Accounts and
Environment .......................................................................
....................... 419
5.4.1 Set Shadow Password Suite
Parameters .......................................................................
420
5.4.1.1 Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less
(Automated) ..................... 421
5.4.1.2 Ensure minimum days between password changes is configured
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 423
5.4.1.3 Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more (Automated) ..... 425
5.4.1.4 Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less
(Automated) ................... 427
5.4.1.5 Ensure all users last password change date is in the past (Automated) ..
429
5.4.2 Ensure system accounts are secured
(Automated) .............................................. 430
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5.4.3 Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0
(Automated) ................... 432
5.4.4 Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive
(Automated) ............. 433
5.4.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is 900 seconds or less (Automated) .......
437
5.5 Ensure root login is restricted to system console
(Manual) ................................. 440
5.6 Ensure access to the su command is restricted
(Automated) .............................. 441
6 System
Maintenance........................................................................
....................................................... 443
6.1 System File
Permissions .......................................................................
........................................ 444
6.1.1 Audit system file permissions
(Manual) ................................................................... 445
6.1.2 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured (Automated) ...............
447
6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured (Automated) ...........
448
6.1.4 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured (Automated) ...............
449
6.1.5 Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured
(Automated) ................... 450
6.1.6 Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured (Automated) ..............
451
6.1.7 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured (Automated) .............
452
6.1.8 Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured
(Automated) ................. 453
6.1.9 Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured (Automated).............
454
6.1.10 Ensure no world writable files exist
(Automated) ............................................. 455
6.1.11 Ensure no unowned files or directories exist
(Automated) ........................... 457
6.1.12 Ensure no ungrouped files or directories exist
(Automated) ........................ 459
6.1.13 Audit SUID executables
(Manual) ..........................................................................
... 461
6.1.14 Audit SGID executables
(Manual) ..........................................................................
... 463
6.2 User and Group
Settings ..........................................................................
..................................... 465
6.2.1 Ensure password fields are not empty
(Automated) ........................................... 466
6.2.2 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account
(Automated) ............................................ 467
6.2.3 Ensure root PATH Integrity
(Automated) ................................................................ 468
6.2.4 Ensure all users' home directories exist
(Automated) ........................................ 470
6.2.5 Ensure users' home directories permissions are 750 or more restrictive
(Automated) .......................................................................
............................................................. 471
6.2.6 Ensure users own their home directories
(Automated) ..................................... 473
6.2.7 Ensure users' dot files are not group or world writable (Automated) .........
475
6.2.8 Ensure no users have .forward files
(Automated) ................................................ 477
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6.2.9 Ensure no users have .netrc files
(Automated) ...................................................... 479
6.2.10 Ensure users' .netrc Files are not group or world accessible (Automated)
...................................................................................
........................................................................... 481
6.2.11 Ensure no users have .rhosts files
(Automated) ................................................. 484
6.2.12 Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group (Automated) ..........
486
6.2.13 Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist
(Automated) ....................................................... 488
6.2.14 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist
(Automated) ....................................................... 489
6.2.15 Ensure no duplicate user names exist
(Automated) ......................................... 490
6.2.16 Ensure no duplicate group names exist
(Automated) ...................................... 491
6.2.17 Ensure shadow group is empty
(Automated) ...................................................... 492
Appendix: Summary
Table .............................................................................
.............................................. 493
Appendix: Change
History ...........................................................................
................................................. 502

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Overview
This document provides prescriptive guidance for establishing a secure
configuration
posture for Ubuntu Linux systems running on x86 and x64 platforms.
Commands and scripts are provided which should work on most Debian derived Linux
distributions, however some translation to local styles may be required in places.
Many lists are included including filesystem types, services, clients, and network
protocols.
Not all items in these lists are guaranteed to exist on all distributions and
additional similar
items may exist which should be considered in addition to those explicitly
mentioned.
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 feedback@cisecurity.org.

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 on an x86 or x64
platform.

Consensus Guidance
This benchmark was created using a consensus review process comprised of subject
matter experts. 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
13 | P a g e
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/.

14 | P a g e
Typographical Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used throughout this guide:
Convention

Meaning

Stylized Monospace font

Used for blocks of code, command, and script 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 font in brackets>

Italic texts set in angle brackets denote a variable

requiring substitution for a real value.

Italic font

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

publication.

Note

Additional information or caveats

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.

15 | P a g e
Profile Definitions
The following configuration profiles are defined by this Benchmark:


Level 1 - Server
Items in this profile intend to:
o
o
o

be practical and prudent;

provide a clear security benefit; and
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
o
o

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

acts as defense in depth measure.
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
o
o

be practical and prudent;

provide a clear security benefit; and
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
o
o

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

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

This profile is intended for workstations.

16 | P a g e
Acknowledgements
This benchmark exemplifies the great things a community of users, vendors, and
subject matter
experts can accomplish through consensus collaboration. The CIS community thanks
the entire
consensus team with special recognition to the following individuals who
contributed greatly to
the creation of this guide:
This benchmark is based upon previous Linux benchmarks published and would not be
possible without the contributions provided over the history of all of these
benchmarks.
The CIS community thanks everyone who has contributed to the Linux benchmarks.
Contributor
Ron Colvin
Bill Erickson
Dave Billing
Dominic Pace
Ely Pinto
Fredrik Silverskär
Joy Latten
Koen Laevens
Mark Birch
Martynas Brijunas
Robert Thomas
Tom Pietschmann
Vineetha Hari Pai
Anurag Pal
Bradley Hieber
Thomas Sjögren
Kenneth Karlsson
Richard Costa
Jim Trigg
Editor
Jonathan Lewis Christopherson
Eric Pinnell

17 | P a g e
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.

18 | P a g e
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, make sure
the data
has been copied over to the new partition, unmount it and then remove the data from
the
directory that was in the old partition. Otherwise it will still consume space in
the old
partition that will be masked when the new filesystem is mounted. For example, if a
system is
in single-user mode with no filesystems mounted and the administrator adds a lot of
data to
the /tmp directory, this data will still consume space in / once the /tmp
filesystem is mounted
unless it is removed first.

19 | P a g e
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.

20 | P a g e
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
server. If this filesystem type is not needed, disable it.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v cramfs | grep -E '(cramfs|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep cramfs
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vim /etc/modprobe.d/cramfs.conf
and add the following line:
install cramfs /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the cramfs module:

# rmmod cramfs

21 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

22 | P a g e
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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v freevxfs | grep -E '(freevxfs|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep freevxfs
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/freevxfs.conf
and add the following line:
install freevxfs /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the freevxfs module:

rmmod freevxfs

23 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

24 | P a g e
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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v jffs2 | grep -E '(jffs2|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep jffs2
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/jffs2.conf
and add the following line:
install jffs2 /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the jffs2 module:

# rmmod jffs2

25 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

26 | P a g e
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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v hfs | grep -E '(hfs|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep hfs
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/hfs.conf
and add the following line:
install hfs /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the hfs module:

# rmmod hfs

27 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

28 | P a g e
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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v hfsplus | grep -E '(hfsplus|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep hfsplus
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/hfsplus.conf
and add the following line:
install hfsplus /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the hfsplus module:

# rmmod hfsplus

29 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

30 | P a g e
1.1.1.6 Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - 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.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v udf | grep -E '(udf|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep udf
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/udf.conf
and add the following line:
install udf /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the udf module:

# rmmod udf

31 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

32 | P a g e
1.1.1.7 Ensure mounting of FAT filesystems is limited (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Workstation
 Level 2 - Server
Description:
The FAT filesystem format is primarily used on older windows systems and portable
USB
drives or flash modules. It comes in three types FAT12 , FAT16 , and FAT32 all of
which are
supported by the vfat kernel module.
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:
If utilizing UEFI the FAT filesystem format is required. If this case, ensure that
the FAT
filesystem is only used where appropriate
Run the following command
grep -E -i '\svfat\s' /etc/fstab

And review that any output is appropriate for your environment

If not utilizing UEFI
Run the following commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v vfat
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep vfat
<No output>

33 | P a g e
Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/vfat.conf
install vfat /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the vfat module:

# rmmod vfat

Impact:
The FAT filesystem format is used by UEFI systems for the EFI boot partition.
Disabling the
vfat module can prevent boot on UEFI systems.
FAT filesystems are often used on portable USB sticks and other flash media which
are

commonly used to transfer files between workstations, removing VFAT support may
prevent the ability to transfer files in this way.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

34 | P a g e
1.1.2 Ensure /tmp is configured (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.
Notes:



If an entry for /tmp exists in /etc/fstab it will take precedence over entries in
the
tmp.mount 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.

Resize tmpfs examples:

 /etc/fstab
tmpfs
/tmp
tmpfs
rw,noexec,nodev,nosuid,size=2G
 tmp.mount
[Mount]
What=tmpfs
Where=/tmp
Type=tmpfs
Options=mode=1777,strictatime,size=2G,noexec,nodev,nosuid

Rationale:
Making /tmp its own file system allows an administrator to set 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 hardlink to a system setuid program and
wait for it
to be updated. Once the program was updated, the hardlink 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.

35 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /tmp is mounted:
# mount | grep -E '\s/tmp\s'
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime)

Run the following command and verify that tmpfs has been mounted to, or a system
partition has been created for /tmp
#

grep -E '\s/tmp\s' /etc/fstab | grep -E -v '^\s*#'

tmpfs

/tmp

tmpfs

defaults,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0

OR
# systemctl is-enabled tmp.mount
enabled

36 | P a g e
Remediation:
Configure /etc/fstab as appropriate.
Example:
tmpfs

/tmp

tmpfs

defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime

0 0

OR
Run the following commands to enable systemd /tmp mounting:
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:

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

Run the following command to reload the systemd daemon with the unpdated tmp.mount
unit file:
# systemctl daemon-reload

Run the following command to enable and start tmp.mount

# systemctl --now enable tmp.mount

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 default installation a disk-based /tmp will essentially have the whole
disk available,
as it 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.
/tmp utilizing tmpfs can be resized using the size={size} parameter on the Options
line on
the tmp.mount file

37 | P a g e
References:
1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
2. https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/APIFileSystems/
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

38 | P a g e
1.1.3 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 attempt to create block or character special devices in /tmp .
Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set if a /tmp partition exists
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/tmp\s' | grep -v nodev

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the /tmp
partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /tmp :
# mount -o remount,nodev /tmp

OR
Edit /etc/systemd/system/local-fs.target.wants/tmp.mount to add nodev to the /tmp
mount options:
[Mount]
Options=mode=1777,strictatime,noexec,nodev,nosuid

Run the following command to remount /tmp :

# mount -o remount,nodev /tmp

39 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

40 | P a g e
1.1.4 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 if a /tmp partition exists
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/tmp\s' | grep -v nosuid

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the /tmp
partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /tmp :
# mount -o remount,nosuid /tmp

OR
Edit /etc/systemd/system/local-fs.target.wants/tmp.mount to add nosuid to the /tmp
mount options:
[Mount]
Options=mode=1777,strictatime,noexec,nodev,nosuid

Run the following command to remount /tmp :

# mount -o remount,nosuid /tmp

41 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

42 | P a g e
1.1.5 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 if a /tmp partition exists
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/tmp\s' | grep -v noexec

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the /tmp
partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /tmp :
# mount -o remount,noexec /tmp

OR
Edit /etc/systemd/system/local-fs.target.wants/tmp.mount to add noexec to the /tmp
mount options:
[Mount]
Options=mode=1777,strictatime,noexec,nodev,nosuid

Run the following command to remount /tmp :

# mount -o remount,noexec /tmp

43 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

44 | P a g e
1.1.6 Ensure /dev/shm is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
/dev/shm is a traditional shared memory concept. One program will create a memory

portion, which other processes (if permitted) can access. Mounting tmpfs at
/dev/shm is
handled automatically by systemd.
Notes:



An entry for /dev/shm in /etc/fstab will take precedence.

tmpfs can be resized using the size={size} parameter in /etc/fstab. If we don't
specify
the size, it will be half the RAM.

Resize tmpfs example:

tmpfs

/dev/shm

tmpfs

defaults,noexec,nodev,nosuid,size=2G

Rationale:
Any user can upload and execute files inside the /dev/shm similar to the /tmp
partition.
Configuring /dev/shm allows an administrator to set the noexec option on the mount,
making /dev/shm useless for an attacker to install executable code. It would also
prevent an
attacker from establishing a hardlink to a system setuid program and wait for it to
be
updated. Once the program was updated, the hardlink 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.

45 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /dev/shm is mounted:
# mount | grep -E '\s/dev/shm\s'
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,seclabel)

Run the following command and verify an entry for /dev/shm exists in /etc/fstab:
# grep -E '\s/dev/shm\s' /etc/fstab
tmpfs

/dev/shm

tmpfs

defaults,noexec,nodev,nosuid

0 0

Remediation:
Edit /etc/fstab and add or edit the following line:
tmpfs

/dev/shm

tmpfs

defaults,noexec,nodev,nosuid,seclabel

0 0

Run the following command to remount /dev/shm:

# mount -o remount,noexec,nodev,nosuid /dev/shm

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.
13 Data Protection
Data Protection

46 | P a g e
1.1.7 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 if a /dev/shm partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/dev/shm\s' | grep -v nodev

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.
Run the following command to remount /dev/shm :
# mount -o remount,nodev /dev/shm

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

47 | P a g e
1.1.8 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 if a /dev/shm partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/dev/shm\s' | grep -v nosuid

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.
Run the following command to remount /dev/shm :
# mount -o remount,nosuid /dev/shm

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.9 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 if a /dev/shm partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/dev/shm\s' | grep -v noexec

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the
/dev/shm partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /dev/shm:
# mount -o remount,noexec /dev/shm

CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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1.1.10 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.
Note: 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 multiuser mode.
Rationale:
Since the /var directory may contain world-writable files and directories, there is
a risk of
resource exhaustion if it is not bound to a separate partition.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var is mounted:
# mount | grep -E '\s/var\s'
<device> on /var type ext4 (rw,relatime,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.
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.

50 | P a g e
References:
1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.11 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.
Rationale:
Since the /var/tmp directory is intended to be world-writable, there is a risk of
resource
exhaustion if it is not bound to a separate partition. In addition, making /var/tmp
its own
file system allows an administrator to set the noexec option on the mount, making
/var/tmp useless for an attacker to install executable code. It would also prevent
an
attacker from establishing a hardlink to a system setuid program and wait for it to
be
updated. Once the program was updated, the hardlink 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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/tmp is mounted:
# mount | grep -E '\s/var/tmp\s'
<device> on /var/tmp type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime)

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.

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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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.12 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 attempt to create block or character special devices in
/var/tmp .
Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set if a /var/tmp partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/var/tmp\s' | grep -v nodev

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the
/var/tmp partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /var/tmp :
# mount -o remount,nodev /var/tmp

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.13 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 if a /var/tmp partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/var/tmp\s' | grep -v nosuid

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the
/var/tmp partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /var/tmp :
# mount -o remount,nosuid /var/tmp

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

55 | P a g e
1.1.14 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 if a /var/tmp partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/var/tmp\s' | grep -v noexec

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the
/var/tmp partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
Run the following command to remount /var/tmp :
# mount -o remount,noexec /var/tmp

CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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1.1.15 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.
Note: 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
Rationale:
There are two important reasons to ensure that system logs are stored on a separate
partition: protection against resource exhaustion (since logs can grow quite large)
and
protection of audit data.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/log is mounted:
# mount | grep -E '\s\/var\/log\s'
<device> on /var/log type ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime)

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.
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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References:
1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.

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1.1.16 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.
Note: 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 multiuser mode.
Rationale:
There are two important reasons to ensure that data gathered by auditd is stored on
a
separate partition: protection against resource exhaustion (since the audit.log
file can
grow quite large) and protection of audit data. The audit daemon calculates how
much free
space is left and performs actions based on the results. If other processes (such
as syslog )
consume space in the same partition as auditd , it may not perform as desired.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /var/log/audit is mounted:
# mount | grep -E '\s\/var\/log\/audit\s'
<device> on /var/log/audit type ext4 (rw,relatime,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.
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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References:
1. AJ Lewis, "LVM HOWTO", http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.

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1.1.17 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:
If the system is intended to support local users, create a separate partition for
the /home
directory to protect against resource exhaustion and restrict the type of files
that can be
stored under /home .
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output shows /home is mounted:
mount | grep -E '\s/home\s'
on /home type ext4 (rw,nodev,relatime,data=ordered)

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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.18 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.
Note: The actions in this recommendation refer to the /home partition, which is the
default
user partition that is defined in many distributions. If you have created other
user partitions,
it is recommended that the Remediation and Audit steps be applied to these
partitions as well.
Rationale:
Since the user partitions are not intended to support devices, set this option to
ensure that
users cannot attempt to create block or character special devices.
Audit:
Verify that the nodev option is set if a /home partition exists.
Run the following command and verify that nothing is returned:
# mount | grep -E '\s/home\s' | grep -v nodev

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) for
the /home
partition. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
# mount -o remount,nodev /home

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.19 Ensure nodev option set on removable media partitions (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The nodev mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain special
devices.
Rationale:
Removable media containing character and block special devices could be used to
circumvent security controls by allowing non-root users to access sensitive device
files
such as /dev/kmem or the raw disk partitions.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the nodev option is set on all removable
media
partitions.
# mount

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nodev to the fourth field (mounting options) of
all
removable media partitions. Look for entries that have mount points that contain
words
such as floppy or cdrom. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.20 Ensure nosuid option set on removable media partitions
(Manual)
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:
Run the following command and verify that the nosuid option is set on all removable
media
partitions.
# mount

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add nosuid to the fourth field (mounting options) of
all
removable media partitions. Look for entries that have mount points that contain
words
such as floppy or cdrom. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.21 Ensure noexec option set on removable media partitions
(Manual)
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
the
removable media. This deters users from being able to introduce potentially
malicious
software on the system.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the noexec option is set on all removable
media
partitions.
# mount

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) of
all
removable media partitions. Look for entries that have mount points that contain
words
such as floppy or cdrom. See the fstab(5) manual page for more information.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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1.1.22 Ensure sticky bit is set on all world-writable directories
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
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:
This feature prevents the ability to delete or rename files in world writable
directories
(such as /tmp ) that are owned by another user.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify no world writable directories exist without the
sticky
bit set:
# df --local -P | awk '{if (NR!=1) print $6}' | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-type d \( -perm -0002 -a ! -perm -1000 \) 2>/dev/null

No output should be returned.

Remediation:
Run the following command to set the sticky bit on all world writable directories:
# df --local -P | awk '{if (NR!=1) print $6}' | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-type d \( -perm -0002 -a ! -perm -1000 \) 2>/dev/null | xargs -I '{}' chmod
a+t '{}'

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.1.23 Disable Automounting (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
autofs allows automatic mounting of devices, typically including CD/DVDs and USB
drives.

Note: 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.
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.
Audit:
autofs should be removed or disabled.
Run the following commands to verify that autofs is not installed or is disabled
Run the following command to verify autofs is not enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled autofs
masked

Verify result is not "enabled".

OR
Run the following command to verfiy that autofs is not installed
# dpkg -s autofs

Output should include:

package `autofs` is not installed

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Remediation:
Run one of the following commands:
Run the following command to stop and mask autofs :
# systemctl --now mask autofs

OR
Run the following command to remove autofs
# apt purge autofs

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
8.4 Configure Anti-Malware Scanning of Removable Devices
Configure devices so that they automatically conduct an anti-malware scan of
removable
media when inserted or connected.
8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content
Configure devices to not auto-run content from removable media.

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1.1.24 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.
Note: 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.
Rationale:
Restricting USB access on the system will decrease the physical attack surface for
a device
and diminish the possible vectors to introduce malware.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v usb-storage
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep usb-storage
<No output>

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Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/usb_storage.conf
and add the following line:
install usb-storage /bin/true

Run the following command to unload the usb-storage module:

rmmod usb-storage

CIS Controls:
Version 7
8.4 Configure Anti-Malware Scanning of Removable Devices
Configure devices so that they automatically conduct an anti-malware scan of
removable
media when inserted or connected.
8.5 Configure Devices Not To Auto-run Content
Configure devices to not auto-run content from removable media.

