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Guide to the Secure Configuration of Ubuntu 20.04

Rules, Groups, and Values defined within the XCCDF Benchmark

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Install pam_pwquality Package

    The libpam-pwquality package can be installed with the following command:
    $ apt-get install libpam-pwquality
    Rule Medium Severity
  • 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 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 documentati...
    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
  • 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...
    Value
  • tally2

    Number of failed login attempts
    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 <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 Ubuntu 20.04 operating system must lock an account after - at most - <xccdf-1.2:sub xmlns:xccdf-1.2="http://checklists.nist.gov/xccdf/1.2" idre...
    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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • maxrepeat

    Maximum Number of Consecutive Repeating Characters in a 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 - Minimum Digit Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>dcredit</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of digits in a password. When set to a negative number, a...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Prevent the Use of Dictionary Words

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>dictcheck</code> check if passwords contains dictionary words. When <code>dictcheck</code> is set to <code>1</code...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Different Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>difok</code> parameter sets the number of characters in a password that must not be present in and old password du...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Enforcing

    Verify that the operating system uses "pwquality" to enforce the password complexity rules. Verify the pwquality module is being enforced by opera...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Lowercase Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>lcredit</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of lowercase letters in a password. When set to a negativ...
    Rule Medium Severity

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