Skip to content

Guide to the Secure Configuration of SUSE Linux Enterprise 12

Rules, Groups, and Values defined within the XCCDF Benchmark

  • Ensure /tmp Located On Separate Partition

    The /tmp directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary file storage. Ensure it has its own partition or logical volume at installation time, or migrate it using LVM.
    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 its own partition or logical volume at installation...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /var/log Located On Separate Partition

    System logs are stored in the /var/log directory. Ensure that /var/log has its own partition or logical volume at installation time, or migrate it using LVM.
    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 volume at installation time, or migrate it using LVM. M...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure /var/tmp Located On Separate Partition

    The /var/tmp directory is a world-writable directory used for temporary file storage. Ensure it has its own partition or logical volume at installation time, or migrate it using LVM.
    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 the <pre>dconf update</pre> command. More specific...
    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 always take the highest priority. As such the DConf ...
    Rule High Severity
  • Disable GDM Unattended or Automatic Login

    The GNOME Display Manager (GDM) can allow users to automatically login without user interaction or credentials or unattended login. User should always be required to authenticate themselves to the ...
    Rule High Severity
  • Disable XDMCP in GDM

    XDMCP is an unencrypted protocol, and therefore, presents a security risk, see e.g. <a href="https://help.gnome.org/admin/gdm/stable/security.html.en_GB#xdmcpsecurity">XDMCP Gnome docs</a>. To dis...
    Rule High Severity
  • Configure GNOME Screen Locking

    In the default GNOME3 desktop, the screen can be locked by selecting the user name in the far right corner of the main panel and selecting <b>Lock</b>. <br> <br> The following sections deta...
    Group
  • Screensaver Inactivity timeout

    Choose allowed duration (in seconds) of inactive graphical sessions
    Value
  • Ensure sudo Runs In A Minimal Environment - sudo env_reset

    The sudo <code>env_reset</code> tag, when specified, will run the command in a minimal environment, containing the TERM, PATH, HOME, MAIL, SHELL, LOGNAME, USER and SUDO_* variables. This should be ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure sudo Ignores Commands In Current Dir - sudo ignore_dot

    The sudo <code>ignore_dot</code> tag, when specified, will ignore the current directory in the PATH environment variable. This should be enabled by making sure that the <code>ignore_dot</code> tag ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Enable GNOME3 Screensaver Lock After Idle Period

    To activate locking of the screensaver in the GNOME3 desktop when it is activated, run the following command to configure the SUSE operating system to allow the user to lock the GUI: <pre>gsetting...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Users Cannot Change GNOME3 Session Idle Settings

    If not already configured, ensure that users cannot change GNOME3 session idle settings by adding <code>/org/gnome/desktop/session/idle-delay</code> to <code>/etc/dconf/db/local.d/locks/00-security...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Sudo

    <code>Sudo</code>, which stands for "su 'do'", provides the ability to delegate authority to certain users, groups of users, or system administrators. When configured for system users and/or groups...
    Group
  • Group name dedicated to the use of sudo

    Specify the name of the group that should own /usr/bin/sudo.
    Value
  • Sudo - logfile value

    Specify the sudo logfile to use. The default value used here matches the example location from CIS, which uses /var/log/sudo.log.
    Value
  • Sudo - passwd_timeout value

    Defines the number of minutes before the sudo password prompt times out. Defining 0 means no timeout. The default timeout value is 5 minutes.
    Value
  • Sudo - timestamp_timeout value

    Defines the number of minutes that can elapse before <code>sudo</code> will ask for a passwd again. If set to a value less than 0 the user's time stamp will never expire. Defining 0 means always pr...
    Value
  • Sudo - umask value

    Specify the sudo umask to use. The actual umask value that is used is the union of the user's umask and the sudo umask. The default sudo umask is 0022. This guarantess sudo never lowers the umask w...
    Value
  • Ensure Privileged Escalated Commands Cannot Execute Other Commands - sudo NOEXEC

    The sudo <code>NOEXEC</code> tag, when specified, prevents user executed commands from executing other commands, like a shell for example. This should be enabled by making sure that the <code>NOEXE...
    Rule High Severity
  • Ensure Only Users Logged In To Real tty Can Execute Sudo - sudo requiretty

    The sudo <code>requiretty</code> tag, when specified, will only execute sudo commands from users logged in to a real tty. This should be enabled by making sure that the <code>requiretty</code> tag ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Only Users Logged In To Real tty Can Execute Sudo - sudo use_pty

    The sudo <code>use_pty</code> tag, when specified, will only execute sudo commands from users logged in to a real tty. This should be enabled by making sure that the <code>use_pty</code> tag exists...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Sudo Logfile Exists - sudo logfile

    A custom log sudo file can be configured with the 'logfile' tag. This rule configures a sudo custom logfile at the default location suggested by CIS, which uses /var/log/sudo.log.
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure a dedicated group owns sudo