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1.2 Configure Software Updates
Debian Family Linux distributions use apt to install and update software packages.
Patch
management procedures may vary widely between enterprises. Large enterprises may
choose to install a local updates server that can be used in place of their
distributions
servers, whereas a single deployment of a system may prefer to get updates
directly.
Updates can be performed automatically or manually, depending on the site's policy
for
patch management. Many large enterprises prefer to test patches on a non-production
system before rolling out to production.
For the purpose of this benchmark, the requirement is to ensure that a patch
management
system is configured and maintained. The specifics on patch update procedures are
left to
the organization.

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1.2.1 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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
3.4 Deploy Automated Operating System Patch Management Tools
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
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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1.2.2 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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
3.4 Deploy Automated Operating System Patch Management Tools
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
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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1.3 Configure sudo
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.
sudo supports a plugin architecture for security policies and input/output logging.
Third
parties can develop and distribute their own policy and I/O logging plugins to work
seamlessly with the sudo front end. The default security policy is sudoers, which
is
configured via the file /etc/sudoers.

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1.3.1 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.
Note: Use the sudo-ldap package if you need LDAP support for sudoers
Rationale:
sudo supports a plugin architecture for security policies and input/output logging.
Third
parties can develop and distribute their own policy and I/O logging plugins to work
seamlessly with the sudo front end. The default security policy is sudoers, which
is
configured via the file /etc/sudoers.
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:
Verify that sudo in installed.
Run the following command and inspect the output to confirm that sudo is installed:
# dpkg -s sudo

OR
# dpkg -s sudo-ldap

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Remediation:
Install sudo using the following command.
# apt install sudo

OR
# apt install sudo-ldap

References:
1. SUDO(8)
2. http://www.sudo.ws/
Notes:
Use the sudo-ldap package if you need LDAP support for sudoers.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts
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.

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1.3.2 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-pty
Note: 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 or
parse errors. If the sudoers file is currently being edited you will receive a
message to try
again later.
Rationale:
Attackers can run a malicious program using sudo, which would again fork a
background
process that remains even when the main program has finished executing.
Audit:
Verify that sudo can only run other commands from a pseudo-pty
Run the following command:
# grep -Ei '^\s*Defaults\s+([^#]+,\s*)?use_pty(,\s+\S+\s*)*(\s+#.*)?$'
/etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.d/*

Remediation:
Edit the file /etc/sudoers or a file in /etc/sudoers.d/ with visudo -f and add the
following
line:
Defaults use_pty

References:
1. SUDO(8)

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts
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.

79 | P a g e
1.3.3 Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
sudo can use a custom log file.
Note: 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 or
parse errors. If the sudoers file is currently being edited you will receive a
message to try
again later.
Rationale:
A sudo log file simplifies auditing of sudo commands
Audit:
Verify that sudo has a custom log file configured
Run the following command:
# grep -Ei '^\s*Defaults\s+logfile=\S+' /etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.d/*

Remediation:
Edit the file /etc/sudoers or a file in /etc/sudoers.d/ with visudo -f and add the
following
line: and add the following line:
Defaults

logfile="<PATH TO CUSTOM LOG FILE>"

Example:
Defaults

logfile="/var/log/sudo.log"

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.
80 | P a g e
1.4 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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1.4.1 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.
Note: 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.
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:
Verify AIDE is installed:
Run the following commands:
# dpkg -s aide | grep 'Status: install ok installed'
Status: install ok installed
# dpkg -s aide-common | grep 'Status: install ok installed'
Status: install ok installed

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Remediation:
Install AIDE using the appropriate package manager or manual installation:
# apt install aide aide-common

Configure AIDE as appropriate for your environment. Consult the AIDE documentation
for
options.
Initialize AIDE:
Run the following commands:
# aideinit
# mv /var/lib/aide/aide.db.new /var/lib/aide/aide.db

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to Sensitive Data
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).

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1.4.2 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.
Notes:




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

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 determine if there is a cron job scheduled to run the
aide
check.
# crontab -u root -l | grep aide
# find /etc/cron.* /etc/crontab -name 'aide' -type f

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

OR
Run the following commands to verify that aidcheck.service and aidcheck.timer are
enabled and aidcheck.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

85 | P a g e
References:
1. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/config/aidecheck.servic
e
2. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/config/aidecheck.timer
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to Sensitive Data
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).

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1.5 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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1.5.1 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
Note: 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.
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).
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

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, the configuration files will have to be edited via the
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. Password will still be required to edit menu items.
More Information: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Passwords

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.5.2 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. The grub configuration is usually grub.cfg stored in
/boot/grub/.
Note: 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
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 does
not
grant permissions to group or other :
# stat /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Access: (0400/-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 og-rwx /boot/grub/grub.cfg

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.5.3 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 ^root:[*\!]: /etc/shadow

No results should be returned.

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.6 Additional Process Hardening

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1.6.1 Ensure XD/NX support is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Recent processors in the x86 family support the ability to prevent code execution
on a per
memory page basis. Generically and on AMD processors, this ability is called No
Execute
(NX), while on Intel processors it is called Execute Disable (XD). This ability can
help
prevent exploitation of buffer overflow vulnerabilities and should be activated
whenever
possible. Extra steps must be taken to ensure that this protection is enabled,
particularly on
32-bit x86 systems. Other processors, such as Itanium and POWER, have included such
support since inception and the standard kernel for those platforms supports the
feature.
Note: Ensure your system supports the XD or NX bit and has PAE support before
implementing
this recommendation as this may prevent it from booting if these are not supported
by your
hardware
Rationale:
Enabling any feature that can protect against buffer overflow attacks enhances the
security
of the system.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify your kernel has identified and activated NX/XD
protection.
# journalctl | grep 'protection: active'
kernel: NX (Execute Disable) protection: active

OR
on systems without journalctl
# [[ -n $(grep noexec[0-9]*=off /proc/cmdline) || -z $(grep -E -i ' (pae|nx)
' /proc/cpuinfo) || -n $(grep '\sNX\s.*\sprotection:\s' /var/log/dmesg | grep
-v active) ]] && echo "NX Protection is not active"

Nothing should be returned

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Remediation:
On 32 bit systems install a kernel with PAE support, no installation is required on
64 bit
systems:
If necessary configure your bootloader to load the new kernel and reboot the
system.
You may need to enable NX or XD support in your bios.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
8.3 Enable Operating System Anti-Exploitation Features/ Deploy Anti-Exploit
Technologies
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.

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1.6.2 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 commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl kernel.randomize_va_space
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2
# grep "kernel\.randomize_va_space" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameter:

# sysctl -w kernel.randomize_va_space=2

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
8.3 Enable Operating System Anti-Exploitation Features/ Deploy Anti-Exploit
Technologies
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.

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1.6.3 Ensure prelink is disabled (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 -s prelink

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to Sensitive Data
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).

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1.6.4 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 commands and verify output matches:
# grep -E '^(\*|\s).*hard.*core.*(\s+#.*)?$' /etc/security/limits.conf
/etc/security/limits.d/*
* hard core 0
# sysctl fs.suid_dumpable
fs.suid_dumpable = 0
# grep "fs.suid_dumpable" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
fs.suid_dumpable = 0

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 /etc/sysctl.d/* file:

fs.suid_dumpable = 0

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameter:

# sysctl -w fs.suid_dumpable=0

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

101 | P a g e
1.7 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.
Notes:



AppArmor is the default MAC provided with Debian 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

102 | P a g e
1.7.1 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/

103 | P a g e
1.7.1.1 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:
Verify that AppArmor is installed:
# dpkg -s apparmor

Remediation:
Install AppArmor.
# apt install apparmor

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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1.7.1.2 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 appermor=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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

106 | P a g e
1.7.1.3 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
4
0
0

processes
processes
processes
processes

have profiles defined.

are in enforce mode.
are in complain mode.
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
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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1.7.1.4 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
2
0
0

processes
processes
processes
processes

have profiles defined.

are in enforce mode.
are in complain mode.
are unconfined but have a profile defined.

109 | P a g e
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
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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1.8 Warning Banners
Presenting a warning message prior to the normal user login may assist in the
prosecution
of trespassers on the computer system. Changing some of these login banners also
has the
side effect of hiding OS version information and other detailed system information
from
attackers attempting to target specific exploits at a system.
Guidelines published by the US Department of Defense require that warning messages
include at least the name of the organization that owns the system, the fact that
the system
is subject to monitoring and that such monitoring is in compliance with local
statutes, and
that use of the system implies consent to such monitoring. It is important that the
organization's legal counsel review the content of all messages before any system
modifications are made, as these warning messages are inherently site-specific.
More
information (including citations of relevant case law) can be found at
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/
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

111 | P a g e
1.8.1 Command Line Warning Banners
The /etc/motd, /etc/issue, and /etc/issue.net files govern warning banners for
standard command line logins for both local and remote users.

112 | P a g e
1.8.1.1 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 that the contents match site policy:
# cat /etc/motd

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.8.1.2 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

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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
# echo "Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored and reported." >
/etc/issue

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.8.1.3 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

117 | P a g e
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
# echo "Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored and reported." >
/etc/issue.net

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.8.1.4 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.
Note: If Message of the day is not needing, this file can be removed.
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: Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is
644, or
the file doesn't exist.
# stat /etc/motd
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: (
OR
stat: cannot stat '/etc/motd': No such file or directory

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set permissions on /etc/motd :
# chown root:root /etc/motd
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/motd

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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.8.1.5 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 Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is
644 :
# stat /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 /etc/issue
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/issue

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

121 | P a g e
1.8.1.6 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 Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is
644 :
# stat /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 /etc/issue.net
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/issue.net

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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1.9 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.
Notes:


Software Updates:
o 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
o 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
 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
Site policy may mandate a testing period before install onto production systems for
available updates.

123 | P a g e
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:
Use your package manager to update all packages on the system according to site
policy.
Run the following command to update all packages following local site policy
guidance on
applying updates and patches:
# apt upgrade

OR
# apt dist-upgrade

CIS Controls:
Version 7
3.4 Deploy Automated Operating System Patch Management Tools
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
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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1.10 Ensure GDM is removed or login 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:
If a graphical login is not required, it should be removed to reduce the attack
surface of the
system. If a graphical login is required, last logged in user display should be
disabled, and a
warning banner should be configured.
displaying the last logged in user eliminates half of the Userid/Password equation
that an
unauthorized person would need to log on.
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.
Note: If a different GUI login service is in use and required on the system,
consult your
documentation to disable displaying the last logged on user and apply an equivalent
banner.
Audit:
If GDM is installed on the system verify that /etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults file
exists and contains the following:
[org/gnome/login-screen]
banner-message-enable=true
banner-message-text='<banner message>'
disable-user-list=true

125 | P a g e
Remediation:
Edit or create the file /etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults and edit or add the
following:
[org/gnome/login-screen]
banner-message-enable=true
banner-message-text='<banner message>'
disable-user-list=true

Example banner message: Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored and
reported.

Run the following command to re-load GDM on the next login or reboot:
# dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

126 | P a g e
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.

127 | P a g e
2.1 inetd Services
inetd is a super-server daemon that provides internet services and passes
connections to
configured services. While not commonly used inetd and any unneeded inetd based
services should be disabled if possible.

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2.1.1 Ensure xinetd is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The eXtended InterNET Daemon (xinetd) is an open source super daemon that replaced
the original inetd daemon. The xinetd daemon listens for well known services and
dispatches the appropriate daemon to properly respond to service requests.
Rationale:
If there are no xinetd services required, it is recommended that the package be
removed.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify xinetd is not installed:
# dpkg -s xinetd

Verify result is:

dpkg-query: package 'xinetd' is not installed and no information is available
Use dpkg --info (= dpkg-deb --info) to examine archive files,
and dpkg --contents (= dpkg-deb --contents) to list their contents.

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove xinetd:
# apt purge xinetd

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.1.2 Ensure openbsd-inetd is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The inetd daemon listens for well known services and dispatches the appropriate
daemon
to properly respond to service requests.
Rationale:
If there are no inetd services required, it is recommended that the daemon be
removed.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify openbsd-inetd is not installed:
dpkg -s openbsd-inetd

Remediation:
Run the following command to uninstall openbsd-inetd:
apt purge openbsd-inetd

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.

130 | P a g e
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
they be
deleted from the system to reduce the potential attack surface. If a package is
required as a
dependency, and the service is not required, the service should be stopped and
masked.
The following command can be used to stop and mask the service:
# systemctl --now mask <service_name>

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2.2.1 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.
Notes:





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,
systemd-timesyncd should be stopped and masked

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2.2.1.1 Ensure time synchronization 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.
Notes:




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
If access to a physical host's clock is available and configured according to site
policy,
systemd-timesyncd should be stopped and masked

Rationale:
Time synchronization is important to support time sensitive security mechanisms
like
Kerberos and also ensures log files have consistent time records across the
enterprise,
which aids in forensic investigations.

133 | P a g e
Audit:
On physical systems or virtual systems where host based time synchronization is not
available verify that timesyncd, chrony, or NTP is installed. Use one of the
following
commands to determine the needed information:
If systemd-timesyncd is used:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-timesyncd

If chrony is used:
# dpkg -s chrony

If ntp is used:
# dpkg -s ntp

On virtual systems where host based time synchronization is available consult your
virtualization software documentation and verify that host based synchronization is
in use
Remediation:
On systems where host based time synchronization is not available, configure
systemdtimesyncd. If "full featured" and/or encrypted time synchronization is
required, install
chrony or NTP.
To install chrony:
# apt install chrony

To install ntp:
# apt install ntp

On virtual systems where host based time synchronization is available consult your
virtualization software documentation and setup host based synchronization
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources
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.

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2.2.1.2 Ensure systemd-timesyncd is configured (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. 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
"systemdtimesync" needs to be created on installation of systemd.
Notes:






The systemd-timesyncd service specifically implements only SNTP. This minimalistic

service will set the system clock for large offsets or slowly adjust it for smaller
deltas.
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
This recommendation only applies if timesyncd is in use on the system
Only one time synchronization method should be in use on the system

Rationale:
Proper configuration is vital to ensuring time synchronization is working properly.

135 | P a g e
Audit:
Verify that only one time synchronization method is in use on the system:
Run the following command to verify that ntp is not installed:
dpkg -s ntp
dpkg-query: package 'ntp' is not installed and no information is available

Run the following command to verify that chrony is not installed:

dpkg -s chrony
dpkg-query: package 'chrony' is not installed and no information is available

Ensure that timesyncd is enabled and started:

Run the following commands:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-timesyncd.service
enabled

Verify that systemd-timesyncd is configured:

Review /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf and ensure that the NTP servers, NTP FallbackNTP
servers, and RootDistanceMaxSec listed are in accordance with local policy
Run the following command:
# timedatectl status

This should return something similar to:

Local time:
Universal time:
RTC time:
Time zone:
NTP enabled:
NTP synchronized:
RTC in local TZ:
DST active:
Last DST change:

Tue 2019-06-04 15:40:45 EDT

Tue 2019-06-04 19:40:45 UTC
Tue 2019-06-04 19:40:45
America/New_York (EDT, -0400)
yes
yes
no
yes
DST began at
Sun 2019-03-10 01:59:59 EST
Sun 2019-03-10 03:00:00 EDT
Next DST change: DST ends (the clock jumps one hour backwards) at
Sun 2019-11-03 01:59:59 EDT
Sun 2019-11-03 01:00:00 EST

136 | P a g e
Remediation:
Remove additional time synchronization methods:
Run the following commands to remove ntp and chrony:
# apt purge ntp
# apt purge chrony

Configure systemd-timesyncd:
Run the following command to enable systemd-timesyncd
# systemctl enable systemd-timesyncd.service

Edit the file /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf and add/modify the following lines:

NTP=0.debian.pool.ntp.org 1.debian.pool.ntp.org #Servers listed should be In
Accordence With Local Policy
FallbackNTP=2.debian.pool.ntp.org 3.debian.pool.ntp.org #Servers listed
should be In Accordence With Local Policy
RootDistanceMax=1 #should be In Accordence With Local Policy

Run the following commands to start systemd-timesyncd.service

# systemctl start systemd-timesyncd.service
# timedatectl set-ntp true

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources
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.

137 | P a g e
2.2.1.3 Ensure chrony is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
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. More information on chrony can be found at: http://chrony.tuxfamily.org/.
chrony can be configured to be a client and/or a server.
Notes:




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

Rationale:
If chrony is in use on the system proper configuration is vital to ensuring time
synchronization is working properly.

138 | P a g e
Audit:
Verify that only one time synchronization method is in use on the system:
Run the following command to verify that ntp is not installed:
dpkg -s ntp
dpkg-query: package 'ntp' is not installed and no information is available

Run the following command to verify that systemd-timsyncd is masked:

# systemctl is-enabled systemd-timesyncd
masked

Verify that chrony is configured:

Run the following command and verify remote server is configured properly:
# grep -E "^(server|pool)" /etc/chrony/chrony.conf
server <remote-server>

Multiple servers may be configured

Run the following command and verify the first field for the chronyd process is
_chrony:
# ps -ef | grep chronyd
_chrony

491

0 20:32 ?

00:00:00 /usr/sbin/chronyd

Note: The compiled-in default value is _chrony

139 | P a g e
Remediation:
Remove and/or disable additional time synchronization methods:
Run the following command to remove ntp:
# apt purge ntp

Run the following command to stop and mask systemd-timesyncd:

# systemctl --now mask systemd-timesyncd

Configure chrony:
Add or edit server or pool lines to /etc/chrony/chrony.conf as appropriate:
server <remote-server>

Add or edit the user line to /etc/chrony/chrony.conf:

user _chrony

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources
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.

140 | P a g e
2.2.1.4 Ensure ntp is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
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.
Notes:




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:
If ntp is in use on the system proper configuration is vital to ensuring time
synchronization
is working properly.

141 | P a g e
Audit:
Verify that only one time synchronization method is in use on the system:
Run the following command to verify chrony is not in use on the system:
# dpkg -s chrony
dpkg-query: package 'ntp' is not installed and no information is available

Run the following command to verify that systemd-timesyncd is nit in use on the
system:
# systemctl is-enabled systemd-timesyncd
masked

Verify that ntp is configured:

Run the following command and verify output matches:
# grep "^restrict" /etc/ntp.conf
restrict -4 default kod nomodify notrap nopeer noquery
restrict -6 default kod nomodify notrap nopeer noquery

The -4 in the first line is optional and options after default can appear in any
order.
Additional restriction lines may exist
Run the following command and verify remote server is configured properly:
# grep -E "^(server|pool)" /etc/ntp.conf
server <remote-server>

_Multiple servers may be configured.

Verify that ntp is configured to run as the ntp user by running the following
command and
verifying output matches:
# grep "RUNASUSER=ntp" /etc/init.d/ntp
RUNASUSER=ntp

Additional options may be present

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Remediation:
Remove and/or disable additional time synchronization methods:
Run the following command to remove chrony:
apt purge chrony

Run the following command to stop and mask systemd-timesyncd:

# systemctl --now mask systemd-timesyncd

Configure ntp:
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

Add or edit server or pool lines to /etc/ntp.conf as appropriate:

server <remote-server>

Configure ntp to run as the ntp user by adding or editing the /etc/init.d/ntp file:
RUNASUSER=ntp

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.1 Utilize Three Synchronized Time Sources
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.

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2.2.2 Ensure X Window System is not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - 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.
Audit:
Verify X Windows System is not installed:
dpkg -l xserver-xorg*

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

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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2.2.3 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 -s avahi-daemon

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.4 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.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify cups is not installed:
# dpkg -s cups

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

Impact:
Removing CUPS will prevent printing from the system, a common task for workstation
systems.
References:
1. More detailed documentation on CUPS is available at the project homepage at
http://www.cups.org.

