Record Events that Modify User/Group Information - /etc/passwd

An XCCDF Rule

Description

If the auditd daemon is configured to use the augenrules program to read audit rules during daemon startup (the default), add the following lines to a file with suffix .rules in the directory /etc/audit/rules.d, in order to capture events that modify account changes:

-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k audit_rules_usergroup_modification

If the auditd daemon is configured to use the auditctl utility to read audit rules during daemon startup, add the following lines to /etc/audit/audit.rules file, in order to capture events that modify account changes:

-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k audit_rules_usergroup_modification

Rationale

In addition to auditing new user and group accounts, these watches will alert the system administrator(s) to any modifications. Any unexpected users, groups, or modifications should be investigated for legitimacy.

ID: xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_rule_audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
Severity: Medium
References: BP28(R73)

1 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

5.4.1.1

APO10.01 APO10.03 APO10.04 APO10.05 APO11.04 APO12.06 APO13.01 BAI03.05 BAI08.02 DSS01.03 DSS01.04 DSS02.02 DSS02.04 DSS02.07 DSS03.01 DSS03.05 DSS05.02 DSS05.03 DSS05.04 DSS05.05 DSS05.07 DSS06.03 MEA01.01 MEA01.02 MEA01.03 MEA01.04 MEA01.05 MEA02.01

3.1.7

CCI-000018 CCI-000130 CCI-000135 CCI-000169 CCI-000172 CCI-001403 CCI-001404 CCI-001405 CCI-001683 CCI-001684 CCI-001685 CCI-001686 CCI-002130 CCI-002132 CCI-002884

164.308(a)(1)(ii)(D) 164.308(a)(3)(ii)(A) 164.308(a)(5)(ii)(C) 164.312(a)(2)(i) 164.312(b) 164.312(d) 164.312(e)

4.2.3.10 4.3.2.6.7 4.3.3.2.2 4.3.3.3.9 4.3.3.5.1 4.3.3.5.2 4.3.3.5.8 4.3.3.6.6 4.3.3.7.2 4.3.3.7.3 4.3.3.7.4 4.3.4.4.7 4.3.4.5.6 4.3.4.5.7 4.3.4.5.8 4.4.2.1 4.4.2.2 4.4.2.4

SR 1.1 SR 1.13 SR 1.2 SR 1.3 SR 1.4 SR 1.5 SR 1.7 SR 1.8 SR 1.9 SR 2.1 SR 2.10 SR 2.11 SR 2.12 SR 2.6 SR 2.8 SR 2.9 SR 3.1 SR 3.5 SR 3.8 SR 4.1 SR 4.3 SR 5.1 SR 5.2 SR 5.3 SR 6.1 SR 6.2 SR 7.1 SR 7.6

A.11.2.6 A.12.4.1 A.12.4.2 A.12.4.3 A.12.4.4 A.12.7.1 A.13.1.1 A.13.2.1 A.14.1.3 A.14.2.7 A.15.2.1 A.15.2.2 A.16.1.4 A.16.1.5 A.16.1.7 A.6.1.2 A.6.2.1 A.6.2.2 A.7.1.1 A.9.1.2 A.9.2.1 A.9.2.2 A.9.2.3 A.9.2.4 A.9.2.6 A.9.3.1 A.9.4.1 A.9.4.2 A.9.4.3 A.9.4.4 A.9.4.5

CIP-004-6 R2.2.2 CIP-004-6 R2.2.3 CIP-007-3 R.1.3 CIP-007-3 R5 CIP-007-3 R5.1.1 CIP-007-3 R5.1.3 CIP-007-3 R5.2.1 CIP-007-3 R5.2.3

AC-2(4) AC-6(9) AU-12(c) AU-2(d) CM-6(a)

DE.AE-3 DE.AE-5 DE.CM-1 DE.CM-3 DE.CM-7 ID.SC-4 PR.AC-1 PR.AC-3 PR.AC-4 PR.AC-6 PR.PT-1 PR.PT-4 RS.AN-1 RS.AN-4

FAU_GEN.1.1.c

Req-10.2.5

10.2.1.5

SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004 SRG-OS-000037-GPOS-00015 SRG-OS-000042-GPOS-00020 SRG-OS-000062-GPOS-00031 SRG-OS-000239-GPOS-00089 SRG-OS-000240-GPOS-00090 SRG-OS-000241-GPOS-00091 SRG-OS-000274-GPOS-00104 SRG-OS-000275-GPOS-00105 SRG-OS-000276-GPOS-00106 SRG-OS-000277-GPOS-00107 SRG-OS-000303-GPOS-00120 SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121 SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121 SRG-OS-000392-GPOS-00172 SRG-OS-000462-GPOS-00206 SRG-OS-000466-GPOS-00210 SRG-OS-000470-GPOS-00214 SRG-OS-000471-GPOS-00215 SRG-OS-000476-GPOS-00221

SRG-APP-000495-CTR-001235 SRG-APP-000499-CTR-001255 SRG-APP-000503-CTR-001275
Updated: about 1 year ago

