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Guide to the Secure Configuration of SUSE Linux Enterprise 15

Rules, Groups, and Values defined within the XCCDF Benchmark

  • Verify Group Ownership of Message of the Day Banner

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

    To properly set the owner of /etc/issue, run the command:
    $ sudo chown root /etc/issue 
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Verify ownership of System Login Banner for Remote Connections

    To properly set the owner of /etc/issue.net, run the command:
    $ sudo chown root /etc/issue.net 
    Rule Medium Severity
  • 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
  • PAM pwhistory remember - control flag

    'Specify the control flag required for password remember requirement. If multiple values are allowed write them separated by commas as in "required,requisite", for remediations the first value will...
    Value
  • 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 (GDM). The warning banner should be displayed in t...
    Group
  • 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 screen by setting <code>banner-message-enable</code> ...
    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 notification verbiage used is consistent with applicable fed...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • tally2

    Number of failed login attempts
    Value
  • 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 alternating between the same password too frequen...
    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/sudo" file with the following command: <pre>$ sudo...
    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
  • 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
  • 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
  • fail_interval

    Interval for counting failed login attempts before account lockout
    Value
  • fail_unlock_time

    Seconds before automatic unlocking or permanently locking after excessive failed logins
    Value
  • 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
  • Account Lockouts Must Be Logged

    PAM faillock locks an account due to excessive password failures, this event must be logged.
    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 remember option for the pam_unix or pam_pwhistory PAM modules.
    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.d/common-auth</code> to make sure its <code>delay<...
    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
  • 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 pam_tally2.so.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • 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, any password will be required to contain that many d...
    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 of changed characters refers to the number of cha...
    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 negative number, any password will be required to contain...
    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 with error. Make sure it is configured with a value ...
    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 negative number, any password will be required to contain...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • dcredit

    Minimum number of digits in password
    Value
  • difok

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

    Minimum number of lower case in password
    Value
  • minclass

    Minimum number of categories of characters that must exist in a password
    Value
  • minlen

    Minimum number of characters in password
    Value
  • ocredit

    Minimum number of other (special characters) in password
    Value
  • retry

    Number of retry attempts before erroring out
    Value
  • ucredit

    Minimum number of upper case in password
    Value
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Authentication Retry Prompts Permitted Per-Session

    To configure the number of retry prompts that are permitted per-session: Edit the <code>pam_pwquality.so</code> statement in <code>/etc/pam.d/system-auth</code> to show <code>retry=<xccdf-1.2:s...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Hashing Algorithm

    The system's default algorithm for storing password hashes in /etc/shadow is SHA-512. This can be configured in several locations.
    Group
  • 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 <xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_valu...
    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</code>. For example: <pre>SHA_CRYPT_MIN_ROUNDS 50...
    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 considered a necessary step. However, there are some...
    Group
  • Login timeout for idle sessions

    Specify duration of allowed idle time.
    Value

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