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.5 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 -s isc-dhcp-server

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.6 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 -s slapd

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.7 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 or act as an NFS client, it is recommended
that
these services be removed to reduce the remote attack surface.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify nfs is not installed:
# dpkg -s nfs-kernel-server

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.8 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 -s bind9

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.9 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.
Note: Additional FTP servers also exist and should be audited.
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 -s vsftpd

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.10 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.
Note: 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
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 apache is not installed:
# dpkg -s apache2

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.11 Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
dovecot-imapd and dovecot-pop3d are an open source IMAP and POP3 server for Linux

based systems.
Note: 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.
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-imapd and dovecot-pop3d are not
installed:
# dpkg -s dovecot-imapd dovecot-pop3d

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.12 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 -s samba

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.13 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.
Note: Several HTTP proxy servers exist. These and other services should be checked
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:
# dpgk -s squid

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.14 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 net-snmp 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 -s snmpd

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.15 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.
Note: This recommendation is designed around the exim4 mail server, depending on
your
environment you may have an alternative MTA installed such as sendmail. If this is
the case
consult the documentation for your installed MTA to configure the recommended
state.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that the MTA is not listening on any non-
loopback
address (127.0.0.1 or::1).
Nothing should be returned
#

ss -lntu | grep -E ':25\s' | grep -E -v '\s(127.0.0.1|::1):25\s'

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Remediation:
Edit /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf and and or modify following lines
to look like the lines below:
dc_eximconfig_configtype='local'
dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1 ; ::1'
dc_readhost=''
dc_relay_domains=''
dc_minimaldns='false'
dc_relay_nets=''
dc_smarthost=''
dc_use_split_config='false'
dc_hide_mailname=''
dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'

Restart exim4:
# systemctl restart exim4

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.16 Ensure rsync service is not installed (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 it uses unencrypted protocols for
communication. The rsync package should be removed to reduce the attack area of the
system.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify rsync is not installed:
# dpkg -s rsync

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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2.2.17 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 -s nis

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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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.
Audit:
Verify nis is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
dpkg -s nis

Remediation:
Uninstall nis:
apt purge nis

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.

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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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 package removes
the
clients for rsh , rcp and rlogin .
Audit:
Verify rsh-client is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
dpkg -s rsh-client

Remediation:
Uninstall rsh:
apt purge rsh-client

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.

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.5 Use Multifactor Authentication For All Administrative Access
Use multi-factor authentication and encrypted channels for all administrative
account
access.

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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.
Audit:
Verify talk is not installed. The following command may provide the needed
information:
dpkg -s talk

Remediation:
Uninstall talk:
apt purge talk

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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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.
Audit:
Verify telnet is not installed. Use the following command to provide the needed
information:
# dpkg -s telnet

Remediation:
Uninstall telnet:
# apt purge telnet

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.

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.5 Use Multifactor Authentication For All Administrative Access
Use multi-factor authentication and encrypted channels for all administrative
account
access.

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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.
Audit:
Verify that ldap-utils is not installed. Use the following command to provide the
needed
information:
# dpkg -s ldap-utils

Remediation:
Uninstall ldap-utils:
# apt purge ldap-utils

Impact:
Removing the LDAP client will prevent or inhibit using LDAP for authentication in
your
environment.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
2.6 Address unapproved software
Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed or the inventory is updated in
a
timely manner

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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 -s rpcbind

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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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:
# lsof -i -P -n | grep -v "(ESTABLISHED)"

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 a non-essential service is required, stop and mask the non-essential
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 command to stop and mask the service:
# systemctl --now mask <service_name>

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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3 Network Configuration
This section provides guidance on for securing the network configuration of the
system
through kernel parameters, access list control, and firewall settings.

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3.1 Disable unused network protocols and devices
To reduce the attack surface of a system, unused network protocols and devices
should be
disabled.

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3.1.1 Disable IPv6 (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Although IPv6 has many advantages over IPv4, not all organizations have IPv6 or
dual
stack configurations implemented.
Rationale:
If IPv6 or dual stack is not to be used, it is recommended that IPv6 be disabled to
reduce
the attack surface of the system.
Audit:
Depending or your distribution, run the appropriate following command and verify no
lines
should be returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "ipv6.disable=1"

Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/grub and add ipv6.disable=1 to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX parameters:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="ipv6.disable=1"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.1.2 Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Wireless networking is used when wired networks are unavailable. Ubuntu contains a
wireless tool kit to allow system administrators to configure and use wireless
networks.
Rationale:
If wireless is not to be used, wireless devices can be disabled to reduce the
potential attack
surface.
Audit:
Run the following script to verify no wireless interfaces are active on the system:
#!/bin/bash
if command -v nmcli >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
nmcli radio all | grep -Eq '\s*\S+\s+disabled\s+\S+\s+disabled\b' && echo
"Wireless is not enabled" || nmcli radio all
elif [ -n "$(find /sys/class/net/*/ -type d -name wireless)" ]; then
t=0
drivers=$(for driverdir in $(find /sys/class/net/*/ -type d -name wireless
| xargs -0 dirname); do basename "$(readlink -f
"$driverdir"/device/driver)";done | sort -u)
for dm in $drivers; do
if grep -Eq "^\s*install\s+$dm\s+/bin/(true|false)"
/etc/modprobe.d/*.conf; then
/bin/true
else
echo "$dm is not disabled"
t=1
fi
done
[[ $t -eq 0 ]] && echo "Wireless is not enabled"
else
echo "Wireless is not enabled"
fi

Output should be:

Wireless is not enabled

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Remediation:
Run the following script to disable any wireless interfaces:
#!/bin/bash
if command -v nmcli >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
nmcli radio all off
else
if [ -n "$(find /sys/class/net/*/ -type d -name wireless)" ]; then
drivers=$(for driverdir in $(find /sys/class/net/*/ -type d -name
wireless | xargs -0 dirname); do basename "$(readlink -f
"$driverdir"/device/driver)";done | sort -u)
for dm in $drivers; do
echo "install $dm /bin/true" >> /etc/modprobe.d/disable_wireless.conf
done
fi
fi

Impact:
Many if not all laptop workstations and some desktop workstations will connect via
wireless requiring these interfaces be enabled.
Notes:
Edited to correct scripts. Do we need to remove other references to a wireless
driver from
/etc/modprobe.d/? The test system I used had a file iwlwifi.conf to load the
correct drivers.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
15.4 Disable Wireless Access on Devices if Not Required
Disable wireless access on devices that do not have a business purpose for wireless
access.
15.5 Limit Wireless Access on Client Devices
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.

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3.2 Network Parameters (Host Only)
The following network parameters are intended for use if the system is to act as a
host
only. A system is considered host only if the system has a single interface, or has
multiple
interfaces but will not be configured as a router.

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3.2.1 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.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects
net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects
net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.all\.send_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.default\.send_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects= 0

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.send_redirects = 0

Run the following commands 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.2.2 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 the flags 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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.ip_forward
net.ipv4.ip_forward = 0
# grep -E -s "^\s*net\.ipv4\.ip_forward\s*=\s*1" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
No value should be returned

IF IPv6 is enabled:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding
net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0
# grep -E -s "^\s*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.forwarding\s*=\s*1" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
No value should be returned

OR
Verify that IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify no lines should be returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "ipv6.disable=1"

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Remediation:
Run the following command to restore the default parameter and set the active
kernel
parameter:
# grep -Els "^\s*net\.ipv4\.ip_forward\s*=\s*1" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /run/sysctl.d/*.conf | while
read filename; do sed -ri "s/^\s*(net\.ipv4\.ip_forward\s*)(=)(\s*\S+\b).*$/#
*REMOVED* \1/" $filename; done; sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=0; sysctl -w
net.ipv4.route.flush=1

IF IPv6 is enabled:
Run the following command to restore the default parameter and set the active
kernel
parameter:
# grep -Els "^\s*net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.forwarding\s*=\s*1" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /run/sysctl.d/*.conf | while
read filename; do sed -ri
"s/^\s*(net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.forwarding\s*)(=)(\s*\S+\b).*$/# *REMOVED* \1/"
$filename; done; sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=0; sysctl -w
net.ipv6.route.flush=1

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3 Network Parameters (Host and Router)
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.

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3.3.1 Ensure source routed packets are not accepted (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
In networking, source routing allows a sender to partially or fully specify the
route packets
take through a network. In contrast, non-source routed packets travel a path
determined
by routers in the network. In some cases, systems may not be routable or reachable
from
some locations (e.g. private addresses vs. Internet routable), and so source routed
packets
would need to be used.
Rationale:
Setting net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route,
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route,
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route and
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route to 0 disables the system from accepting

source routed packets. Assume this system was capable of routing packets to
Internet
routable addresses on one interface and private addresses on another interface.
Assume
that the private addresses were not routable to the Internet routable addresses and
vice
versa. Under normal routing circumstances, an attacker from the Internet routable
addresses could not use the system as a way to reach the private address systems.
If,
however, source routed packets were allowed, they could be used to gain access to
the
private address systems as the route could be specified, rather than rely on
routing
protocols that did not allow this routing.

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Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.all\.accept_source_route" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route= 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.default\.accept_source_route" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route= 0

IF IPv6 is enabled:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0
# grep "net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.accept_source_route" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route= 0
# grep "net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.accept_source_route" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route= 0

OR
Verify that IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify no lines should be returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "ipv6.disable=1"

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0

Run the following commands 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:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_source_route = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_source_route = 0

Run the following commands 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.2 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. By setting
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects and net.ipv6.conf.all.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.
Rationale:
Attackers could use bogus ICMP redirect messages to maliciously alter the system
routing
tables and get them to send packets to incorrect networks and allow your system
packets
to be captured.

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Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.all\.accept_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects= 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.default\.accept_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects= 0

IF IPv6 is enabled:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0
# grep "net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.accept_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects= 0
# grep "net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.accept_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects= 0

OR
Verify that IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify no lines should be returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "ipv6.disable=1"

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0

Run the following commands 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:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_redirects = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_redirects = 0

Run the following commands 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.3 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 to 0 protects the system from routing table
updates by possibly compromised known gateways.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects
net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects = 0
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects
net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects = 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.all\.secure_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects= 0
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.default\.secure_redirects" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects= 0

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.conf.all.secure_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.secure_redirects = 0

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.4 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:
Enabling this feature and logging these packets allows an administrator to
investigate the
possibility that an attacker is sending spoofed packets to their system.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians
net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 1
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians
net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 1
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.all\.log_martians" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 1
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.default\.log_martians" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 1

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 1
net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 1

Run the following commands 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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3.3.5 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 commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts
net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1
# grep "net\.ipv4\.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1

Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1

Run the following commands to set the active kernel parameters:

# sysctl -w net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts=1
# sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.6 Ensure bogus ICMP responses are ignored (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Setting 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 commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses
net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses = 1
# grep "net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses" /etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses = 1

Remediation:
Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses = 1

Run the following commands to set the active kernel parameters:

# sysctl -w net.ipv4.icmp_ignore_bogus_error_responses=1
# sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.7 Ensure Reverse Path Filtering is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Setting net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter and net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter to 1 forces
the Linux kernel to utilize reverse path filtering on a received packet to
determine if the
packet was valid. Essentially, with reverse path filtering, if the return packet
does not go
out the same interface that the corresponding source packet came from, the packet
is
dropped (and logged if log_martians is set).
Rationale:
Setting these flags is a good way to deter attackers from sending your system bogus
packets that cannot be responded to. One instance where this feature breaks down is
if
asymmetrical routing is employed. This would occur when using dynamic routing
protocols
(bgp, ospf, etc) on your system. If you are using asymmetrical routing on your
system, you
will not be able to enable this feature without breaking the routing.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter
net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 1
# sysctl net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter
net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter = 1
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.all\.rp_filter" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 1
# grep "net\.ipv4\.conf\.default\.rp_filter" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter = 1

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.conf.all.rp_filter = 1
net.ipv4.conf.default.rp_filter = 1

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.8 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. SYN cookies allow the system to keep accepting valid connections,
even if
under a denial of service attack.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1
# grep "net\.ipv4\.tcp_syncookies" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1

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Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1

Run the following commands to set the active kernel parameters:

# sysctl -w net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies=1
# sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.3.9 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.
Audit:
IF IPv6 is enabled:
Run the following commands and verify output matches:
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 0
# sysctl net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0
# grep "net\.ipv6\.conf\.all\.accept_ra" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 0
# grep "net\.ipv6\.conf\.default\.accept_ra" /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0

OR
Verify that IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify no lines should be returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "ipv6.disable=1"

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Remediation:
IF IPv6 is enabled:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:
net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0

Run the following commands 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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3.4 Uncommon Network Protocols
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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3.4.1 Ensure DCCP is disabled (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 insequence 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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v dccp
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep dccp
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/dccp.conf
and add the following line:
install dccp /bin/true

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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3.4.2 Ensure SCTP is disabled (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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v sctp | grep -E '(sctp|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep sctp
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/sctp.conf
and add the following line:
install sctp /bin/true

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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3.4.3 Ensure RDS is disabled (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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v rds
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep rds
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/rds.conf
and add the following line:
install rds /bin/true

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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3.4.4 Ensure TIPC is disabled (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 commands and verify the output is as indicated:
# modprobe -n -v tipc | grep -E '(tipc|install)'
install /bin/true
# lsmod | grep tipc
<No output>

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/modprobe.d/ directory ending in .conf
Example: vi /etc/modprobe.d/tipc.conf
and add the following line:
install tipc /bin/true

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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3.5 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.

Notes:



Only one method should be used to configure a firewall on the system. Use of more
than one method could produce unexpected results
This section is intended only to ensure the resulting firewall rules are in place,
not how
they are configured

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3.5.1 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.

Notes:



Configuration of a live system's firewall directly over a remote connection will

often
result in being locked out
Rules should be ordered so that ALLOW rules come before DENY rules.

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3.5.1.1 Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall 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 -s ufw | grep 'Status: install'
Status: install ok installed

Remediation:
Run the following command to install Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW):
apt install ufw

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.1.2 Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed (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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.1.3 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.
Notes:


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
Audit:
Run the following command to verify that ufw is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled ufw
enabled

Run the following command to verify that ufw is running:

# ufw status | grep Status
Status: active

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Remediation:
Run the following command to enable ufw:
# ufw enable

Impact:
Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out of
the system.
References:
1. http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/precise/en/man8/ufw.8.html
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.1.4 Ensure 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
-Anywhere on lo
Anywhere
Anywhere (v6) on lo
Anywhere (v6)

Action
-----ALLOW IN
DENY IN
ALLOW IN
DENY IN

From
---Anywhere
127.0.0.0/8
Anywhere (v6)
::1

Anywhere
Anywhere (v6)

ALLOW OUT
ALLOW OUT

Anywhere on lo
Anywhere (v6) on lo

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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.1.5 Ensure outbound connections are configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Configure the firewall rules for new outbound connections.
Notes:



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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.
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3.5.1.6 Ensure firewall rules exist for all open ports (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Any ports that have been opened on non-loopback addresses need firewall rules to
govern
traffic.
Notes:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
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:
Without a firewall rule configured for open ports default firewall policy will drop
all
packets to these ports.

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Audit:
Run the following command to determine open ports:
# ss -4tuln
Netid
State
Local Address:Port
udp
UNCONN
127.0.0.53%lo:53
udp
UNCONN
10.105.106.117%enp1s0:68
tcp
LISTEN
127.0.0.53%lo:53
tcp
LISTEN
0.0.0.0:22

Recv-Q
0
0
0
0

Send-Q
Peer Address:Port
0
0.0.0.0:*
0
0.0.0.0:*
128
0.0.0.0:*
128
0.0.0.0:*

Run the following command to determine firewall rules:

# ufw status
Status: active

[ 1]
[ 2]
[ 3]
[ 4]
[ 5]
[ 6]
[ 7]
[ 8]
[ 9]
[10]
[11]

To
-Anywhere on lo
Anywhere
Anywhere
22/tcp
Anywhere
Anywhere
Anywhere (v6) on lo
Anywhere (v6)
Anywhere (v6)
22/tcp (v6)
Anywhere (v6)

Action
-----ALLOW IN
ALLOW OUT
DENY IN
ALLOW IN
ALLOW OUT
ALLOW OUT
ALLOW IN
ALLOW OUT
DENY IN
ALLOW IN
ALLOW OUT

From
---Anywhere
Anywhere on lo
127.0.0.0/8
Anywhere
Anywhere on enp1s0
Anywhere on all
Anywhere (v6)
Anywhere (v6) on lo
::1
Anywhere (v6)
Anywhere (v6) on all

(out)
(out)
(out)
(out)
(out)

Verify all open ports listening on non-localhost addresses have at least one
firewall rule.
Lines identified by indexes 4 and 10 are firewall rules for new connections on tcp
port 22.
Remediation:
For each port identified in the audit which does not have a firewall rule establish
a proper
rule for accepting inbound connections:
# ufw allow in <port>/<tcp or udp protocol>

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.1.7 Ensure 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 white list acceptable usage than to black list unacceptable
usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that the default policy for incoming ,
outgoing ,
and routed directions is deny or reject:
# ufw status verbose

Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement a default deny policy:
# ufw default deny incoming
# ufw default deny outgoing
# ufw default deny routed

Impact:
Any port and protocol not explicitly allowed will be blocked. The following rules
should be
considered before applying the default deny.
ufw
ufw
ufw
ufw
ufw

allow git
allow in http
allow in https
allow out 53
logging on

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2 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.
Notes:




This section broadly assumes starting with an empty nftables firewall ruleset
(established by flushing the rules with nft flush ruleset).
Remediation steps included only affect the live system, you will also need to
configure
your default firewall configuration to apply on boot.
Configuration of a live systems firewall directly over a remote connection will
often
result in being locked out. It is advised to have a known good firewall
configuration set
to run on boot and to configure an entire firewall structure in a script that is
then run
and tested before saving to boot.

The following 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, timeexceeded, parameter-
problem, mld-listener-query, mld-listener-report, mldlistener-done, ndrouter-
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

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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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3.5.2.1 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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.2 Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is not installed or disabled
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) is a program for managing a netfilter firewall
designed to
be easy to use.
Rationale:
Running both the nftables service and ufw may lead to conflict and unexpected
results.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that ufw is either not installed or inactive.
Only one of
the following needs to pass.
Run the following command to verify that ufw is not installed:
# dpkg-query -s ufw
package 'ufw' is not installed and no information is available

Run the following command to verify ufw is disabled:

# ufw status
Status: inactive

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

Run the following command to disable ufw:

# ufw disable

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.3 Ensure iptables are flushed (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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.4 Ensure a 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.
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

Impact:
Adding rules to a running nftables can cause loss of connectivity to the system

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.5 Ensure 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.
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 \;
}

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
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.6 Ensure 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 antispoofing measure.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that the loopback interface is configured:
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep 'iif "lo" accept'
iif "lo" accept
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep 'ip sddr'
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 that the IPv6 loopback interface is configured:
# nft list ruleset | awk '/hook input/,/}/' | grep 'ip6 saddr'
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 create 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.7 Ensure 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.8 Ensure 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 white list acceptable usage than to black list unacceptable usage.
Note: Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being
locked out
of the system.
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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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 \; }

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
Default Value:
accept
References:
1. Manual Page nft
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.9 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.2.10 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

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Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that input, forward, and output base chains
are
configured to be applied to a nftables ruleset on boot:
Run the following command to verify the input base chain:
# 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
icmpv6 type { destination-unreachable, packet-too-big, timeexceeded, parameter-
problem, mld-listener-query, mld-listener-report, mldlistener-done, nd-router-
solicit, nd-router-advert, nd-neighbor-solicit, ndneighbor-advert, ind-neighbor-
solicit, ind-neighbor-advert, mld2-listenerreport } accept

Review the input base chain to ensure that it follows local site policy
Run the following command to verify the forward base chain:
# 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:

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# 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.
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"

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3 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

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3.5.3.1 Configure 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.

