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Guide to the Secure Configuration of SUSE Linux Enterprise 12

Rules, Groups, and Values defined within the XCCDF Benchmark

  • Verify ownership of Message of the Day Banner

    To properly set the owner of /etc/motd, run the command:
    $ sudo chown root /etc/motd 
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Verify permissions on System Login Banner

    To properly set the permissions of /etc/issue, run the command:
    $ sudo chmod 0644 /etc/issue
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Verify permissions on System Login Banner for Remote Connections

    To properly set the permissions of /etc/issue.net, run the command:
    $ sudo chmod 0644 /etc/issue.net
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Verify permissions on Message of the Day Banner

    To properly set the permissions of /etc/motd, run the command:
    $ sudo chmod 0644 /etc/motd
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Implement a GUI Warning Banner

    In the default graphical environment, users logging directly into the system are greeted with a login screen provided by the GNOME Display Manager ...
    Group
  • Modify the System GUI Login Banner

    To configure the GUI system login banner edit <code>/etc/gdm/banner</code>. Replace the default text with a message compliant with the local site p...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Enable GNOME3 Login Warning Banner

    In the default graphical environment, displaying a login warning banner in the GNOME Display Manager's login screen can be enabled on the login scr...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • tally2_unlock_time

    Seconds before automatic unlocking or permanently locking after excessive failed logins
    Value
  • faildelay_delay

    Delay next login attempt after a failed login
    Value
  • pwhistory_remember

    Prevent password re-use using password history lookup
    Value
  • Require Authentication for Emergency Systemd Target

    Emergency mode is intended as a system recovery method, providing a single user root access to the system during a failed boot sequence. <br><br> B...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set the GNOME3 Login Warning Banner Text

    In the default graphical environment, configuring the login warning banner text in the GNOME Display Manager's login screen can be configured on th...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Display the Standard Mandatory DoD Notice and Consent Banner until Explicit Acknowledgement

    Display of a standardized and approved use notification before granting access to the SUSE operating system ensures privacy and security notificati...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Protect Accounts by Configuring PAM

    PAM, or Pluggable Authentication Modules, is a system which implements modular authentication for Linux programs. PAM provides a flexible and confi...
    Group
  • Password Hashing algorithm

    Specify the system default encryption algorithm for encrypting passwords. Defines the value set as ENCRYPT_METHOD in /etc/login.defs.
    Value
  • remember

    The last n passwords for each user are saved in <code>/etc/security/opasswd</code> in order to force password change history and keep the user from...
    Value
  • Disallow Configuration to Bypass Password Requirements for Privilege Escalation

    Verify the operating system is not configured to bypass password requirements for privilege escalation. Check the configuration of the "/etc/pam.d/...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Up a Private Namespace in PAM Configuration

    To setup a private namespace add the following line to /etc/pam.d/login:
    session    required     pam_namespace.so
    Rule Low Severity
  • The PAM configuration should not be changed automatically

    Verify the SUSE operating system is configured to not overwrite Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) configuration on package changes.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Account Lockouts Must Persist

    By setting a `dir` in the faillock configuration account lockouts will persist across reboots.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Limit Password Reuse

    Do not allow users to reuse recent passwords. This can be accomplished by using the <code>remember</code> option for the <code>pam_pwhistory</code>...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Limit Password Reuse

    Do not allow users to reuse recent passwords. This can be accomplished by using the <code>remember</code> option for the <code>pam_unix</code> or <...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Enforce Delay After Failed Logon Attempts

    To configure the system to introduce a delay after failed logon attempts, add or correct the <code>pam_faildelay</code> settings in <code>/etc/pam....
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Account Lockouts Must Be Logged

    PAM faillock locks an account due to excessive password failures, this event must be logged.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Deny For Failed Password Attempts

    The SUSE Linux Enterprise 12 operating system must lock an account after - at most - <xccdf-1.2:sub xmlns:xccdf-1.2="http://checklists.nist.gov/xcc...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Configure the root Account lock for Failed Password Attempts via pam_tally2

    This rule configures the system to lock out the root account after a number of incorrect login attempts using pam_tally2.so.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Lockout Time for Failed Password Attempts using pam_tally2

    This rule configures the system to lock out accounts during a specified time period after a number of incorrect login attempts using <code>pam_tall...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Quality Requirements

    The default <code>pam_pwquality</code> PAM module provides strength checking for passwords. It performs a number of checks, such as making sure pas...
    Group
  • Require Authentication for Single User Mode

    Single-user mode is intended as a system recovery method, providing a single user root access to the system by providing a boot option at startup. ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Quality Requirements with pam_pwquality

    The <code>pam_pwquality</code> PAM module can be configured to meet requirements for a variety of policies. <br><br> For example, to configure <cod...
    Group
  • dcredit

    Minimum number of digits in password
    Value
  • dictcheck

    Prevent the use of dictionary words for passwords.
    Value
  • Set Password Quality Requirements, if using pam_cracklib

    The <code>pam_cracklib</code> PAM module can be configured to meet requirements for a variety of policies. <br><br> For example, to configure <code...
    Group
  • Set Password Strength Minimum Digit Characters

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>dcredit</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of digits in a password. When set to a negative number, an...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Strength Minimum Different Characters

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>difok</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of different characters during a password change. The number...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Strength Minimum Lowercase Characters

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>lcredit=</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of lowercase letters in a password. When set to a negativ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Minimum Length

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>minlen</code> parameter controls requirements for minimum characters required in a password. Add <code>minlen=<xccd...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Strength Minimum Special Characters

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>ocredit=</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of special (or ``other'') characters in a password. When ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Retry Limit

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>retry</code> parameter controls the maximum number of times to prompt the user for the password before returning wi...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Strength Minimum Uppercase Characters

    The pam_cracklib module's <code>ucredit=</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of uppercase letters in a password. When set to a negativ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • difok

    Minimum number of characters not present in old password
    Value
  • lcredit

    Minimum number of lower case in password
    Value
  • maxclassrepeat

    Maximum Number of Consecutive Repeating Characters in a Password From the Same Character Class
    Value
  • Set PAM's Common Authentication Hashing Algorithm

    The PAM system service can be configured to only store encrypted representations of passwords. In <code>/etc/pam.d/common-auth</code>, the <code>au...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Hashing Algorithm in /etc/libuser.conf

    In <code>/etc/libuser.conf</code>, add or correct the following line in its <code>[defaults]</code> section to ensure the system will use the SHA-5...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Hashing Algorithm in /etc/login.defs

    In <code>/etc/login.defs</code>, add or correct the following line to ensure the system will use <xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.content...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set PAM''s Password Hashing Algorithm

    The PAM system service can be configured to only store encrypted representations of passwords. In "/etc/pam.d/common-password", the <code>password<...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Hashing Rounds in /etc/login.defs

    In <code>/etc/login.defs</code>, ensure <code>SHA_CRYPT_MIN_ROUNDS</code> and <code>SHA_CRYPT_MAX_ROUNDS</code> has the minimum value of <code>5000...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Protect Physical Console Access

    It is impossible to fully protect a system from an attacker with physical access, so securing the space in which the system is located should be co...
    Group
  • Login timeout for idle sessions

    Specify duration of allowed idle time.
    Value

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