    Restrict the execution of privilege escalated commands to a dedicated group of users. Ensure the group owner of /usr/bin/sudo is <xccdf-1.2:sub xmlns:xccdf-1.2="http://checklists.nist.gov/xccdf/1.2...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Users Re-Authenticate for Privilege Escalation - sudo NOPASSWD

    The sudo <code>NOPASSWD</code> tag, when specified, allows a user to execute commands using sudo without having to authenticate. This should be disabled by making sure that the <code>NOPASSWD</code...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Users Re-Authenticate for Privilege Escalation - sudo

    The sudo <code>NOPASSWD</code> and <code>!authenticate</code> option, when specified, allows a user to execute commands using sudo without having to authenticate. This should be disabled by making ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • System Tooling / Utilities

    The following checks evaluate the system for recommended base packages -- both for installation and removal.
    Group
  • Set Lockouts for Failed Password Attempts

    The <code>pam_faillock</code> PAM module provides the capability to lock out user accounts after a number of failed login attempts. Its documentation is available in <code>/usr/share/doc/pam-VERSIO...
    Group
  • The operating system must restrict privilege elevation to authorized personnel

    The sudo command allows a user to execute programs with elevated (administrator) privileges. It prompts the user for their password and confirms your request to execute a command by checking a file...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Only the VDSM User Can Use sudo NOPASSWD

    The sudo <code>NOPASSWD</code> tag, when specified, allows a user to execute commands using sudo without having to authenticate. Only the <code>vdsm</code> user should have this capability in any s...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure sudo only includes the default configuration directory

    Administrators can configure authorized <code>sudo</code> users via drop-in files, and it is possible to include other directories and configuration files from the file currently being parsed. Mak...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Explicit arguments in sudo specifications

    All commands in the sudoers file must strictly specify the arguments allowed to be used for a given user. If the command is supposed to be executed only without arguments, pass "" as an argument in...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Don't define allowed commands in sudoers by means of exclusion

    Policies applied by sudo through the sudoers file should not involve negation. Each user specification in the <code>sudoers</code> file contains a comma-delimited list of command specifications. T...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Don't target root user in the sudoers file

    The targeted users of a user specification should be, as much as possible, non privileged users (i.e.: non-root). User specifications have to explicitly list the runas spec (i.e. the list of targe...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure nss-tools is installed

    The nss-tools package can be installed with the following command:
    $ sudo zypper install nss-tools
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Updating Software

    The <code>zypper</code> command line tool is used to install and update software packages. The system also provides a graphical software update tool in the <b>System</b> menu, in the <b>Administrat...
    Group
  • Install dnf-automatic Package

    The dnf-automatic package can be installed with the following command:
    $ sudo zypper install dnf-automatic
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure zypper Removes Previous Package Versions

    <code>zypper</code> should be configured to remove previous software components after new versions have been installed. To configure <code>zypper</code> to remove the previous software components ...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Configure dnf-automatic to Install Available Updates Automatically

    To ensure that the packages comprising the available updates will be automatically installed by <code>dnf-automatic</code>, set <code>apply_updates</code> to <code>yes</code> under <code>[commands]...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Configure dnf-automatic to Install Only Security Updates

    To configure <code>dnf-automatic</code> to install only security updates automatically, set <code>upgrade_type</code> to <code>security</code> under <code>[commands]</code> section in <code>/etc/dn...
    Rule Low Severity
  • Warning Banners for System Accesses

    Each system should expose as little information about itself as possible. <br> <br> System banners, which are typically displayed just before a login prompt, give out information about the s...
    Group
  • fail_deny

    Number of failed login attempts before account lockout
    Value
  • faillock directory

    The directory where the user files with the failure records are kept
    Value
  • Ensure gpgcheck Enabled for Local Packages

    <code>zypper</code> should be configured to verify the signature(s) of local packages prior to installation. To configure <code>zypper</code> to verify signatures of local packages, set the <code>l...
    Rule High Severity
  • Ensure gpgcheck Enabled for All zypper Package Repositories

    To ensure signature checking is not disabled for any repos, remove any lines from files in /etc/yum.repos.d of the form:
    gpgcheck=0
    Rule High Severity
  • Ensure package manager repositories are configured

    Systems need to have package manager repositories configured to ensure they receive the latest patches and updates.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Software Patches Installed

    If the system is configured for online updates, invoking the following command will list available security updates: <pre>$ sudo zypper refresh &amp;&amp; sudo zypper list-patches -g security</pre...
    Rule Medium Severity

The content of the drawer really is up to you. It could have form fields, definition lists, text lists, labels, charts, progress bars, etc. Spacing recommendation is 24px margins. You can put tabs in here, and can also make the drawer scrollable.

Capacity
Modules