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3.5.3.1.1 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 and iptables-persistent are
installed:
# apt list iptables iptables-persistent | grep installed
iptables-persistent/<version> [installed,automatic]
iptables/<version> [installed,automatic]

Remediation:
Run the following command to install iptables and iptables-persistent
# apt install iptables iptables-persistent

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.1.2 Ensure nftables is not installed (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 -s nftables

dpkg-query: package 'nftables' is not installed

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.1.3 Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is not installed or disabled
(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
package 'ufw' is not installed and no information is available

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

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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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.2 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
iptables
iptables
iptables

default deny firewall policy

-P INPUT DROP
-P OUTPUT DROP
-P FORWARD DROP

# Ensure
iptables
iptables
iptables

loopback traffic is configured

-A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
-A OUTPUT -o lo -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -s 127.0.0.0/8 -j DROP

# Ensure
iptables
iptables
iptables
iptables
iptables
iptables

outbound and established connections are configured

-A OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
-A OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
-A OUTPUT -p icmp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
-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

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3.5.3.2.1 Ensure default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
A default deny all policy on connections ensures that any unconfigured network
usage will
be rejected.
Notes:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
With a default accept policy the firewall will accept any packet that is not
configured to be
denied. It is easier to white list acceptable usage than to black 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
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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.2.2 Ensure 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:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
Loopback traffic is generated between processes on machine and is typically
critical to
operation of the system. The loopback interface is the only place that loopback
network
(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
destination
0
0 ACCEPT
all -- lo
*
0
0 DROP
all -- *
*
# iptables -L OUTPUT -v -n
Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target
prot opt in
out
destination
0
0 ACCEPT
all -- *
lo

source
0.0.0.0/0
127.0.0.0/8
0.0.0.0/0
0.0.0.0/0

source
0.0.0.0/0

0.0.0.0/0

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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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.2.3 Ensure 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:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
If rules are not in place for new outbound, and established connections all packets
will be
dropped by the default policy preventing network usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify all rules for new outbound, and established
connections match site policy:
# iptables -L -v -n

Remediation:
Configure iptables in accordance with site policy. The following commands will
implement
a policy to allow all outbound connections and all established connections:
#
#
#
#
#
#

iptables
iptables
iptables
iptables
iptables
iptables

-A
-A
-A
-A
-A
-A

OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
OUTPUT -p icmp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
INPUT -p icmp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.2.4 Ensure firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Any ports that have been opened on non-loopback addresses need firewall rules to
govern
traffic.
Notes:




Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well
The remediation command opens up the port to traffic from all sources. Consult
iptables documentation and set any restrictions in compliance with site policy

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

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Audit:
Run the following command to determine open ports:
# ss -4tuln
Netid State
Address:Port
udp
UNCONN
*:*
udp
UNCONN
*:*
tcp
LISTEN
*:*

Recv-Q Send-Q

Local Address:Port

*:68

*:123

128

*:22

Peer

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
destination
0
0 ACCEPT
all -- lo
*
0
0 DROP
all -- *
*
0
0 ACCEPT
tcp -- *
*
tcp dpt:22 state NEW
source
0.0.0.0/0
127.0.0.0/8
0.0.0.0/0

0.0.0.0/0
0.0.0.0/0
0.0.0.0/0

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.
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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.
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3.5.3.3 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

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3.5.3.3.1 Ensure IPv6 default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
A default deny all policy on connections ensures that any unconfigured network
usage will
be rejected.
Notes:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
With a default accept policy the firewall will accept any packet that is not
configured to be
denied. It is easier to white list acceptable usage than to black 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
Chain INPUT (policy DROP)
Chain FORWARD (policy DROP)
Chain OUTPUT (policy DROP)

OR
If IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify that no lines are returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v ipv6.disable=1

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Remediation:
Run the following commands to implement a default DROP policy:
# ip6tables -P INPUT DROP
# ip6tables -P OUTPUT DROP
# ip6tables -P FORWARD DROP

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.3.2 Ensure IPv6 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).
Notes:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
Loopback traffic is generated between processes on machine and is typically
critical to
operation of the system. The loopback interface is the only place that loopback
network
(::1) traffic should be seen, all other interfaces should ignore traffic on this
network as an
anti-spoofing measure.

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Audit:
Run the following commands and verify output includes the listed rules in order
(packet
and byte counts may differ):
# ip6tables -L INPUT -v -n
Chain INPUT (policy DROP 0 packets, 0 bytes)
pkts bytes target
prot opt in
out
destination
0
0 ACCEPT
all
lo
*
0
0 DROP
all
*
*

source
::/0
::1

# 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
::/0

::/0

OR
If IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify that no lines are returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v ipv6.disable=1

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.3.3 Ensure IPv6 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.
Notes:



Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well

Rationale:
If rules are not in place for new outbound, and established connections all packets
will be
dropped by the default policy preventing network usage.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify all rules for new outbound, and established
connections match site policy:
# ip6tables -L -v -n

OR
If IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify that no lines are returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v ipv6.disable=1

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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
ip6tables
ip6tables
ip6tables
ip6tables
ip6tables

-A
-A
-A
-A
-A
-A

OUTPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

OUTPUT -p udp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
OUTPUT -p icmp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
INPUT -p tcp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
INPUT -p udp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
INPUT -p icmp -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

CIS Controls:
Version 6
9.1 Limit Open Ports, Protocols, and Services
Ensure that only ports, protocols, and services with validated business needs are
running
on each system.
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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3.5.3.3.4 Ensure IPv6 firewall rules exist for all open ports (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Any ports that have been opened on non-loopback addresses need firewall rules to
govern
traffic.
Notes:




Changing firewall settings while connected over network can result in being locked
out
of the system
Remediation will only affect the active system firewall, be sure to configure the
default
policy in your firewall management to apply on boot as well
The remediation command opens up the port to traffic from all sources. Consult
iptables documentation and set any restrictions in compliance with site policy

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

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Audit:
Run the following command to determine open ports:
# ss -6tuln
Netid State
Address:Port
udp
UNCONN
:::*
udp
UNCONN
:::*
tcp
LISTEN
:::*
tcp
LISTEN
:::*

Recv-Q Send-Q

Local Address:Port

::1:123

:::123

128

:::22

20

Peer

::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
destination
0
0 ACCEPT
all
lo
*
0
0 DROP
all
*
*
0
0 ACCEPT
tcp
*
*
tcp dpt:22 state NEW

source
::/0
::1
::/0

::/0
::/0
::/0

Verify all open ports listening on non-localhost addresses have at least one
firewall rule.
The last line identified by the "tcp dpt:22 state NEW" identifies it as a firewall
rule for new
connections on tcp port 22.
OR
If IPv6 is disabled:
Run the following command and verify that no lines are returned.
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v ipv6.disable=1

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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.4 Apply Host-based Firewalls or Port Filtering
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.

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4 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).

276 | P a g e
4.1 Configure System Accounting (auditd)
System auditing, through auditd, allows system administrators to monitor their
systems
such that they can detect unauthorized access or modification of data. By default,
auditd
will audit AppArmor AVC denials, system logins, account modifications, and
authentication
events. Events will be logged to /var/log/audit/audit.log. The recording of these
events
will use a modest amount of disk space on a system. If significantly more events
are
captured, additional on system or off system storage may need to be allocated.
Notes:




The recommendations in this section implement an audit policy that produces large
quantities of logged data
In some environments it can be challenging to store or process these logs and as
such
they are marked as Level 2 for both Servers and Workstations
Audit rules that have archas a rule parameter:
o On 64 bit systems, you will need two rules, one for 64 bit and one for 32 bit
o On 32 bit systems, only the 32 bit rule is needed
Several recommendations in this section filter based off of auid>=1000 for
unprivileged non-system users. Some systems may have a non-default UID_MIN setting,
consult the UID_MIN setting in /etc/login.defs to determine the UID_MIN setting for
your system
The audits in this section look for a key value. The key value may be different for
the
audit rules on your system. If a different key value, denoted by -k or key= is used
on
your system, please replace the grep <key_value> with the key value in use on your
system
Once all audit rules have been added to a file or files in the /etc/audit/rules.d/
directory, the auditd service must be re-started, or the system rebooted, for the
new
rules to be included

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4.1.1 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.

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4.1.1.1 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 is installed:
# dpkg -s auditd audispd-plugins

Remediation:
Run the following command to Install auditd
# apt install auditd audispd-plugins

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.1.1.2 Ensure auditd service is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Enable and start 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".

Remediation:
Run the following command to enable auditd :
# systemctl --now enable auditd

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.1.1.3 Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Configure grub so that processes that are capable of being audited can be audited
even if
they start up prior to auditd startup.
Note: 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.
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 and verify that each linux line has the audit=1 parameter
set:
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "audit=1"

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/grub and add audit=1 to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="audit=1"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.1.1.4 Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The backlog limit has a default setting of 64
Rationale:
during boot if audit=1, then the backlog will hold 64 records. If more that 64
records are
created during boot, auditd records will be lost and potential malicious activity
could go
undetected.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify the audit_backlog_limit= parameter is set to
an
appropriate size for your organization
# grep "^\s*linux" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -v "audit_backlog_limit="

Nothing should be returned

# grep "audit_backlog_limit=" /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Ensure the the returned value complies with local site policy
Recommended that this value be 8192 or larger.
Remediation:
Edit /etc/default/grub and add audit_backlog_limit=<BACKLOG SIZE> to
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX:
Example:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="audit_backlog_limit=8192"

Run the following command to update the grub2 configuration:

# update-grub

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.1.2 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.

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4.1.2.1 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.
Notes:



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

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 max_log_file /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>

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.

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4.1.2.2 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.

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4.1.2.3 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.
Rationale:
In high security contexts, the risk of detecting unauthorized access or
nonrepudiation
exceeds the benefit of the system's availability.
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
# grep admin_space_left_action /etc/audit/auditd.conf
admin_space_left_action = halt

Remediation:
Set the following parameters in /etc/audit/auditd.conf:
space_left_action = email
action_mail_acct = root
admin_space_left_action = halt

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.
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4.1.3 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)
or
clock_settime (allows for the setting of several internal clocks and timers) system
calls
have been executed and always write an audit record to the /var/log/audit.log file
upon
exit, tagging the records with the identifier "time-change"
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
Rationale:
Unexpected changes in system date and/or time could be a sign of malicious activity
on the
system.
Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep time-change /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -S stime -k timechange
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -k time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep time-change

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Verify the output matches:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S stime,settimeofday,adjtimex -F key=time-change
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -F key=time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep time-change /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-a always,exit -F
-a always,exit -F
change
-a always,exit -F
-a always,exit -F
-w /etc/localtime

arch=b64 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -k time-change

arch=b32 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -S stime -k timearch=b64 -S clock_settime -k
time-change
arch=b32 -S clock_settime -k time-change
-p wa -k time-change

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep time-change

Verify the output matches:

-a
-a
-a
-a
-w

always,exit -F
always,exit -F
always,exit -F
always,exit -F
/etc/localtime

arch=b64
arch=b32
arch=b64
arch=b32
-p wa -k

-S adjtimex,settimeofday -F key=time-change
-S stime,settimeofday,adjtimex -F key=time-change
-S clock_settime -F key=time-change
-S clock_settime -F key=time-change
time-change

291 | P a g e
Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/time-change.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -S stime -k timechange
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -k time-change
-w /etc/localtime -p wa -k time-change

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/time-change.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F
-a always,exit -F
change
-a always,exit -F
-a always,exit -F
-w /etc/localtime

arch=b64 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -k time-change

arch=b32 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -S stime -k timearch=b64 -S clock_settime -k
time-change
arch=b32 -S clock_settime -k time-change
-p wa -k time-change

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring Systems
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.

292 | P a g e
4.1.4 Ensure events that modify user/group information are collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Record events affecting the group , passwd (user IDs), shadow and gshadow
(passwords) or
/etc/security/opasswd (old passwords, based on remember parameter in the PAM
configuration) files. 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.
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
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.

293 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep identity /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-w
-w
-w
-w
-w

/etc/group -p wa -k identity
/etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
/etc/gshadow -p wa -k identity
/etc/shadow -p wa -k identity
/etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k identity

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep identity

Verify the output matches:

-w
-w
-w
-w
-w

/etc/group -p wa -k identity
/etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
/etc/gshadow -p wa -k identity
/etc/shadow -p wa -k identity
/etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k identity

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory ending in .rules:
Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/identity.rules
Add the following lines:
-w
-w
-w
-w
-w

/etc/group -p wa -k identity
/etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
/etc/gshadow -p wa -k identity
/etc/shadow -p wa -k identity
/etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k identity

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.8 Log and Alert on Changes to Administrative Group Membership
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert when an account is added to or
removed
from any group assigned administrative privileges.

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4.1.5 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
monitor the sethostname (set the systems host name) or setdomainname (set the
systems
domainname) system calls, and write an audit event on system call exit. The other
parameters monitor the /etc/issue and /etc/issue.net files (messages displayed
prelogin), /etc/hosts (file containing host names and associated IP addresses) and
/etc/network (directory containing network interface scripts and configurations)
files.
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
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 in the file 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 will be tagged with the
identifier
"system-locale."

295 | P a g e
Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep system-locale /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-a
-w
-w
-w
-w

always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k system-locale

/etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/network -p wa -k system-locale

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep system-locale

Verify the output matches:

-a
-w
-w
-w
-w

always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname,setdomainname -F key=system-locale

/etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/network -p wa -k system-locale

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep system-locale /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output matches:

-a
-a
-w
-w
-w
-w

always,exit -F arch=b64 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k system-locale

always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k system-locale
/etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/network -p wa -k system-locale

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep system-locale

Verify the output matches:

296 | P a g e
-a
-a
-w
-w
-w
-w

always,exit -F arch=b64 -S sethostname,setdomainname -F key=system-locale

always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname,setdomainname -F key=system-locale
/etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/network -p wa -k system-locale

Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/system-locale.rules
Add the following lines:
-a
-w
-w
-w
-w

always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k system-locale

/etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/network -p wa -k system-locale

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/system-locale.rules
Add the following lines:
-a
-a
-w
-w
-w
-w

always,exit -F arch=b64 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k system-locale

always,exit -F arch=b32 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k system-locale
/etc/issue -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/issue.net -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/hosts -p wa -k system-locale
/etc/network -p wa -k system-locale

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring Systems
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.
297 | P a g e
4.1.6 Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory Access
Controls are collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Monitor AppArmor mandatory access controls. The parameters below monitor any write
access (potential additional, deletion or modification of files in the directory)
or attribute
changes to /etc/apparmor and /etc/apparmor.d directories.
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
Rationale:
Changes to files in these directories could indicate that an unauthorized user is
attempting
to modify access controls and change security contexts, leading to a compromise of
the
system.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep MAC-policy /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-w /etc/apparmor/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
-w /etc/apparmor.d/ -p wa -k MAC-policy

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep MAC-policy

Verify output matches:

-w /etc/apparmor/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
-w /etc/apparmor.d/ -p wa -k MAC-policy

298 | P a g e
Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory ending in .rules
Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/MAC-policy.rules
Add the following lines:
-w /etc/apparmor/ -p wa -k MAC-policy
-w /etc/apparmor.d/ -p wa -k MAC-policy

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring Systems
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.

299 | P a g e
4.1.7 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. The file /var/log/faillog tracks failed events from
login. The
file /var/log/lastlog maintain records of the last time a user successfully logged
in. The
file /var/log/tallylog maintains records of failures via the pam_tally2 module
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
Rationale:
Monitoring login/logout events could provide a system administrator with
information
associated with brute force attacks against user logins.
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep logins /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output includes:

-w /var/log/faillog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/lastlog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/tallylog -p wa -k logins

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep logins

Verify output includes:

-w /var/log/faillog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/lastlog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/tallylog -p wa -k logins

300 | P a g e
Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory ending in .rules:
Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/logins.rules
Add the following lines:
-w /var/log/faillog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/lastlog -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/tallylog -p wa -k logins

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
administrative account.
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
Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day,
workstation
location and duration.

301 | P a g e
4.1.8 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. The file /var/run/utmp tracks all currently logged
in users.
All audit records will be tagged with the identifier "session." The /var/log/wtmp
file tracks
logins, logouts, shutdown, and reboot events. The file /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 "logins."
Notes:



The last command can be used to read /var/log/wtmp (last with no parameters)
and /var/run/utmp (last -f /var/run/utmp)
Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd service to
be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.

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).

302 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep -E '(session|logins)' /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output includes:

-w /var/run/utmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/wtmp -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/btmp -p wa -k logins

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep -E '(session|logins)'

Verify output includes:

-w /var/run/utmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/wtmp -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/btmp -p wa -k logins

Remediation:
Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory ending in .rules:
Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/session.rules
Add the following lines:
-w /var/run/utmp -p wa -k session
-w /var/log/wtmp -p wa -k logins
-w /var/log/btmp -p wa -k logins

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
administrative account.
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
Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day,
workstation
location and duration.
303 | P a g e
4.1.9 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
chmod , fchmod and fchmodat system calls affect the permissions associated with a
file. The
chown , fchown , fchownat and lchown system calls affect owner and group attributes
on a
file. The setxattr , lsetxattr , fsetxattr (set extended file attributes) and
removexattr ,
lremovexattr , fremovexattr (remove extended file attributes) control extended file
attributes. In all cases, an audit record will only be written for non-system user
ids (auid >=
1000) and will ignore Daemon events (auid = 4294967295). All audit records will be
tagged with the identifier "perm_mod."
Notes:


Systems may have been customized to change the default UID_MIN. To confirm the
UID_MIN for your system, run the following command:

awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs




If your systems' UID_MIN is not 1000, replace audit>=1000 with audit>=<UID_MIN

for your system> in the Audit and Remediation procedures.
Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd service to
be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.

Rationale:
Monitoring for changes in file attributes could alert a system administrator to
activity that
could indicate intruder activity or policy violation.
Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
304 | P a g e
# grep perm_mod /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S
removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep perm_mod

Verify output matches:

-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=b32 -S
setxattr,lsetxattr,fsetxattr,removexattr,lremovexattr,fremovexattr -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=perm_mod

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep perm_mod /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S
removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S
removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
305 | P a g e
# auditctl -l | grep auditctl -l | grep perm_mod

Verify 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=b32 -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 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

306 | P a g e
Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules:
Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/perm_mod.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S
removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/perm_mod.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S
removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S
removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.5 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring Systems
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.

307 | P a g e
4.1.10 Ensure unsuccessful unauthorized file access attempts are
collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Monitor for unsuccessful attempts to access files. The parameters below are
associated
with system calls that control creation ( creat ), opening ( open , openat ) and
truncation (
truncate , ftruncate ) of files. An audit log record will only be written if the
user is a nonprivileged user (auid > = 1000), is not a Daemon event
(auid=4294967295) and if the
system call returned EACCES (permission denied to the file) or EPERM (some other
permanent error associated with the specific system call). All audit records will
be tagged
with the identifier "access."
Notes:


Systems may have been customized to change the default UID_MIN. To confirm the
UID_MIN for your system, run the following command:_

# awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs




If your systems' UID_MIN is not 1000, replace audit>=1000 with audit>=<UID_MIN for
your system> in the Audit and Remediation procedures.
Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd service to
be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.

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.

308 | P a g e
Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep access /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep access

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open,creat,truncate,ftruncate,openat -F exit=EACCES
-F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open,creat,truncate,ftruncate,openat -F exit=EPERM -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=access

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep access /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep access

Verify output matches:

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-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S open,truncate,ftruncate,creat,openat
EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open,creat,truncate,ftruncate,openat
EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S open,truncate,ftruncate,creat,openat
EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S open,creat,truncate,ftruncate,openat
EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=access

-F exit=-F exit=-F exit=-F exit=-

Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/access.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.9 Enforce Detail Logging for Access or Changes to Sensitive Data
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).

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4.1.11 Ensure use of privileged commands is 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.
Notes:


Systems may have been customized to change the default UID_MIN. To confirm the
UID_MIN for your system, run the following command:_

# awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs




If your systems' UID_MIN is not 1000, replace audit>=1000 with audit>=<UID_MIN for
your system> in the Audit and Remediation procedures.
Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd service to
be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.

Rationale:
Execution of privileged commands by non-privileged users could be an indication of
someone trying to gain unauthorized access to the system.
Audit:
Run the following command replacing <partition> with a list of partitions where
programs can be executed from on your system:
# find <partition> -xdev \( -perm -4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk
'{print \
"-a always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 \
-k privileged" }'

Verify all resulting lines are a .rules file in /etc/audit/rules.d/ and the output
of
auditctl -l.
Note: The .rules file output will be auid!=-1 not auid!=4294967295

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Remediation:
To remediate this issue, the system administrator will have to execute a find
command to
locate all the privileged programs and then add an audit line for each one of them.
The audit parameters associated with this are as follows:





-F path=" $1 " - will populate each file name found through the find command and

processed by awk.
-F perm=x - will write an audit record if the file is executed.
-F auid>=1000 - will write a record if the user executing the command is not a
privileged user.
-F auid!= 4294967295 - will ignore Daemon events

All audit records should be tagged with the identifier key "privileged".
Run the following command replacing with a list of partitions where programs can be
executed from on your system:
# find <partition> -xdev \( -perm -4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk
'{print "-a always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>='"$(awk
'/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' -F auid!=4294967295 -k
privileged" }'

Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory ending in .rules and add
all
resulting lines to the file.
Example:
# find / -xdev \( -perm -4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk '{print "-a
always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>='"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print
$2}' /etc/login.defs)"' -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged" }' >>
/etc/audit/rules.d/privileged.rules

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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4.1.12 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
Notes:


Systems may have been customized to change the default UID_MIN. To confirm the
UID_MIN for your system, run the following command:_

# awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs




If your systems' UID_MIN is not 1000, replace audit>=1000 with audit>=<UID_MIN for
your system> in the Audit and Remediation procedures.
This tracks successful and unsuccessful mount commands. File system mounts do not
have to come from external media and this action still does not verify write (e.g.
CD
ROMS).
Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd service to
be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.

