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Guide to the Secure Configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Rules, Groups, and Values defined within the XCCDF Benchmark

  • Configure OpenSSL library to use TLS Encryption

    Crypto Policies are means of enforcing certain cryptographic settings for selected applications including OpenSSL. OpenSSL is by default configured...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Configure SSH to use System Crypto Policy

    Crypto Policies provide a centralized control over crypto algorithms usage of many packages. SSH is supported by crypto policy, but the SSH configu...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Harden OpenSSL Crypto Policy

    Crypto Policies are means of enforcing certain cryptographic settings for selected applications including OpenSSL. OpenSSL is by default configured...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Harden SSH client Crypto Policy

    Crypto Policies are means of enforcing certain cryptographic settings for selected applications including OpenSSH client. To override the system wi...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Configure SSH Client to Use FIPS 140-2 Validated Ciphers: openssh.config

    Crypto Policies provide a centralized control over crypto algorithms usage of many packages. OpenSSH is supported by system crypto policy, but the ...
    Rule High Severity
  • Configure SSH Server to Use FIPS 140-2 Validated Ciphers: opensshserver.config

    Crypto Policies provide a centralized control over crypto algorithms usage of many packages. OpenSSH is supported by system crypto policy, but the ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Harden SSHD Crypto Policy

    Crypto Policies are means of enforcing certain cryptographic settings for selected applications including OpenSSH server. The SSHD service is by de...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Configure SSH Server to Use FIPS 140-2 Validated MACs: opensshserver.config

    Crypto Policies provide a centralized control over crypto algorithms usage of many packages. OpenSSH is supported by system crypto policy, but the ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • OpenSSL uses strong entropy source

    By default, OpenSSL doesn't always use a SP800-90A compliant random number generator. A way to configure OpenSSL to always use a strong source is t...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Operating System Vendor Support and Certification

    The assurance of a vendor to provide operating system support and maintenance for their product is an important criterion to ensure product stabili...
    Group
  • The Installed Operating System Is FIPS 140-2 Certified

    To enable processing of sensitive information the operating system must provide certified cryptographic modules compliant with FIPS 140-2 standard.
    Rule High Severity
  • Install the Policy Auditor (PA) Module

    Install the Policy Auditor (PA) Module.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Configure Backups of User Data

    The operating system must conduct backups of user data contained in the operating system. The operating system provides utilities for automating ba...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Install Virus Scanning Software

    Virus scanning software can be used to protect a system from penetration from computer viruses and to limit their spread through intermediate syste...
    Rule High Severity
  • Install Intrusion Detection Software

    The base Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 platform already includes a sophisticated auditing system that can detect intruder activity, as well as SELinux...
    Rule High Severity
  • McAfee Endpoint Security Software

    In DoD environments, McAfee Host-based Security System (HBSS) and VirusScan Enterprise for Linux (VSEL) is required to be installed on all systems.
    Group
  • The age of McAfee defintion file before requiring updating

    Specify the amount of time (in seconds) before McAfee definition files need to be updated.
    Value
  • Enable nails Service

    The <code>nails</code> service is used to run McAfee VirusScan Enterprise for Linux and McAfee Host-based Security System (HBSS) services. The <co...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Install McAfee Virus Scanning Software

    Install McAfee VirusScan Enterprise for Linux antivirus software which is provided for DoD systems and uses signatures to search for the presence o...
    Rule High Severity
  • Install the McAfee Runtime Libraries and Linux Agent

    Install the McAfee Runtime Libraries (MFErt) and Linux Agent (MFEcma).
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Virus Scanning Software Definitions Are Updated

    Ensure virus definition files are no older than 7 days or their last release.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • McAfee Endpoint Security for Linux (ENSL)

    McAfee Endpoint Security for Linux (ENSL) is a suite of software applications used to monitor, detect, and defend computer networks and systems.
    Group
  • Install McAfee Endpoint Security for Linux (ENSL)

    Install McAfee Endpoint Security for Linux antivirus software which is provided for DoD systems and uses signatures to search for the presence of v...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure McAfee Endpoint Security for Linux (ENSL) is running

    Install McAfee Endpoint Security for Linux antivirus software which is provided for DoD systems and uses signatures to search for the presence of v...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • McAfee Host-Based Intrusion Detection Software (HBSS)