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.

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Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep mounts /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
mounts

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep mounts

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=mounts

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep mounts /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
mounts
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
mounts

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep mounts

Verify 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

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Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
mounts

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/mounts.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
mounts
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
mounts

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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4.1.13 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 the unlink (remove
a file),
unlinkat (remove a file attribute), rename (rename a file) and renameat (rename a
file
attribute) system calls and tags them with the identifier "delete".
Notes:


Systems may have been customized to change the default UID_MIN. To confirm the
UID_MIN for your system, run the following command:_

# awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs





If your systems' UID_MIN is not 1000, replace audit>=1000 with audit>=<UID_MIN for
your system> in the Audit and Remediation procedures.
At a minimum, configure the audit system to collect file deletion events for all
users
and root.
Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd service to
be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.

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.

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Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep delete /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep delete

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink,rename,unlinkat,renameat -F auid>=1000 F auid!
=-1 -F key=delete

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep delete /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep delete

Verify output matches:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S rename,unlink,unlinkat,renameat -F auid>=5100 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

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Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/delete.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat -F
auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete

CIS Controls:
Version 7
13 Data Protection
Data Protection

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4.1.14 Ensure changes to system administration scope (sudoers) is
collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Monitor scope changes for system administrations. 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 will be written to when the file or its attributes have
changed. The
audit records will be tagged with the identifier "scope."
Rationale:
Changes in the /etc/sudoers file can indicate that an unauthorized change has been
made
to scope of system administrator activity.
Audit:
Run the following commands:
# grep scope /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules
# auditctl -l | grep scope

Verify output of both 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
Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/scope.rules
Add the following lines:
-w /etc/sudoers -p wa -k scope
-w /etc/sudoers.d/ -p wa -k scope

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.8 Log and Alert on Changes to Administrative Group Membership
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert when an account is added to or
removed
from any group assigned administrative privileges.

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4.1.15 Ensure system administrator command executions (sudo) are
collected (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
sudo provides users with temporary elevated privileges to perform operations.
Monitor the

administrator with temporary elevated privileges and the operation(s) they

performed.
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
Rationale:
Creating an audit log of administrators 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 logfile to
verify if
unauthorized commands have been executed.

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Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep actions /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output includes:

/etc/audit/rules.d/cis.rules:-a exit,always -F arch=b32 -C euid!=uid -F
euid=0 -Fauid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -S execve -k actions

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep actions

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F euid=0 -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=-1 -F key=actions

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep actions /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify the output includes:

-a exit,always -F arch=b64
auid!=4294967295 -S execve
-a exit,always -F arch=b32
auid!=4294967295 -S execve

-C
-k
-C
-k

euid!=uid -F euid=0 -Fauid>=1000 -F

actions
euid!=uid -F euid=0 -Fauid>=1000 -F
actions

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep actions

Verify the output includes:

-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F euid=0 -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=-1 -F key=actions
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F euid=0 -F auid>=1000 -F
auid!=-1 -F key=actions

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Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules:
Example: `vi /etc/audit/rules.d/actions.rules
Add the following line:
-a exit,always -F arch=b32 -C euid!=uid -F euid=0 -Fauid>=1000 -F
auid!=4294967295 -S execve -k actions

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules:
Example: `vi /etc/audit/rules.d/actions.rules
Add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64
auid!=4294967295 -S execve
-a always,exit -F arch=b32
auid!=4294967295 -S execve

-C
-k
-C
-k

euid!=uid -F euid=0 -Fauid>=1000 -F

actions
euid!=uid -F euid=0 -Fauid>=1000 -F
actions

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.9 Log and Alert on Unsuccessful Administrative Account Login
Configure systems to issue a log entry and alert on unsuccessful logins to an
administrative account.

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4.1.16 Ensure kernel module loading and unloading is collected
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
Monitor the loading and unloading of kernel modules. The programs insmod (install a
kernel module), rmmod (remove a kernel module), and modprobe (a more sophisticated
program to load and unload modules, as well as some other features) control loading
and
unloading of modules. The init_module (load a module) and delete_module (delete a
module) system calls control loading and unloading of modules. Any execution of the
loading and unloading module programs and system calls will trigger an audit record
with
an identifier of "modules".
Note: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
Rationale:
Monitoring the use of insmod , rmmod and modprobe could provide system
administrators
with evidence that an unauthorized user loaded or unloaded a kernel module,
possibly
compromising the security of the system. Monitoring of the init_module and
delete_module system calls would reflect an unauthorized user attempting to use a
different program to load and unload modules.
Audit:
On a 32 bit system run the following commands:
Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep modules /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-w
-w
-w
-a

/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module -S delete_module -k modules

324 | P a g e
Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep modules

Verify output matches:

-w
-w
-w
-a

/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module,delete_module -F key=modules

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

Run the following command to verify the rules are contained in a .rules file in the
/etc/audit/rules.d/ directory:
# grep modules /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules

Verify output matches:

-w
-w
-w
-a

/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module -S delete_module -k modules

Run the following command to verify that rules are in the running auditd config:
# auditctl -l | grep modules

Verify output matches:

-w
-w
-w
-a

/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module,delete_module -F key=modules

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Remediation:
For 32 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory
ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/modules.rules
Add the following lines:
-w
-w
-w
-a

/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module -S delete_module -k modules

For 64 bit systems Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory

ending in
.rules

Example: vi /etc/audit/rules.d/modules.rules
Add the following lines:
-w
-w
-w
-a

/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
/sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module -S delete_module -k modules

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

326 | P a g e
4.1.17 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: Reloading the auditd config to set active settings requires the auditd
service to be
restarted, and may require a system reboot.
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 "^\s*[^#]" /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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.2 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
and
ease log analysis.

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4.2.1 Configure rsyslog
The rsyslog software is recommended as a replacement for the syslogd daemon and
provides improvements over syslogd, 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.
Note: This section only applies if rsyslog is installed on the system.

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4.2.1.1 Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rsyslog software is a recommended replacement to the original syslogd daemon
which provide improvements over syslogd, 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.
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:
Verify either rsyslog or syslog-ng is installed. Use the following command to
provide the
needed information:
# dpkg -s rsyslog

Remediation:
Install rsyslog:
# apt install rsyslog

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.2.1.2 Ensure rsyslog Service is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Once the rsyslog package is installed it needs to be activated.
Rationale:
If the rsyslog service is not activated the system may default to the syslogd
service or lack
logging instead.
Audit:
Run one of the following commands to verify rsyslog is enabled:
# systemctl is-enabled rsyslog

Verify result is enabled.

Remediation:
Run the following commands to enable rsyslog:
# systemctl --now enable rsyslog

CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.2.1.3 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 the /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:
# ls -l /var/log/

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Remediation:
Edit the following lines in the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files
as
appropriate for your environment:
*.emerg
auth,authpriv.*
mail.*
mail.info
mail.warning
mail.err
news.crit
news.err
news.notice
*.=warning;*.=err
*.crit
*.*;mail.none;news.none
local0,local1.*
local2,local3.*
local4,local5.*
local6,local7.*

:omusrmsg:*
/var/log/auth.log
-/var/log/mail
-/var/log/mail.info
-/var/log/mail.warn
/var/log/mail.err
-/var/log/news/news.crit
-/var/log/news/news.err
-/var/log/news/news.notice
-/var/log/warn
/var/log/warn
-/var/log/messages
-/var/log/localmessages
-/var/log/localmessages
-/var/log/localmessages
-/var/log/localmessages

Run the following command to reload the rsyslog configuration:

# systemctl reload rsyslog

References:
1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.2.1.4 Ensure rsyslog default file permissions 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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that every instance of $FileCreateMode is 0640
or
more restrictive:
# grep ^\s*\$FileCreateMode /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

If $FileCreateMode is not found, the default value 0644 is used and at least one
$FileCreateMode has to be added.
Remediation:
Edit the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files and set every instance
of
$FileCreateMode to 0640 or more restrictive:
$FileCreateMode 0640

References:
1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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4.2.1.5 Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log host
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The rsyslog utility supports the ability to send logs it gathers to a remote log
host running
syslogd(8) or to receive messages from remote hosts, reducing administrative
overhead.
Notes:




The double "at" sign (@@) directs rsyslogto use TCP to send log messages to the
server,
which is a more reliable transport mechanism than the default UDP protocol
The *.* is a "wildcard" to send all logs to the remote loghost
Ensure that the selection of logfiles being sent follows local site policy

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.
# grep -E "^[^#](\s*\S+\s*)\s*action\(" /etc/rsyslog.conf
/etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf | grep "target="

Output should include target=<FQDN or IP of remote loghost>

OR
# grep -E "^[^#]\s*\S+\.\*\s+@"

Output should include either the FQDN or the IP of the remote loghost

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Remediation:
Edit the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files and add one of the
following
lines:
Newer syntax:
<files to sent to the remote log server> action(type="omfwd" target="<FQDN or
ip of loghost>" port="<port number>" protocol="tcp"
action.resumeRetryCount="<number of re-tries>"
queue.type="LinkedList"
queue.size=<number of messages to queue>")

Example:
*.* action(type="omfwd" target="192.168.2.100" port="514" protocol="tcp"
action.resumeRetryCount="100"
queue.type="LinkedList" queue.size="1000")

Older syntax:
*.* @@<FQDN or ip of loghost>

Example:
*.* @@192.168.2.100

Run the following commands to reload the rsyslog configuration:

# systemctl stop rsyslog
# systemctl start rsyslog

References:
1. See the rsyslog.conf(5) man page for more information.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.6 Deploy SIEM or Log Analytic tool
Deploy Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) or log analytic tool for
log
correlation and analysis.
6.8 Regularly Tune SIEM
On a regular basis, tune your SIEM system to better identify actionable events and
decrease event noise.
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4.2.1.6 Ensure remote rsyslog messages are only accepted on
designated log hosts. (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
By default, rsyslog does not listen for log messages coming in from remote systems.
The
ModLoad tells rsyslog to load the imtcp.so module so it can listen over a network
via TCP.
The InputTCPServerRun option instructs rsyslogd to listen on the specified TCP
port.
Rationale:
The guidance in the section ensures that remote log hosts are configured to only
accept
rsyslog data from hosts within the specified domain and that those systems that are
not
designed to be log hosts do not accept any remote rsyslog messages. This provides
protection from spoofed log data and ensures that system administrators are
reviewing
reasonably complete syslog data in a central location.
Note: The $ModLoad imtcp line can have the .so extension added to the end of the
module, or
use the full path to the module

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Audit:
Run the following commands: and verify the resulting lines are:



Not commented on designated log hosts

Commented or not present on all others

Run the following command and verify the output for $ModLoad imtcp
# grep '$ModLoad imtcp' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

Output for designated log hosts:

$ModLoad imtcp

Output for systems that are not log hosts: (No output is also acceptable)
# $ModLoad imtcp

Run the following command and verify the output for '$InputTCPServerRun
# grep '$InputTCPServerRun' /etc/rsyslog.conf /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf

Output for designated log hosts:

$InputTCPServerRun 514

Output for systems that are not log hosts: (No output is also acceptable)
# $InputTCPServerRun 514

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Remediation:
For hosts that are designated as log hosts, edit the /etc/rsyslog.conf file and
uncomment or add the following lines:
$ModLoad imtcp
$InputTCPServerRun 514

For hosts that are not designated as log hosts, edit the /etc/rsyslog.conf file and
comment or remove the following lines:
# $ModLoad imtcp
# $InputTCPServerRun 514

Run the following command to reload the rsyslogd configuration:

# systemctl restart rsyslog

References:
1. See the rsyslog(8) man page for more information.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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4.2.2 Configure journald
systemd-journald is a system service that collects and stores logging data. It
creates and
maintains structured, indexed journals based on logging information that is
received from
a variety of sources: Kernel log messages, via kmsg
Any changes made to the systemd-journald configuration will require a re-start of
systemdjournald

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4.2.2.1 Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog
(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.
Utilities exist to accept remote export of journald logs, however, use of the
rsyslog service
provides a consistent means of log collection and export.
Notes:



This recommendation assumes that recommendation 4.2.1.5, "Ensure rsyslog is

configured to send logs to a remote log host" has been implemented.
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
systemdjournald.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 configs present, they override the main
configuration parameters

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 /etc/systemd/journald.conf and verify that logs are forwarded to syslog
# grep -e ForwardToSyslog /etc/systemd/journald.conf
ForwardToSyslog=yes

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Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file and add the following line:
ForwardToSyslog=yes

References:
1. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/systemd.adoc#etcsyste
mdjournaldconf
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.5 Central Log Management
Ensure that appropriate logs are being aggregated to a central log management
system
for analysis and review.

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4.2.2.2 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.
Note: 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
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:
Review /etc/systemd/journald.conf and verify that large files will be compressed:
# grep -e Compress /etc/systemd/journald.conf
Compress=yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file and add the following line:
Compress=yes

References:
1. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/systemd.adoc#etcsyste
mdjournaldconf

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.

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4.2.2.3 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.
Note: 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
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:
Review /etc/systemd/journald.conf and verify that logs are persisted to disk:
# grep -e Storage /etc/systemd/journald.conf
Storage=persistent

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/systemd/journald.conf file and add the following line:
Storage=persistent

References:
1. https://github.com/konstruktoid/hardening/blob/master/systemd.adoc#etcsyste
mdjournaldconf

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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4.2.3 Ensure permissions on all logfiles are 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,
or on log hosts others as well.
Note: You may also need to change the configuration for your logging software or
services for
any logs that had incorrect permissions.
Rationale:
It is important to ensure that log files have the correct permissions to ensure
that sensitive
data is archived and protected.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that other has no permissions on any files and
group does not have write or execute permissions on any files:
# find /var/log -type f -ls

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set permissions on all existing log files:
find /var/log -type f -exec chmod g-wx,o-rwx "{}" + -o -type d -exec chmod gw,o-rwx
"{}" +

CIS Controls:
Version 7
13 Data Protection
Data Protection

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4.3 Ensure logrotate is configured (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The system includes the capability of rotating log files regularly to avoid filling
up the
system with logs or making the logs unmanageably large. The file
/etc/logrotate.d/rsyslog is the configuration file used to rotate log files created
by
rsyslog.
Note: If no maxage setting is set for logrotate a situation can occur where
logrotate is
interrupted and fails to delete rotated logfiles. It is recommended to set this to
a value greater
than the longest any log file should exist on your system to ensure that any such
logfile is
removed but standard rotation settings are not overridden.
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/logrotate.conf and /etc/logrotate.d/rsyslog and verify logs are rotated
according to site policy.
Remediation:
Edit /etc/logrotate.conf and /etc/logrotate.d/rsyslog to ensure logs are rotated
according to site policy.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs
Ensure that all systems that store logs have adequate storage space for the logs
generated.

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4.4 Ensure logrotate assigns appropriate permissions (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Log files contain logged information from many services on the system, or on log
hosts
others as well.
Rationale:
It is important to ensure that log files have the correct permissions to ensure
that sensitive
data is archived and protected.
Audit:
Run the following command:
# grep -E "^\s*create\s+\S+" /etc/logrotate.conf | grep -E -v "\s(0)?[06][04]0\s"

Nothing should be returned

Remediation:
Edit /etc/logrotate.conf and update the create line to read 0640 or more
restrictive,
following local site policy
Example:
create 0640 root utmp

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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5 Access, Authentication and Authorization

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5.1 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.

at provides 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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5.1.1 Ensure cron daemon is enabled and running (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 running:

# systemctl status cron | grep 'Active: active (running) '
Active: active (running) since <Day Date Time>

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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
6 Maintenance, Monitoring and Analysis of Audit Logs
Maintenance, Monitoring and Analysis of Audit Logs

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5.1.2 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 /etc/crontab
Access: (0600/-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

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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5.1.3 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 /etc/cron.hourly/
Access: (0700/drwx------)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

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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/

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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5.1.4 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 /etc/cron.daily/
Access: (0700/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/

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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5.1.5 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 /etc/cron.weekly/
Access: (0700/drwx------)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

362 | P a g e
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/

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

363 | P a g e
5.1.6 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 /etc/cron.monthly/
Access: (0700/drwx------)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

364 | P a g e
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/

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

365 | P a g e
5.1.7 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 /etc/cron.d/
Access: (0700/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/

366 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

367 | P a g e
5.1.8 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.
Notes:





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.

368 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that /etc/cron.deny does not exist:
# stat /etc/cron.deny
stat: cannot stat `/etc/cron.deny': No such file or directory

Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access, does
not
grant write or execute to group, and does not grant permissions to other
for/etc/cron.allow:
# stat /etc/cron.allow
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove /etc/cron.deny:
# rm /etc/cron.deny

Run the following command to create /etc/cron.allow

# touch /etc/cron.allow

Run the following commands to set permissions and ownership for /etc/cron.allow:
# chmod g-wx,o-rwx /etc/cron.allow
# chown root:root /etc/cron.allow

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

369 | P a g e
5.1.9 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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that /etc/at.deny does not exist:
# stat /etc/at.deny
stat: cannot stat `/etc/at.deny': No such file or directory

Run the following command and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access, does
not
grant write or execute to group, and does not grant permissions to other
for/etc/at.allow:
# stat /etc/at.allow
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

370 | P a g e
Remediation:
Run the following commands to remove /etc/at.deny:
# rm /etc/at.deny

Run the following command to create /etc/at.allow

# touch /etc/at.allow

Run the following commands to set permissions and ownership for /etc/at.allow:
# chmod g-wx,o-rwx /etc/at.allow
# chown root:root /etc/at.allow

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

371 | P a g e
5.2 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.
Notes:


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.
o Command to remove the SSH daemon:
o

# apt purge openssh-server

Once all configuration changes have been made to /etc/ssh/sshd_config, the sshd
configuration must be reloaded:
o Command to re-load the SSH daemon configuration:
o

# systemctl reload sshd

372 | P a g e
5.2.1 Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The /etc/ssh/sshd_config file contains configuration specifications for sshd. The
command below sets the owner and group of the file to root.
Rationale:
The /etc/ssh/sshd_config file needs to be protected from unauthorized changes by
nonprivileged users.
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 /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Access: (0600/-rw-------)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on
/etc/ssh/sshd_config:
# chown root:root /etc/ssh/sshd_config
# chmod og-rwx /etc/ssh/sshd_config

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.
373 | P a g e
5.2.2 Ensure permissions on SSH private host key files are configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
An SSH private key is one of two files used in SSH public key authentication. In
this
authentication method, The possession of the private key is proof of identity. Only
a private
key that corresponds to a public key will be able to authenticate successfully. The
private
keys need to be stored and handled carefully, and no copies of the private key
should be
distributed.
Rationale:
If an unauthorized user obtains the private SSH host key file, the host could be
impersonated

374 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify Uid is 0/root and and Gid is 0/root. Ensure
group
and other do not have permissions
# find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -name 'ssh_host_*_key' | xargs stat
File:
Size:
Device:
Access:
Access:
Modify:
Change:
Birth:
File:
Size:
Device:
Access:
Access:
Modify:
Change:
Birth:
File:
Size:
Device:
Access:
Access:
Modify:
Change:
Birth:

‘/etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key’
1679
Blocks: 8
IO Block: 4096
regular file
ca01h/51713d
Inode: 8628138
Links: 1
(0600/-rw-------) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: ( 0/root)
2018-10-22 18:24:56.861750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.861750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.873750616 +0000
‘/etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key’
227
Blocks: 8
IO Block: 4096
regular file
ca01h/51713d
Inode: 8631760
Links: 1
(0600/-rw-------) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: ( 0/root)
2018-10-22 18:24:56.897750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.897750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.905750616 +0000
‘/etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key’
387
Blocks: 8
IO Block: 4096
regular file
ca01h/51713d
Inode: 8631762
Links: 1
(0600/-rw-------) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: ( 0/root)
2018-10-22 18:24:56.945750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.945750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.957750616 +0000
-

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set ownership and permissions on the private SSH host
key
files
# find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -name 'ssh_host_*_key' | xargs chown root:root
# find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -name 'ssh_host_*_key' | xargs chmod 0600

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.
375 | P a g e
5.2.3 Ensure permissions on SSH public host key files are configured
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
An SSH public key is one of two files used in SSH public key authentication. In
this
authentication method, a public key is a key that can be used for verifying digital
signatures
generated using a corresponding private key. Only a public key that corresponds to
a
private key will be able to authenticate successfully.
Rationale:
If a public host key file is modified by an unauthorized user, the SSH service may
be
compromised.

376 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify Access does not grant write or execute
permissions
to group or other for all returned files
# find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -name 'ssh_host_*_key.pub' | xargs stat
File:
Size:
Device:
Access:
Access:
Modify:
Change:
Birth:
File:
Size:
Device:
Access:
Access:
Modify:
Change:
Birth:
File:
Size:
Device:
Access:
Access:
Modify:
Change:
Birth:

‘/etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key.pub’
382
Blocks: 8
IO Block: 4096
ca01h/51713d
Inode: 8631758
Links: 1
(0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: (
2018-10-22 18:24:56.861750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.861750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.881750616 +0000
‘/etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key.pub’
162
Blocks: 8
IO Block: 4096
ca01h/51713d
Inode: 8631761
Links: 1
(0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: (
2018-10-22 18:24:56.897750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.897750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.917750616 +0000
‘/etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub’
82
Blocks: 8
IO Block: 4096
ca01h/51713d
Inode: 8631763
Links: 1
(0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: (
0/
root)
Gid: (
2018-10-22 18:24:56.945750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.945750616 +0000
2018-10-22 18:24:56.961750616 +0000
-

regular file
0/

root)

regular file
0/

root)

regular file
0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set permissions and ownership on the SSH host public
key
files
# find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -name 'ssh_host_*_key.pub' | xargs chmod go-wx
# find /etc/ssh -xdev -type f -name 'ssh_host_*_key.pub' | xargs chown
root:root

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.
377 | P a g e
5.2.4 Ensure SSH LogLevel is appropriate (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
LogLevel gives the verbosity level that is used when logging messages from sshd(8).
The
possible values are: QUIET, FATAL, ERROR, INFO, VERBOSE, DEBUG, DEBUG1, DEBUG2,
and DEBUG3
Note: The newer OpenSSH releases do not need a verbose mode setting anymore as the
required SSH key activity information is written into the syslog by the default
OpenSSH config
Rationale:
SSH provides several logging levels with varying amounts of verbosity. The DEBUG
loglevels
are specifically not recommended other than for strictly debugging SSH
communications
since it provides so much data that it is difficult to identify important security
information
and may violate the privacy of users.
LogLevel INFO is the basic level that 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
Audit:
Run the following command:
# sshd -T | grep loglevel

Verify that the output matches one of the following:

loglevel INFO
LogLevel VERBOSE

378 | P a g e
Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
LogLevel INFO

Default Value:
LogLevel INFO
References:
1. https://www.ssh.com/ssh/sshd_config/
2. SSHD_CONFIG(5)
CIS Controls:
Version 7
6.2 Activate audit logging
Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.
6.3 Enable Detailed Logging
Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source,
date,
user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful
elements.

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5.2.5 Ensure SSH X11 forwarding is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Workstation
 Level 2 - Server
Description:
The X11Forwarding parameter provides the ability to tunnel X11 traffic through the
connection to enable remote graphic connections.
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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep x11forwarding
X11Forwarding no

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
X11Forwarding no

Default Value:
X11Forwarding yes
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.
380 | P a g e
5.2.6 Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is set to 4 or less (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.
Note: Local site policy may be more restrictive
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 output MaxAuthTries is 4 or less:
# sshd -T | grep maxauthtries
MaxAuthTries 4

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
MaxAuthTries 4

Default Value:
MaxAuthTries 6

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.13 Alert on Account Login Behavior Deviation
Alert when users deviate from normal login behavior, such as time-of-day,
workstation
location and duration.

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5.2.7 Ensure SSH 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 and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep ignorerhosts
IgnoreRhosts yes

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
IgnoreRhosts yes

Default Value:
IgnoreRhosts yes
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services Are Running
Ensure that only network ports, protocols, and services listening on a system with
validated business needs, are running on each system.

383 | P a g e
5.2.8 Ensure SSH 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. This option only applies to SSH Protocol Version 2.
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 and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep hostbasedauthentication
HostbasedAuthentication no

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

Default Value:
HostbasedAuthentication no
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication
Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, whether
managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

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5.2.9 Ensure SSH root login 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 no.
Rationale:
Disallowing root logins over SSH requires system admins to authenticate using their
own
individual account, then escalating to root via sudo or su. This in turn limits
opportunity for
non-repudiation and provides a clear audit trail in the event of a security
incident
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep permitrootlogin
PermitRootLogin no

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

Default Value:
PermitRootLogin without-password
CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts
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.
385 | P a g e
5.2.10 Ensure SSH 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 and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep permitemptypasswords
PermitEmptyPasswords no

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
PermitEmptyPasswords no

Default Value:
PermitEmptyPasswords no
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.3 Require Multi-factor Authentication
Require multi-factor authentication for all user accounts, on all systems, whether
managed onsite or by a third-party provider.

386 | P a g e
5.2.11 Ensure SSH 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 and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep permituserenvironment
PermitUserEnvironment no

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

Default Value:
PermitUserEnvironment no
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.
387 | P a g e
5.2.12 Ensure only strong Ciphers are used (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 140-2 compliant are:
o aes256-ctr
o aes192-ctr
o aes128-ctr
Supported ciphers in openSSH 8.2:

3des-cbc
aes128-cbc
aes192-cbc
aes256-cbc
aes128-ctr
aes192-ctr
aes256-ctr
aes128-gcm@openssh.com
aes256-gcm@openssh.com
chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com

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 cleartext 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 plaintext data from an arbitrary block of ciphertext
in
an SSH session via unknown vectors

388 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output does not contain any of the listed
weak
ciphers
# sshd -T | grep ciphers

Weak Ciphers:
3des-cbc
aes128-cbc
aes192-cbc
aes256-cbc

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file add/modify the Ciphers line to contain a comma
separated list of the site approved ciphers
Example:
Ciphers chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes256-
gcm@openssh.com,aes128gcm@openssh.com,aes256-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes128-ctr

Default Value:
Ciphers chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-
ctr,aes128gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
References:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2183
https://www.openssh.com/txt/cbc.adv
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5161
https://www.openssh.com/txt/cbc.adv
SSHD_CONFIG(5)

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit
Encrypt all sensitive information in transit.

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5.2.13 Ensure only strong MAC algorithms are used (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
This variable limits the types of MAC algorithms that SSH can use during
communication.
Notes:




Some organizations may have stricter requirements for approved MACs

Ensure that MACs used are in compliance with site policy
The only "strong" MACs currently FIPS 140-2 approved are:
o hmac-sha2-256
o hmac-sha2-512
The Supported MACs are:

hmac-md5
hmac-md5-96
hmac-sha1
hmac-sha1-96
hmac-sha2-256
hmac-sha2-512
umac-64@openssh.com
umac-128@openssh.com
hmac-md5-etm@openssh.com
hmac-md5-96-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha1-96-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com
umac-64-etm@openssh.com
umac-128-etm@openssh.com

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

390 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output does not contain any of the listed
weak
MAC algorithms:
# sshd -T | grep -i "MACs"

Weak MAC algorithms:

hmac-md5
hmac-md5-96
hmac-ripemd160
hmac-sha1
hmac-sha1-96
umac-64@openssh.com
umac-128@openssh.com
hmac-md5-etm@openssh.com
hmac-md5-96-etm@openssh.com
hmac-ripemd160-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha1-96-etm@openssh.com
umac-64-etm@openssh.com
umac-128-etm@openssh.com

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and add/modify the MACs line to contain a comma
separated list of the site approved MACs
Example:
MACs hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2512,hmac-
sha2-256

Default Value:
MACs umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-
256etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1etm@openssh.com,umac-
64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
References:
1. More information on SSH downgrade attacks can be found here:
http://www.mitls.org/pages/attacks/SLOTH
2. SSHD_CONFIG(5)

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit
Encrypt all sensitive information in transit.
16.5 Encrypt Transmittal of Username and Authentication Credentials
Ensure that all account usernames and authentication credentials are transmitted
across
networks using encrypted channels.

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5.2.14 Ensure only strong Key Exchange algorithms are used
(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 140-2 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
The Key Exchange algorithms supported by OpenSSH 8.2 are:

curve25519-sha256
curve25519-sha256@libssh.org
diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
diffie-hellman-group16-sha512
diffie-hellman-group18-sha512
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256
ecdh-sha2-nistp256
ecdh-sha2-nistp384
ecdh-sha2-nistp521
sntrup4591761x25519-sha512@tinyssh.org

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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
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output does not contain any of the listed
weak
Key Exchange algorithms
# sshd -T | grep kexalgorithms

Weak Key Exchange Algorithms:

diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
diffie-hellman-group14-sha1
diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file add/modify the KexAlgorithms line to contain a
comma
separated list of the site approved key exchange algorithms
Example:
KexAlgorithms curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,diffie-hellmangroup14-
sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18sha512,ecdh-sha2-
nistp521,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,diffiehellman-group-exchange-sha256

Default Value:
KexAlgorithms curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-
sha2nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-
exchangesha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-
hellmangroup14-sha256
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit
Encrypt all sensitive information in transit.

394 | P a g e
5.2.15 Ensure SSH Idle Timeout Interval is configured (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The two options ClientAliveInterval and ClientAliveCountMax control the timeout of
ssh sessions.


ClientAliveInterval sets a timeout interval in seconds after which if no data has

been received from the client, sshd 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 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. The default value is 3.
o The client alive messages are sent through the encrypted channel
o Setting ClientAliveCountMax to 0 disables connection termination

Example: If the ClientAliveInterval is set to 15 seconds and the

ClientAliveCountMax is
set to 3, the client ssh session will be terminated after 45 seconds of idle time.
Note: Local site policy may be more restrictive
Rationale:
Having no timeout value associated with a connection could allow an unauthorized
user
access to another user's ssh session (e.g. user walks away from their computer and
doesn't
lock the screen). Setting a timeout value reduces this risk.




The recommended ClientAliveInterval setting is 300 seconds (5 minutes)

The recommended ClientAliveCountMax setting is 3
The ssh session would send three keep alive messages at 5 minute intervals. If no
response is received after the third keep alive message, the ssh session would be
terminated after 15 minutes.

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Audit:
Run the following commands and verify ClientAliveInterval is between 1 and 300:
# sshd -T | grep clientaliveinterval
clientaliveinterval 300

Run the following command and verify ClientAliveCountMax is between 1 and 3:

# sshd -T | grep clientalivecountmax
clientalivecountmax 3

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameters according to site policy.
This
should include ClientAliveInterval between 1 and 300 and ClientAliveCountMax of 3
or
less:
ClientAliveInterval 300
ClientAliveCountMax 3

Default Value:
ClientAliveInterval 0
ClientAliveCountMax 3
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity
Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

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5.2.16 Ensure SSH LoginGraceTime is set to one minute or less
(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.
Note: Local site policy may be more restrictive
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, or
1m:
# sshd -T | grep logingracetime
LoginGraceTime 60

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
LoginGraceTime 60

Default Value:
LoginGraceTime 120

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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5.2.17 Ensure SSH access is limited (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 - Gives the system administrator the option of allowing specific users
to
ssh into the system
o The list consists of space separated user names
o Numeric user IDs are not recognized with this variable
o A system administrator may restrict user access further by only allowing the
allowed users to log in from a particular host by specifying the entry as <
user>@<host>
AllowGroups - Gives the system administrator the option of allowing specific groups
of users to ssh into the system
o The list consists of space separated group names
o Numeric group IDs are not recognized with this variable
DenyUsers - Gives the system administrator the option of denying specific users to
ssh into the system
o The list consists of space separated user names
o Numeric user IDs are not recognized with this variable
o If a system administrator wants to restrict user access further by specifically
denying a user's access from a particular host by specifying the entry as <
user>@<host>
DenyGroups - Gives the system administrator the option of denying specific groups
of users to ssh into the system
o The list consists of space separated group names
o 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.

399 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify that output matches for at least one:
# sshd -T | grep allowusers
AllowUsers <userlist>
# sshd -T | grep allowgroups
AllowGroups <grouplist>
# sshd -T | grep denyusers
DenyUsers <userlist>
# sshd -T | grep denygroups
DenyGroups <grouplist>

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set one or more of the parameter as follows:
AllowUsers <userlist>
AllowGroups <grouplist>
DenyUsers <userlist>
DenyGroups <grouplist>

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts
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.

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5.2.18 Ensure SSH warning 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 and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep banner
banner /etc/issue.net

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

Default Value:
Banner none
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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5.2.19 Ensure SSH PAM is enabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
UsePAM Enables the Pluggable Authentication Module interface. If set to “yes” this
will
enable PAM authentication using ChallengeResponseAuthentication and
PasswordAuthentication 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 and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep -i usepam
usepam yes

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

Impact:
If UsePAM is enabled, you will not be able to run sshd(8) as a non-root user.
Default Value:
usePAM yes

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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5.2.20 Ensure SSH AllowTcpForwarding is disabled (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
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:
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
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that output matches:
# sshd -T | grep -i allowtcpforwarding
AllowTcpForwarding no

404 | P a g e
Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
AllowTcpForwarding no

Impact:
SSH tunnels are widely used in many corporate environments that employ mainframe
systems as their application backends. In those 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.
Default Value:
AllowTcpForwarding yes
References:
1. https://www.ssh.com/ssh/tunneling/example
CIS Controls:
Version 7
9.2 Ensure Only Approved Ports, Protocols and Services 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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5.2.21 Ensure SSH 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.
Note: Local site policy may be more restrictive
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 and verify that output MaxStartups is 10:30:60 or more
restrictive:
# sshd -T | grep -i maxstartups
maxstartups 10:30:100

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows or more
restrictive:
maxstartups 10:30:100

Default Value:
MaxStartups 10:30:100

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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5.2.22 Ensure SSH MaxSessions is limited (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.
Note: Local site policy may be more restrictive
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 output MaxSessions is no more than 10 and
follows local site policy:
# sshd -T | grep -i maxsessions
maxsessions 10

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter as follows:
MaxSessions 10

Default Value:
MaxSessions 10

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

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5.3 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.

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5.3.1 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 are definitions
of the
pam_pwquality.so options.
The following options are set in the /etc/security/pwquality.conf file:


Password Length:

o minlen = 14 - password must be 14 characters or more

Password complexity:
o minclass = 4 - The minimum number of required classes of characters for
the new password (digits, uppercase, lowercase, others)
OR
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
The following is set in the /etc/pam.d/common-password file:


retry=3 - Allow 3 tries before sending back a failure. The settings shown above are

one possible policy. Alter these values to conform to your own organization's
password policies.
Rationale:
Strong passwords protect systems from being hacked through brute force methods.

411 | P a g e
Audit:
Verify password creation requirements conform to organization policy.
Run the following command to verify the minimum password length is 14 or more
characters.
# grep '^\s*minlen\s*' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
minlen = 14

Run one of the following commands to verify the required password complexity:
# grep '^\s*minclass\s*' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
minclass = 4

OR
# grep -E '^\s*[duol]credit\s*' /etc/security/pwquality.conf
dcredit
ucredit
lcredit
ocredit

=
=
=
=

-1
-1
-1
-1

Run the following command to verify the number of attempts allowed before sending
back
a failure are no more than 3
# grep -E
'^\s*password\s+(requisite|required)\s+pam_pwquality\.so\s+
(\S+\s+)*retry=[13]\s*(\s+\S+\s*)*(\s+#.*)?$' /etc/pam.d/common-password
password

requisite

pam_pwquality.so retry=3

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Remediation:
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
minclass = 4

OR
dcredit
ucredit
ocredit
lcredit

=
=
=
=

-1
-1
-1
-1

Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file to include the appropriate options for

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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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5.3.2 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.

Notes:



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.

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

414 | P a g e
Audit:
Verify password lockouts are configured. These settings are commonly configured
with the
pam_tally2.so modules found in /etc/pam.d/common-auth:
# grep "pam_tally2" /etc/pam.d/common-auth
auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail audit silent deny=5 unlock_time=900

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
account required

pam_deny.so
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
account

requisite
required

pam_deny.so
pam_tally2.so

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.7 Establish Process for Revoking Access
Establish and follow an automated process for revoking system access by 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.

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5.3.3 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.
Note: Changes only apply to accounts configured on the local system.
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 commands and ensure the remember option is '5' or more and
included in
all results:
# grep -E '^password\s+required\s+pam_pwhistory.so' /etc/pam.d/commonpassword
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file to include the remember option and conform
to
site policy as shown:
password required pam_pwhistory.so remember=5

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16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control

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5.3.4 Ensure password hashing algorithm is SHA-512 (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The commands below change password encryption from md5 to sha512 (a much stronger
hashing algorithm). All existing accounts will need to perform a password change to
upgrade the stored hashes to the new algorithm.
Notes:



Additional module options may be set, recommendation only covers those listed here.
If it is determined that the password algorithm being used is not SHA-512, once it
is
changed, it is recommended that all user ID's be immediately expired and forced to
change their passwords on next login
The following command can be used:

# awk -F: '( $3 >= $(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs) && $1 !=

"nfsnobody" ) { print $1 }' /etc/passwd | xargs -n 1 chage -d 0


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

Rationale:
The SHA-512 algorithm provides much stronger hashing than MD5, thus providing
additional protection to the system by increasing the level of effort for an
attacker to
successfully determine passwords.
Note: These change only apply to accounts configured on the local system.

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Audit:
Run the following commands and ensure the sha512 option is included in all results:
# grep -E
'^\s*password\s+(\S+\s+)+pam_unix\.so\s+(\S+\s+)*sha512\s*(\S+\s*)*(\s+#.*)?$
' /etc/pam.d/common-password

Output should be similar to:

password

[success=1 default=ignore]

pam_unix.so obscure sha512

Remediation:
Edit the /etc/pam.d/common-password file to include the sha512 option for
pam_unix.so as
shown:
password [success=1 default=ignore] pam_unix.so sha512

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

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

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5.4.1 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.defswill only be applied if the usermodcommand is used. If user IDs are
added
a different way, use the chagecommand to effect changes to individual user IDs.

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5.4.1.1 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. It is recommended that the
PASS_MAX_DAYS parameter be set to less than or equal to 365 days.
Notes:



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

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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify PASS_MAX_DAYS conforms to site policy (no more
than 365 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 (no more than 365 days):
# grep -E '^[^:]+:[^!*]' /etc/shadow | cut -d: -f1,5
<user>:<PASS_MAX_DAYS>

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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>

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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5.4.1.2 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):
# grep -E ^[^:]+:[^\!*] /etc/shadow | cut -d: -f1,4
<user>:<PASS_MIN_DAYS>

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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>

CIS Controls:
Version 6
16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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5.4.1.3 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):
# grep -E ^[^:]+:[^\!*] /etc/shadow | cut -d: -f1,6
<user>:<PASS_WARN_AGE>

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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>

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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5.4.1.4 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.
Note: A value of -1 would disable this setting
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 sire 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):
# grep -E ^[^:]+:[^\!*] /etc/shadow | cut -d: -f1,7
<user>:<INACTIVE>

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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>

CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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5.4.1.5 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 command and verify nothing is returned
# for usr in $(cut -d: -f1 /etc/shadow); do [[ $(chage --list $usr | grep
'^Last password change' | cut -d: -f2) > $(date) ]] && echo "$usr :$(chage -list
$usr | grep '^Last password change' | cut -d: -f2)"; done

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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5.4.2 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.
Audit:
Run the following commands and verify no results are returned:
awk -F: '($1!="root" && $1!="sync" && $1!="shutdown" && $1!="halt" &&
$1!~/^\+/ && $3<'"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' &&
$7!="'"$(which nologin)"'" && $7!="/bin/false") {print}' /etc/passwd
awk -F: '($1!="root" && $1!~/^\+/ && $3<'"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}'
/etc/login.defs)"') {print $1}' /etc/passwd | xargs -I '{}' passwd -S '{}' |
awk '($2!="L" && $2!="LK") {print $1}'

Note: The root, sync, shutdown, and halt users are exempted from requiring a non-
login shell

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Remediation:
Run the commands appropriate for your distribution:
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 command will set all system accounts to a non login shell:
awk -F: '($1!="root" && $1!="sync" && $1!="shutdown" && $1!="halt" &&
$1!~/^\+/ && $3<'"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}' /etc/login.defs)"' &&
$7!="'"$(which nologin)"'" && $7!="/bin/false") {print $1}' /etc/passwd |
while read -r user; do usermod -s "$(which nologin)" "$user"; done

The following command will automatically lock not root system accounts:
awk -F: '($1!="root" && $1!~/^\+/ && $3<'"$(awk '/^\s*UID_MIN/{print $2}'
/etc/login.defs)"') {print $1}' /etc/passwd | xargs -I '{}' passwd -S '{}' |
awk '($2!="L" && $2!="LK") {print $1}' | while read -r user; do usermod -L
"$user"; done

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control

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5.4.3 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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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5.4.4 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-----.