    McAfee Host-based Security System (HBSS) is a suite of software applications used to monitor, detect, and defend computer networks and systems.
    Group
  • Install the Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) Module

    Install the McAfee Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) Module if it is absolutely necessary. If SELinux is enabled, do not install or enable th...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Disk Partitioning

    To ensure separation and protection of data, there are top-level system directories which should be placed on their own physical partition or logic...
    Group
  • Encrypt Partitions

    Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 natively supports partition encryption through the Linux Unified Key Setup-on-disk-format (LUKS) technology. The easiest...
    Rule High Severity
  • Ensure /boot Located On Separate Partition

    It is recommended that the <code>/boot</code> directory resides on a separate partition. This makes it easier to apply restrictions e.g. through th...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure /home Located On Separate Partition

    If user home directories will be stored locally, create a separate partition for <code>/home</code> at installation time (or migrate it later using...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /opt Located On Separate Partition

    It is recommended that the /opt directory resides on a separate partition.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure /srv Located On Separate Partition

    If a file server (FTP, TFTP...) is hosted locally, create a separate partition for <code>/srv</code> at installation time (or migrate it later usin...
    Rule Unknown Severity
  • Ensure /tmp Located On Separate Partition

    The <code>/tmp</code> directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary file storage. Ensure it has its own partition or logical volume at...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /usr Located On Separate Partition

    It is recommended that the /usr directory resides on a separate partition.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure /var Located On Separate Partition

    The <code>/var</code> directory is used by daemons and other system services to store frequently-changing data. Ensure that <code>/var</code> has i...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /var/log Located On Separate Partition

    System logs are stored in the <code>/var/log</code> directory. Ensure that <code>/var/log</code> has its own partition or logical volume at instal...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /var/log/audit Located On Separate Partition

    Audit logs are stored in the <code>/var/log/audit</code> directory. Ensure that <code>/var/log/audit</code> has its own partition or logical volum...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /var/tmp Located On Separate Partition

    The <code>/var/tmp</code> directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary file storage. Ensure it has its own partition or logical volum...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • GNOME Desktop Environment

    GNOME is a graphical desktop environment bundled with many Linux distributions that allow users to easily interact with the operating system graphi...
    Group
  • Remove the GDM Package Group

    By removing the <code>gdm</code> package, the system no longer has GNOME installed installed. If X Windows is not installed then the system canno...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Make sure that the dconf databases are up-to-date with regards to respective keyfiles

    By default, DConf uses a binary database as a data backend. The system-level database is compiled from keyfiles in the /etc/dconf/db/ directory by ...
    Rule High Severity
  • Configure GNOME3 DConf User Profile

    By default, DConf provides a standard user profile. This profile contains a list of DConf configuration databases. The user profile and database al...
    Rule High Severity
  • Configure GNOME Login Screen

    In the default GNOME desktop, the login is displayed after system boot and can display user accounts, allow users to reboot the system, and allow u...
    Group
  • Disable the GNOME3 Login Restart and Shutdown Buttons

    In the default graphical environment, users logging directly into the system are greeted with a login screen that allows any user, known or unknown...
    Rule High Severity
  • Disable the GNOME3 Login User List

    In the default graphical environment, users logging directly into the system are greeted with a login screen that displays all known users. This fu...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Enable the GNOME3 Login Smartcard Authentication

    In the default graphical environment, smart card authentication can be enabled on the login screen by setting <code>enable-smartcard-authentication...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Enable the GNOME3 Screen Locking On Smartcard Removal

    In the default graphical environment, screen locking on smartcard removal can be enabled by setting <code>removal-action</code> to <code>'lock-scre...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set the GNOME3 Login Number of Failures

    In the default graphical environment, the GNOME3 login screen and be configured to restart the authentication process after a configured number of ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Disable GDM Automatic Login

    The GNOME Display Manager (GDM) can allow users to automatically login without user interaction or credentials. User should always be required to a...
    Rule High Severity
  • Disable GDM Guest Login

    The GNOME Display Manager (GDM) can allow users to login without credentials which can be useful for public kiosk scenarios. Allowing users to logi...
    Rule High Severity

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