The pam_umask module 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. The default umask can also
be set in
a System Wide Shell Configuration File.

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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 .profile, however this

file is used to set an initial PATH or PS1 for all shell users of the system. is
only
executed for interactive login shells, or shells executed with the --login
parameter
/etc/profile.d - /etc/profile will execute the scripts within
/etc/profile.d/*.sh. It is recommended to place your configuration in a shell
script within /etc/profile.d to set your own system wide environmental variables.
/etc/bash.bashrc - System wide version of .bashrc. etc/bashrc also invokes
/etc/profile.d/*.sh if non-login shell, but redirects output to /dev/null if
noninteractive. 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

Notes:







umask=<mask> value in the /etc/login.defs file is interpreted as Octal

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
/etc/pam.d/login can be used to set the user specific umask at login
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, ( .bash_profile or .bash.bashrc), in their
home directory
o Manually changing the umask for the duration of a login session by running the
umask command

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.
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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
-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][27]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][06]\b|[0-
7][01][0-7]\b|[0-7][0-7][06]\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

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Remediation:
Edit /etc/login.defs and add or edit the UMASK line to read:
UMASK 027

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

session optional

pam_umask.so

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][06]\b|[0-
7][01][0-7]\b|[0-7][0-7][06]\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*

Default Value:
UMASK 022
References:
1. pam_umask(8)
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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5.4.5 Ensure default user shell timeout is 900 seconds or less
(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/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
noninteractive. Is only executed for interactive shells or if BASH_ENV is set to
/etc/bash.bashrc.

Notes:





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
Ensure that the timeout conforms to your local policy

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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.
Audit:
Run the following commands to verify that TMOUT is configured to include a timeout
of no
more than 900 seconds, to be readonly, and to be exported:
Run the following command to verify that TMOUT is configured in: a .sh file in
/etc/profile.d/, in /etc/profile, or in /etc/bashrc:
# for f in /etc/bash.bashrc /etc/profile /etc/profile.d/*.sh ; do grep -Eq
'(^|^[^#]*;)\s*(readonly|export(\s+[^$#;]+\s*)*)?\s*TMOUT=(900|[1-8][0-9][09]|[1-9]
[0-9]|[1-9])\b' $f && grep -Eq '(^|^[^#]*;)\s*readonly\s+TMOUT\b' $f
&& grep -Eq '(^|^[^#]*;)\s*export\s+([^$#;]+\s+)*TMOUT\b' $f && echo "TMOUT
correctly configured in file: $f"; done
TMOUT correctly configured in file: <name of file where TMOUT is configured>

Run the following command to verify that TMOUT is not being changed to a longer
timeout:
# grep -P '^\s*([^$#;]+\s+)*TMOUT=(9[0-9][1-9]|0+|
[19]\d{3,})\b\s*(\S+\s*)*(\s+#.*)?$' /etc/profile /etc/profile.d/*.sh
/etc/bash.bashrc
Nothing should be returned

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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 not exceed 900 or be equal to 0.
Configure TMOUT in one of the following files:
 A file in the /etc/profile.d/ directory ending in .sh
 /etc/profile
 /etc/bash.bashrc
TMOUT configuration examples:
 As multiple lines:
TMOUT=900
readonly TMOUT
export TMOUT


As a single line:

readonly TMOUT=900 ; export TMOUT

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.11 Lock Workstation Sessions After Inactivity
Automatically lock workstation sessions after a standard period of inactivity.

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5.5 Ensure root login is restricted to system console (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The file /etc/securetty contains a list of valid terminals that may be logged in
directly as
root.
Rationale:
Since the system console has special properties to handle emergency situations, it
is
important to ensure that the console is in a physically secure location and that
unauthorized consoles have not been defined.
Audit:
# cat /etc/securetty

Remediation:
Remove entries for any consoles that are not in a physically secure location.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts
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.

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5.6 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 and verify the output matches the line:
# grep pam_wheel.so /etc/pam.d/su
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
<group_name>:x:<GID>:

There should be no users listed after the Group ID field.

441 | P a g e
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

CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

442 | P a g e
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.

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6.1 System File Permissions
This section provides guidance on securing aspects of system files and directories.

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6.1.1 Audit system file permissions (Manual)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 2 - Server
 Level 2 - Workstation
Description:
The Debian package manager has a number of useful options. One of these, the
--verify
option, can be used to verify that system packages are correctly installed. The
--verify
option can be used to verify a particular package or to verify all system packages.
If no
output is returned, the package is installed correctly. The following table
describes the
meaning of output from the verify option:
Code
S
M
5
D
L
U
G
T

Meaning
File size differs.
File mode differs (includes permissions and file type).
The MD5 checksum differs.
The major and minor version numbers differ on a device file.
A mismatch occurs in a link.
The file ownership differs.
The file group owner differs.
The file time (mtime) differs.

The dpkg -S command can be used to determine which package a particular file
belongs to.
For example the following command determines which package the /bin/bash file
belongs
to:
# dpkg -S /bin/bash
bash: /bin/bash

To verify the settings for the package that controls the /bin/bash file, run the
following:
# dpkg --verify bash
??5?????? c /etc/bash.bashrc

445 | P a g e
Notes:


Since packages and important files may change with new updates and releases, it is
recommended to verify everything, not just a finite list of files. This can be a
time
consuming task and results may depend on site policy therefore it is not a assessed
benchmark item, but is provided for those interested in additional security
measures.
Some of the recommendations of this benchmark alter the state of files audited by
this
recommendation. The audit command will alert for all changes to a file permissions
even if the new state is more secure than the default.

Rationale:
It is important to confirm that packaged system files and directories are
maintained with
the permissions they were intended to have from the OS vendor.
Audit:
Run the following command to review all installed packages. Note that this may be
very
time consuming and may be best scheduled via the cron utility. It is recommended
that the
output of this command be redirected to a file that can be reviewed later.
# dpkg --verify <package name>

Remediation:
Correct any discrepancies found and rerun the audit until output is clean or risk
is
mitigated or accepted.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

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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 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 and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is 644:
# stat /etc/passwd
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following command to set permissions on /etc/passwd:
# chown root:root /etc/passwd
# chmod 644 /etc/passwd

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

447 | P a g e
6.1.3 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 and verify Uid is 0/root, Gid is 0/root or <gid>/shadow,
and
Access is 640 or more restrictive:
# stat /etc/gshadowAccess: (0640/-rw-r-----)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run one of the following chown commands as appropriate and the chmod to set
permissions on /etc/gshadow- :
# chown root:root /etc/gshadow# chown root:shadow /etc/gshadow# chmod o-rwx,g-wx
/etc/gshadow-

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

448 | P a g e
6.1.4 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 and verify verify Uid is 0/root, Gid is 0/root or
<gid>/shadow, and Access is 640 or more restrictive:
# stat /etc/shadow
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run one of the following chown commands as appropriate and the chmod to set
permissions on /etc/shadow :
# chown root:root /etc/shadow
# chown root:shadow /etc/shadow
# chmod o-rwx,g-wx /etc/shadow

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.
449 | P a g e
6.1.5 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 and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is
644 :
# stat /etc/group
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following command to set permissions on /etc/group :
# chown root:root /etc/group
# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/group

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

450 | P a g e
6.1.6 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 and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is 644
or
more restrictive:
# stat /etc/passwdAccess: (0644/-rw-r--r--)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following command to set permissions on /etc/passwd- :
# chown root:root /etc/passwd# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/passwd-

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

451 | P a g e
6.1.7 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 and verify verify Uid is 0/root, Gid is 0/root or
<gid>/shadow, and Access is 640 or more restrictive:
# stat /etc/shadowAccess: (0640/-rw-r-----)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

42/

shadow)

Remediation:
Run the following commands to set permissions on /etc/shadow-:
# chown root:shadow /etc/shadow# chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/shadow-

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

452 | P a g e
6.1.8 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 and verify Uid and Gid are both 0/root and Access is 644
or
more restrictive:
# stat /etc/groupAccess: (0644/-rw-r--r--)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run the following command to set permissions on /etc/group- :
# chown root:root /etc/group# chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/group-

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

453 | P a g e
6.1.9 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 and verify Uid is 0/root, Gid is 0/root or <gid>/shadow,
and
Access is 640 or more restrictive:
# stat /etc/gshadow
Access: (0640/-rw-r-----)

Uid: (

0/

root)

Gid: (

0/

root)

Remediation:
Run one of the following chown commands as appropriate and the chmod to set
permissions on /etc/gshadow :
# chown root:root /etc/gshadow
# chown root:shadow /etc/gshadow
# chmod u-x,g-wx,o-rwx /etc/gshadow

CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

454 | P a g e
6.1.10 Ensure no world writable files exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Unix-based systems support variable settings to control access to files. World
writable files
are the least secure. See the chmod(2) man page for more information.
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.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify no files are returned:
# df --local -P | awk '{if (NR!=1) print $6}' | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-type f -perm -0002

The command above only searches local filesystems, there may still be compromised
items
on network mounted partitions. Additionally the --local option to df is not
universal to all
versions, it can be omitted to search all filesystems on a system including network
mounted
filesystems or the following command can be run manually for each partition:
# find <partition> -xdev -type f -perm -0002

Remediation:
Removing write access for the "other" category ( chmod o-w <filename> ) is
advisable, but
always consult relevant vendor documentation to avoid breaking any application
dependencies on a given file.

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CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

456 | P a g e
6.1.11 Ensure no unowned files or directories exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Sometimes when administrators delete users from the password file they neglect to
remove all files owned by those users from the system.
Rationale:
A new user who is assigned the deleted user's user ID or group ID may then end up
"owning" these files, and thus have more access on the system than was intended.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify no files are returned:
# df --local -P | awk {'if (NR!=1) print $6'} | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-nouser

The command above only searches local filesystems, there may still be compromised
items
on network mounted partitions. Additionally the --local option to df is not
universal to all
versions, it can be omitted to search all filesystems on a system including network
mounted
filesystems or the following command can be run manually for each partition:
# find <partition> -xdev -nouser

Remediation:
Locate files that are owned by users or groups not listed in the system
configuration files,
and reset the ownership of these files to some active user on the system as
appropriate.

457 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
13.2 Remove Sensitive Data or Systems Not Regularly Accessed by Organization
Remove sensitive data or systems not regularly accessed by the organization from
the
network. These systems shall only be used as stand alone systems (disconnected from
the
network) by the business unit needing to occasionally use the system or completely
virtualized and powered off until needed.

458 | P a g e
6.1.12 Ensure no ungrouped files or directories exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Sometimes when administrators delete users or groups from the system they neglect
to
remove all files owned by those users or groups.
Rationale:
A new user who is assigned the deleted user's user ID or group ID may then end up
"owning" these files, and thus have more access on the system than was intended.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify no files are returned:
# df --local -P | awk '{if (NR!=1) print $6}' | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-nogroup

The command above only searches local filesystems, there may still be compromised
items
on network mounted partitions. Additionally the --local option to df is not
universal to all
versions, it can be omitted to search all filesystems on a system including network
mounted
filesystems or the following command can be run manually for each partition:
# find <partition> -xdev -nogroup

Remediation:
Locate files that are owned by users or groups not listed in the system
configuration files,
and reset the ownership of these files to some active user on the system as
appropriate.

459 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
13.2 Remove Sensitive Data or Systems Not Regularly Accessed by Organization
Remove sensitive data or systems not regularly accessed by the organization from
the
network. These systems shall only be used as stand alone systems (disconnected from
the
network) by the business unit needing to occasionally use the system or completely
virtualized and powered off until needed.

460 | P a g e
6.1.13 Audit SUID executables (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 program is to enable users to perform
functions (such as changing their password) that require root privileges.
Rationale:
There are valid reasons for SUID programs, but it is important to identify and
review such
programs to ensure they are legitimate.
Audit:
Run the following command to list SUID files:
# df --local -P | awk '{if (NR!=1) print $6}' | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-type f -perm -4000

The command above only searches local filesystems, there may still be compromised
items
on network mounted partitions. Additionally the --local option to df is not
universal to all
versions, it can be omitted to search all filesystems on a system including network
mounted
filesystems or the following command can be run manually for each partition:
# find <partition> -xdev -type f -perm -4000

Remediation:
Ensure that no rogue SUID 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.

461 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

462 | P a g e
6.1.14 Audit SGID executables (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 SGID program is to enable users to perform
functions (such as changing their password) that require root privileges.
Rationale:
There are valid reasons for 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 md5 checksum than what
from
the package. This is an indication that the binary may have been replaced.
Audit:
Run the following command to list SGID files:
# df --local -P | awk '{if (NR!=1) print $6}' | xargs -I '{}' find '{}' -xdev
-type f -perm -2000

The command above only searches local filesystems, there may still be compromised
items
on network mounted partitions. Additionally the --local option to df is not
universal to all
versions, it can be omitted to search all filesystems on a system including network
mounted
filesystems or the following command can be run manually for each partition:
# find <partition> -xdev -type f -perm -2000

Remediation:
Ensure that no rogue 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.

463 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

464 | P a g e
6.2 User and Group Settings
This section provides guidance on securing aspects of the 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.

465 | P a g e
6.2.1 Ensure 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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.4 Use Unique Passwords
Where multi-factor authentication is not supported (such as local administrator,
root, or
service accounts), accounts will use passwords that are unique to that system.

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6.2.2 Ensure root is the only UID 0 account (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Any account with UID 0 has superuser privileges on the system.
Rationale:
This access must be limited to only the default root account and only from the
system
console. Administrative access must be through an unprivileged account using an
approved
mechanism as noted in Item 5.6 Ensure access to the su command is restricted.
Audit:
Run the following command and verify that only "root" is returned:
# awk -F: '($3 == 0) { print $1 }' /etc/passwd
root

Remediation:
Remove any users other than root with UID 0 or assign them a new UID if
appropriate.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
4.6 Use of Dedicated Machines For All Administrative Tasks
Ensure administrators use a dedicated machine for all administrative tasks or tasks
requiring administrative access. This machine will be segmented from the
organization's
primary network and not be allowed Internet access. This machine will not be used
for
reading e-mail, composing documents, or browsing the Internet.

467 | P a g e
6.2.3 Ensure root PATH Integrity (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The root user can execute any command on the system and could be fooled into
executing
programs unintentionally if the PATH is not set correctly.
Rationale:
Including the current working directory (.) or other writable directory in root 's
executable
path makes it likely that an attacker can gain superuser access by forcing an
administrator
operating as root to execute a Trojan horse program.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
if echo $PATH | grep -q "::" ; then
echo "Empty Directory in PATH (::)"
fi
if echo $PATH | grep -q ":$" ; then
echo "Trailing : in PATH"
fi
for x in $(echo $PATH | tr ":" " ") ; do
if [ -d "$x" ] ; then
ls -ldH "$x" | awk '
$9 == "." {print "PATH contains current working directory (.)"}
$3 != "root" {print $9, "is not owned by root"}
substr($1,6,1) != "-" {print $9, "is group writable"}
substr($1,9,1) != "-" {print $9, "is world writable"}'
else
echo "$x is not a directory"
fi
done

Remediation:
Correct or justify any items discovered in the Audit step.

468 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

469 | P a g e
6.2.4 Ensure all users' home directories exist (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
Users can be defined in /etc/passwd without a home directory or with a home
directory
that does not actually exist.
Note: The audit script checks all users with interactive shells except halt, sync,
shutdown, and
nfsnobody

Rationale:
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.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 != "'"$(which
nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while read -r user
dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
fi
done

Remediation:
If any users' home directories do not exist, create them and make sure the
respective user
owns the directory. Users without an assigned home directory should be removed or
assigned a home directory as appropriate.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.
470 | P a g e
6.2.5 Ensure users' home directories permissions are 750 or more
restrictive (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
While the system administrator can establish secure permissions for users' home
directories, the users can easily override these.
Rationale:
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.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 != "'"$(which
nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while read user
dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
dirperm=$(ls -ld $dir | cut -f1 -d" ")
if [ $(echo $dirperm | cut -c6) != "-" ]; then
echo "Group Write permission set on the home directory ($dir) of user
$user"
fi
if [ $(echo $dirperm | cut -c8) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Read permission set on the home directory ($dir) of user
$user"
fi
if [ $(echo $dirperm | cut -c9) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Write permission set on the home directory ($dir) of user
$user"
fi
if [ $(echo $dirperm | cut -c10) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Execute permission set on the home directory ($dir) of user
$user"
fi
fi
done

471 | P a g e
Remediation:
Making global modifications to user home directories 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 file permissions and determine the
action
to be taken in accordance with site policy.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

472 | P a g e
6.2.6 Ensure users own their home directories (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.
Rationale:
Since the user is accountable for files stored in the user home directory, the user
must be
the owner of the directory.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 != "'"$(which
nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while read user
dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
owner=$(stat -L -c "%U" "$dir")
if [ "$owner" != "$user" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user is owned by $owner."
fi
fi
done

Remediation:
Change the ownership of any home directories that are not owned by the defined user
to
the correct user.

473 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

474 | P a g e
6.2.7 Ensure users' dot files are not group or world writable
(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.
Rationale:
Group or world-writable user configuration files may enable malicious users to
steal or
modify other users' data or to gain another user's system privileges.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 != "'"$(which
nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while read user
dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
for file in $dir/.[A-Za-z0-9]*; do
if [ ! -h "$file" -a -f "$file" ]; then
fileperm=$(ls -ld $file | cut -f1 -d" ")
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c6) != "-" ]; then
echo "Group Write permission set on file $file"
fi
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c9) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Write permission set on file $file"
fi
fi
done
fi
done

475 | P a g e
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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

476 | P a g e
6.2.8 Ensure no users have .forward files (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The .forward file specifies an email address to forward the user's mail to.
Rationale:
Use of the .forward file poses a security risk in that sensitive data may be
inadvertently
transferred outside the organization. The .forward file also poses a risk as it can
be used to
execute commands that may perform unintended actions.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(root|halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 !=
"'"$(which nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while
read user dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
if [ ! -h "$dir/.forward" -a -f "$dir/.forward" ]; then
echo ".forward file $dir/.forward exists"
fi
fi
done

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 .forward files and determine the action to be
taken in
accordance with site policy.

477 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
5.1 Establish Secure Configurations
Maintain documented, standard security configuration standards for all authorized
operating systems and software.

478 | P a g e
6.2.9 Ensure no users have .netrc files (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
The .netrc file contains data for logging into a remote host for file transfers via
FTP.
Rationale:
The .netrc file presents a significant security risk since it stores passwords in
unencrypted
form. Even if FTP is disabled, user accounts may have brought over .netrc files
from other
systems which could pose a risk to those systems.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(root|halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 !=
"'"$(which nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while
read user dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
if [ ! -h "$dir/.netrc" -a -f "$dir/.netrc" ]; then
echo ".netrc file $dir/.netrc exists"
fi
fi
done

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 .netrc files and determine the action to be
taken in
accordance with site policy.

479 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

480 | P a g e
6.2.10 Ensure users' .netrc Files are not group or world accessible
(Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
While the system administrator can establish secure permissions for users' .netrc
files, the
users can easily override these.
Note: While the complete removal of .netrc files is recommended, if any are
required on the
system secure permissions must be applied.
Rationale:
.netrcfiles may contain unencrypted passwords that may be used to attack other
systems.

481 | P a g e
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(root|halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 !=
"'"$(which nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while
read user dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
for file in $dir/.netrc; do
if [ ! -h "$file" -a -f "$file" ]; then
fileperm=$(ls -ld $file | cut -f1 -d" ")
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c5) != "-" ]; then
echo "Group Read set on $file"
fi
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c6) != "-" ]; then
echo "Group Write set on $file"
fi
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c7) != "-" ]; then
echo "Group Execute set on $file"
fi
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c8) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Read set on $file"
fi
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c9) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Write set on $file"
fi
if [ $(echo $fileperm | cut -c10) != "-" ]; then
echo "Other Execute set on $file"
fi
fi
done
fi
done

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 .netrc file permissions and determine the
action to be
taken in accordance with site policy.

482 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

483 | P a g e
6.2.11 Ensure no users have .rhosts files (Automated)
Profile Applicability:
 Level 1 - Server
 Level 1 - Workstation
Description:
While no .rhosts files are shipped by default, users can easily create them.
Rationale:
This action is only meaningful if .rhosts support is permitted in the file
/etc/pam.conf .
Even though the .rhosts files are ineffective if support is disabled in
/etc/pam.conf , they
may have been brought over from other systems and could contain information useful
to
an attacker for those other systems.
Audit:
Run the following script and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
grep -E -v '^(root|halt|sync|shutdown)' /etc/passwd | awk -F: '($7 !=
"'"$(which nologin)"'" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while
read user dir; do
if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
else
for file in $dir/.rhosts; do
if [ ! -h "$file" -a -f "$file" ]; then
echo ".rhosts file in $dir"
fi
done
fi
done

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 .rhosts files and determine the action to be
taken in
accordance with site policy.

484 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.4 Encrypt or Hash all Authentication Credentials
Encrypt or hash with a salt all authentication credentials when stored.

485 | P a g e
6.2.12 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 and verify no results are returned:
#!/bin/bash
for i in $(cut -s -d: -f4 /etc/passwd | sort -u ); do
grep -q -P "^.*?:[^:]*:$i:" /etc/group
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
echo "Group $i is referenced by /etc/passwd but does not exist in
/etc/group"
fi
done

Remediation:
Analyze the output of the Audit step above and perform the appropriate action to
correct
any discrepancies found.

486 | P a g e
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16.6 Maintain an Inventory of Accounts
Maintain an inventory of all accounts organized by authentication system.
16.7 Establish Process for Revoking Access
Establish and follow an automated process for revoking system access by 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.
16.8 Disable Any Unassociated Accounts
Disable any account that cannot be associated with a business process or business
owner.

487 | P a g e
6.2.13 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:
#!/bin/bash
cut -f3 -d":" /etc/passwd | sort -n | uniq -c | while read x ; do
[ -z "$x" ] && break
set - $x
if [ $1 -gt 1 ]; then
users=$(awk -F: '($3 == n) { print $1 }' n=$2 /etc/passwd | xargs)
echo "Duplicate UID ($2): $users"
fi
done

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control

488 | P a g e
6.2.14 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:
#!/bin/bash
cut -d: -f3 /etc/group | sort | uniq -d | while read x ; do
echo "Duplicate GID ($x) in /etc/group"
done

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.
Notes:
You can also use the grpck command to check for other inconsistencies in the
/etc/group
file.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control

489 | P a g e
6.2.15 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:
#!/bin/bash
cut -d: -f1 /etc/passwd | sort | uniq -d | while read x
do echo "Duplicate login name ${x} in /etc/passwd"
done

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control

490 | P a g e
6.2.16 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:
#!/bin/bash
cut -d: -f1 /etc/group | sort | uniq -d | while read x
do echo "Duplicate group name ${x} in /etc/group"
done

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.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
16 Account Monitoring and Control
Account Monitoring and Control

491 | P a g e
6.2.17 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:
# grep ^shadow:[^:]*:[^:]*:[^:]+ /etc/group
# awk -F: '($4 == "<shadow-gid>") { print }' /etc/passwd

Remediation:
Remove all users from the shadow group, and change the primary group of any users
with
shadow as their primary group.
CIS Controls:
Version 7
14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists
Protect all information stored on systems with file system, network share, 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.

492 | P a g e
Appendix: Summary Table
Control

1
1.1
1.1.1
1.1.1.1
1.1.1.2
1.1.1.3
1.1.1.4
1.1.1.5
1.1.1.6
1.1.1.7
1.1.2
1.1.3
1.1.4
1.1.5
1.1.6
1.1.7
1.1.8
1.1.9
1.1.10
1.1.11
1.1.12
1.1.13
1.1.14
1.1.15
1.1.16
1.1.17
1.1.18

Initial Setup
Filesystem Configuration
Disable unused filesystems
Ensure mounting of cramfs filesystems is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure mounting of freevxfs filesystems is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure mounting of jffs2 filesystems is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure mounting of hfs filesystems is disabled (Automated)
Ensure mounting of hfsplus filesystems is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure mounting of udf filesystems is disabled (Automated)
Ensure mounting of FAT filesystems is limited (Manual)
Ensure /tmp is configured (Automated)
Ensure nodev option set on /tmp partition (Automated)
Ensure nosuid option set on /tmp partition (Automated)
Ensure noexec option set on /tmp partition (Automated)
Ensure /dev/shm is configured (Automated)
Ensure nodev option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated)
Ensure nosuid option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated)
Ensure noexec option set on /dev/shm partition
(Automated)
Ensure separate partition exists for /var (Automated)
Ensure separate partition exists for /var/tmp (Automated)
Ensure nodev option set on /var/tmp partition (Automated)
Ensure nosuid option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated)
Ensure noexec option set on /var/tmp partition
(Automated)
Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log (Automated)
Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log/audit
(Automated)
Ensure separate partition exists for /home (Automated)
Ensure nodev option set on /home partition (Automated)

Set
Correctly
Yes No



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





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









493 | P a g e
1.1.19
1.1.20
1.1.21
1.1.22
1.1.23
1.1.24
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.3
1.3.1
1.3.2
1.3.3
1.4
1.4.1
1.4.2
1.5
1.5.1
1.5.2
1.5.3
1.6
1.6.1
1.6.2
1.6.3
1.6.4
1.7
1.7.1
1.7.1.1
1.7.1.2
1.7.1.3
1.7.1.4
1.8

Ensure nodev option set on removable media partitions

(Manual)
Ensure nosuid option set on removable media partitions
(Manual)
Ensure noexec option set on removable media partitions
(Manual)
Ensure sticky bit is set on all world-writable directories
(Automated)
Disable Automounting (Automated)
Disable USB Storage (Automated)
Configure Software Updates
Ensure package manager repositories are configured
(Manual)
Ensure GPG keys are configured (Manual)
Configure sudo
Ensure sudo is installed (Automated)
Ensure sudo commands use pty (Automated)
Ensure sudo log file exists (Automated)
Filesystem Integrity Checking
Ensure AIDE is installed (Automated)
Ensure filesystem integrity is regularly checked
(Automated)
Secure Boot Settings
Ensure bootloader password is set (Automated)
Ensure permissions on bootloader config are configured
(Automated)
Ensure authentication required for single user mode
(Automated)
Additional Process Hardening
Ensure XD/NX support is enabled (Automated)
Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is
enabled (Automated)
Ensure prelink is disabled (Automated)
Ensure core dumps are restricted (Automated)
Mandatory Access Control
Configure AppArmor
Ensure AppArmor is installed (Automated)
Ensure AppArmor is enabled in the bootloader
configuration (Automated)
Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are in enforce or complain
mode (Automated)
Ensure all AppArmor Profiles are enforcing (Automated)
Warning Banners







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

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

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494 | P a g e
1.8.1
1.8.1.1
1.8.1.2
1.8.1.3
1.8.1.4
1.8.1.5
1.8.1.6
1.9
1.10
2
2.1
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.1.1
2.2.1.2
2.2.1.3
2.2.1.4
2.2.2
2.2.3
2.2.4
2.2.5
2.2.6
2.2.7
2.2.8
2.2.9
2.2.10
2.2.11
2.2.12
2.2.13
2.2.14
2.2.15
2.2.16
2.2.17

Command Line Warning Banners

Ensure message of the day is configured properly
(Automated)
Ensure local login warning banner is configured properly
(Automated)
Ensure remote login warning banner is configured properly
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/motd are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/issue are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/issue.net are configured
(Automated)
Ensure updates, patches, and additional security software
are installed (Manual)
Ensure GDM is removed or login is configured (Automated)
Services
inetd Services
Ensure xinetd is not installed (Automated)
Ensure openbsd-inetd is not installed (Automated)
Special Purpose Services
Time Synchronization
Ensure time synchronization is in use (Automated)
Ensure systemd-timesyncd is configured (Manual)
Ensure chrony is configured (Automated)
Ensure ntp is configured (Automated)
Ensure X Window System is not installed (Automated)
Ensure Avahi Server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure CUPS is not installed (Automated)
Ensure DHCP Server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure LDAP server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure NFS is not installed (Automated)
Ensure DNS Server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure FTP Server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure HTTP server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure IMAP and POP3 server are not installed (Automated)
Ensure Samba is not installed (Automated)
Ensure HTTP Proxy Server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure SNMP Server is not installed (Automated)
Ensure mail transfer agent is configured for local-only mode
(Automated)
Ensure rsync service is not installed (Automated)
Ensure NIS Server is not installed (Automated)




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

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













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
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
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495 | P a g e
2.3
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.3.3
2.3.4
2.3.5
2.3.6
2.4
3
3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.2
3.2.1
3.2.2
3.3
3.3.1
3.3.2
3.3.3
3.3.4
3.3.5
3.3.6
3.3.7
3.3.8
3.3.9
3.4
3.4.1
3.4.2
3.4.3
3.4.4
3.5
3.5.1
3.5.1.1
3.5.1.2
3.5.1.3
3.5.1.4
3.5.1.5
3.5.1.6
3.5.1.7
3.5.2
3.5.2.1

Service Clients
Ensure NIS Client is not installed (Automated)
Ensure rsh client is not installed (Automated)
Ensure talk client is not installed (Automated)
Ensure telnet client is not installed (Automated)
Ensure LDAP client is not installed (Automated)
Ensure RPC is not installed (Automated)
Ensure nonessential services are removed or masked
(Manual)
Network Configuration
Disable unused network protocols and devices
Disable IPv6 (Manual)
Ensure wireless interfaces are disabled (Automated)
Network Parameters (Host Only)
Ensure packet redirect sending is disabled (Automated)
Ensure IP forwarding is disabled (Automated)
Network Parameters (Host and Router)
Ensure source routed packets are not accepted (Automated)
Ensure ICMP redirects are not accepted (Automated)
Ensure secure ICMP redirects are not accepted (Automated)
Ensure suspicious packets are logged (Automated)
Ensure broadcast ICMP requests are ignored (Automated)
Ensure bogus ICMP responses are ignored (Automated)
Ensure Reverse Path Filtering is enabled (Automated)
Ensure TCP SYN Cookies is enabled (Automated)
Ensure IPv6 router advertisements are not accepted
(Automated)
Uncommon Network Protocols
Ensure DCCP is disabled (Automated)
Ensure SCTP is disabled (Automated)
Ensure RDS is disabled (Automated)
Ensure TIPC is disabled (Automated)
Firewall Configuration
Configure UncomplicatedFirewall
Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is installed (Automated)
Ensure iptables-persistent is not installed (Automated)
Ensure ufw service is enabled (Automated)
Ensure loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Ensure outbound connections are configured (Manual)
Ensure firewall rules exist for all open ports (Manual)
Ensure default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Configure nftables
Ensure nftables is installed (Automated)

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3.5.2.2
3.5.2.3
3.5.2.4
3.5.2.5
3.5.2.6
3.5.2.7
3.5.2.8
3.5.2.9
3.5.2.10
3.5.3
3.5.3.1
3.5.3.1.1
3.5.3.1.2
3.5.3.1.3
3.5.3.2
3.5.3.2.1
3.5.3.2.2
3.5.3.2.3
3.5.3.2.4
3.5.3.3
3.5.3.3.1
3.5.3.3.2
3.5.3.3.3
3.5.3.3.4
4
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.1.1
4.1.1.2
4.1.1.3
4.1.1.4
4.1.2
4.1.2.1
4.1.2.2
4.1.2.3

Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is not installed or disabled

(Automated)
Ensure iptables are flushed (Manual)
Ensure a table exists (Automated)
Ensure base chains exist (Automated)
Ensure loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Ensure outbound and established connections are
configured (Manual)
Ensure default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Ensure nftables service is enabled (Automated)
Ensure nftables rules are permanent (Automated)
Configure iptables
Configure software
Ensure iptables packages are installed (Automated)
Ensure nftables is not installed (Automated)
Ensure Uncomplicated Firewall is not installed or disabled
(Automated)
Configure IPv4 iptables
Ensure default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Ensure loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Ensure outbound and established connections are
configured (Manual)
Ensure firewall rules exist for all open ports (Automated)
Configure IPv6 ip6tables
Ensure IPv6 default deny firewall policy (Automated)
Ensure IPv6 loopback traffic is configured (Automated)
Ensure IPv6 outbound and established connections are
configured (Manual)
Ensure IPv6 firewall rules exist for all open ports (Manual)
Logging and Auditing
Configure System Accounting (auditd)
Ensure auditing is enabled
Ensure auditd is installed (Automated)
Ensure auditd service is enabled (Automated)
Ensure auditing for processes that start prior to auditd is
enabled (Automated)
Ensure audit_backlog_limit is sufficient (Automated)
Configure Data Retention
Ensure audit log storage size is configured (Automated)
Ensure audit logs are not automatically deleted
(Automated)
Ensure system is disabled when audit logs are full
(Automated)

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4.1.3
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.1.6
4.1.7
4.1.8
4.1.9
4.1.10
4.1.11
4.1.12
4.1.13
4.1.14
4.1.15
4.1.16
4.1.17
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.1.1
4.2.1.2
4.2.1.3
4.2.1.4
4.2.1.5
4.2.1.6
4.2.2
4.2.2.1
4.2.2.2

Ensure events that modify date and time information are

collected (Automated)
Ensure events that modify user/group information are
collected (Automated)
Ensure events that modify the system's network
environment are collected (Automated)
Ensure events that modify the system's Mandatory Access
Controls are collected (Automated)
Ensure login and logout events are collected (Automated)
Ensure session initiation information is collected
(Automated)
Ensure discretionary access control permission
modification events are collected (Automated)
Ensure unsuccessful unauthorized file access attempts are
collected (Automated)
Ensure use of privileged commands is collected
(Automated)
Ensure successful file system mounts are collected
(Automated)
Ensure file deletion events by users are collected
(Automated)
Ensure changes to system administration scope (sudoers) is
collected (Automated)
Ensure system administrator command executions (sudo)
are collected (Automated)
Ensure kernel module loading and unloading is collected
(Automated)
Ensure the audit configuration is immutable (Automated)
Configure Logging
Configure rsyslog
Ensure rsyslog is installed (Automated)
Ensure rsyslog Service is enabled (Automated)
Ensure logging is configured (Manual)
Ensure rsyslog default file permissions configured
(Automated)
Ensure rsyslog is configured to send logs to a remote log
host (Automated)
Ensure remote rsyslog messages are only accepted on
designated log hosts. (Manual)
Configure journald
Ensure journald is configured to send logs to rsyslog
(Automated)
Ensure journald is configured to compress large log files
(Automated)

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4.2.2.3
4.2.3
4.3
4.4
5
5.1
5.1.1
5.1.2
5.1.3
5.1.4
5.1.5
5.1.6
5.1.7
5.1.8
5.1.9
5.2
5.2.1
5.2.2
5.2.3
5.2.4
5.2.5
5.2.6
5.2.7
5.2.8
5.2.9
5.2.10
5.2.11
5.2.12

Ensure journald is configured to write logfiles to persistent

disk (Automated)
Ensure permissions on all logfiles are configured
(Automated)
Ensure logrotate is configured (Manual)
Ensure logrotate assigns appropriate permissions
(Automated)
Access, Authentication and Authorization
Configure time-based job schedulers
Ensure cron daemon is enabled and running (Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/crontab are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.hourly are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.daily are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.weekly are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.monthly are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured
(Automated)
Ensure cron is restricted to authorized users (Automated)
Ensure at is restricted to authorized users (Automated)
Configure SSH Server
Ensure permissions on /etc/ssh/sshd_config are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on SSH private host key files are
configured (Automated)
Ensure permissions on SSH public host key files are
configured (Automated)
Ensure SSH LogLevel is appropriate (Automated)
Ensure SSH X11 forwarding is disabled (Automated)
Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is set to 4 or less (Automated)
Ensure SSH IgnoreRhosts is enabled (Automated)
Ensure SSH HostbasedAuthentication is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure SSH root login is disabled (Automated)
Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure SSH PermitUserEnvironment is disabled
(Automated)
Ensure only strong Ciphers are used (Automated)

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5.2.13
5.2.14
5.2.15
5.2.16
5.2.17
5.2.18
5.2.19
5.2.20
5.2.21
5.2.22
5.3
5.3.1
5.3.2
5.3.3
5.3.4
5.4
5.4.1
5.4.1.1
5.4.1.2
5.4.1.3
5.4.1.4
5.4.1.5
5.4.2
5.4.3
5.4.4
5.4.5
5.5
5.6
6
6.1
6.1.1

Ensure only strong MAC algorithms are used (Automated)

Ensure only strong Key Exchange algorithms are used
(Automated)
Ensure SSH Idle Timeout Interval is configured (Automated)
Ensure SSH LoginGraceTime is set to one minute or less
(Automated)
Ensure SSH access is limited (Automated)
Ensure SSH warning banner is configured (Automated)
Ensure SSH PAM is enabled (Automated)
Ensure SSH AllowTcpForwarding is disabled (Automated)
Ensure SSH MaxStartups is configured (Automated)
Ensure SSH MaxSessions is limited (Automated)
Configure PAM
Ensure password creation requirements are configured
(Automated)
Ensure lockout for failed password attempts is configured
(Automated)
Ensure password reuse is limited (Automated)
Ensure password hashing algorithm is SHA-512
(Automated)
User Accounts and Environment
Set Shadow Password Suite Parameters
Ensure password expiration is 365 days or less (Automated)
Ensure minimum days between password changes is
configured (Automated)
Ensure password expiration warning days is 7 or more
(Automated)
Ensure inactive password lock is 30 days or less
(Automated)
Ensure all users last password change date is in the past
(Automated)
Ensure system accounts are secured (Automated)
Ensure default group for the root account is GID 0
(Automated)
Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive
(Automated)
Ensure default user shell timeout is 900 seconds or less
(Automated)
Ensure root login is restricted to system console (Manual)
Ensure access to the su command is restricted (Automated)
System Maintenance
System File Permissions
Audit system file permissions (Manual)

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6.1.2
6.1.3
6.1.4
6.1.5
6.1.6
6.1.7
6.1.8
6.1.9
6.1.10
6.1.11
6.1.12
6.1.13
6.1.14
6.2
6.2.1
6.2.2
6.2.3
6.2.4
6.2.5
6.2.6
6.2.7
6.2.8
6.2.9
6.2.10
6.2.11
6.2.12
6.2.13
6.2.14
6.2.15
6.2.16
6.2.17

Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd are configured

(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow- are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/passwd- are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow- are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/group- are configured
(Automated)
Ensure permissions on /etc/gshadow are configured
(Automated)
Ensure no world writable files exist (Automated)
Ensure no unowned files or directories exist (Automated)
Ensure no ungrouped files or directories exist (Automated)
Audit SUID executables (Manual)
Audit SGID executables (Manual)
User and Group Settings
Ensure password fields are not empty (Automated)
Ensure root is the only UID 0 account (Automated)
Ensure root PATH Integrity (Automated)
Ensure all users' home directories exist (Automated)
Ensure users' home directories permissions are 750 or
more restrictive (Automated)
Ensure users own their home directories (Automated)
Ensure users' dot files are not group or world writable
(Automated)
Ensure no users have .forward files (Automated)
Ensure no users have .netrc files (Automated)
Ensure users' .netrc Files are not group or world accessible
(Automated)
Ensure no users have .rhosts files (Automated)
Ensure all groups in /etc/passwd exist in /etc/group
(Automated)
Ensure no duplicate UIDs exist (Automated)
Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist (Automated)
Ensure no duplicate user names exist (Automated)
Ensure no duplicate group names exist (Automated)
Ensure shadow group is empty (Automated)

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Appendix: Change History
Date

Version

Changes for this version

Jul 21, 2020

1.0.0

Initial release

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