- name: Gather the package facts
  package_facts:
    manager: auto
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Check if watch rule for /etc/passwd already exists in /etc/audit/rules.d/
  find:
    paths: /etc/audit/rules.d
    contains: ^\s*-w\s+/etc/passwd\s+-p\s+wa(\s|$)+
    patterns: '*.rules'
  register: find_existing_watch_rules_d
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Search /etc/audit/rules.d for other rules with specified key audit_rules_usergroup_modification
  find:
    paths: /etc/audit/rules.d
    contains: ^.*(?:-F key=|-k\s+)audit_rules_usergroup_modification$
    patterns: '*.rules'
  register: find_watch_key
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched is defined and find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched
    == 0
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Use /etc/audit/rules.d/audit_rules_usergroup_modification.rules as the recipient
    for the rule
  set_fact:
    all_files:
    - /etc/audit/rules.d/audit_rules_usergroup_modification.rules
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - find_watch_key.matched is defined and find_watch_key.matched == 0 and find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched
    is defined and find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched == 0
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Use matched file as the recipient for the rule
  set_fact:
    all_files:
    - '{{ find_watch_key.files | map(attribute=''path'') | list | first }}'
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - find_watch_key.matched is defined and find_watch_key.matched > 0 and find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched
    is defined and find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched == 0
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Add watch rule for /etc/passwd in /etc/audit/rules.d/
  lineinfile:
    path: '{{ all_files[0] }}'
    line: -w /etc/passwd -p wa -k audit_rules_usergroup_modification
    create: true
    mode: '0640'
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched is defined and find_existing_watch_rules_d.matched
    == 0
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Check if watch rule for /etc/passwd already exists in /etc/audit/audit.rules
  find:
    paths: /etc/audit/
    contains: ^\s*-w\s+/etc/passwd\s+-p\s+wa(\s|$)+
    patterns: audit.rules
  register: find_existing_watch_audit_rules
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Add watch rule for /etc/passwd in /etc/audit/audit.rules
  lineinfile:
    line: -w /etc/passwd -p wa -k audit_rules_usergroup_modification
    state: present
    dest: /etc/audit/audit.rules
    create: true
    mode: '0640'
  when:
  - '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - find_existing_watch_audit_rules.matched is defined and find_existing_watch_audit_rules.matched
    == 0
  tags:
  - CJIS-5.4.1.1
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7
  - NIST-800-53-AC-2(4)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(9)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
  - NIST-800-53-AU-2(d)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSS-Req-10.2.5
  - PCI-DSSv4-10.2.1.5
  - audit_rules_usergroup_modification_passwd
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - reboot_required
  - restrict_strategy

# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if [ ! -f /.dockerenv ] && [ ! -f /run/.containerenv ] && rpm --quiet -q audit; then

# Perform the remediation for both possible tools: 'auditctl' and 'augenrules'

# Create a list of audit *.rules files that should be inspected for presence and correctness# of a particular audit rule. The scheme is as follows:
#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Tool used to load audit rules	| Rule already defined	|  Audit rules file to inspect	  |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#	auditctl		|     Doesn't matter	|  /etc/audit/audit.rules	  |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 	augenrules		|          Yes		|  /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules	  |
# 	augenrules		|          No		|  /etc/audit/rules.d/$key.rules  |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
files_to_inspect=()


# If the audit tool is 'auditctl', then add '/etc/audit/audit.rules'
# into the list of files to be inspected
files_to_inspect+=('/etc/audit/audit.rules')

# Finally perform the inspection and possible subsequent audit rule
# correction for each of the files previously identified for inspection
for audit_rules_file in "${files_to_inspect[@]}"
do
    # Check if audit watch file system object rule for given path already present
    if grep -q -P -- "^[\s]*-w[\s]+/etc/passwd" "$audit_rules_file"
    then
        # Rule is found => verify yet if existing rule definition contains
        # all of the required access type bits

        # Define BRE whitespace class shortcut
        sp="[[:space:]]"
        # Extract current permission access types (e.g. -p [r|w|x|a] values) from audit rule
        current_access_bits=$(sed -ne "s#$sp*-w$sp\+/etc/passwd $sp\+-p$sp\+\([rxwa]\{1,4\}\).*#\1#p" "$audit_rules_file")
        # Split required access bits string into characters array
        # (to check bit's presence for one bit at a time)
        for access_bit in $(echo "wa" | grep -o .)
        do
            # For each from the required access bits (e.g. 'w', 'a') check
            # if they are already present in current access bits for rule.
            # If not, append that bit at the end
            if ! grep -q "$access_bit" <<< "$current_access_bits"
            then
                # Concatenate the existing mask with the missing bit
                current_access_bits="$current_access_bits$access_bit"
            fi
        done
        # Propagate the updated rule's access bits (original + the required
        # ones) back into the /etc/audit/audit.rules file for that rule
        sed -i "s#\($sp*-w$sp\+/etc/passwd$sp\+-p$sp\+\)\([rxwa]\{1,4\}\)\(.*\)#\1$current_access_bits\3#" "$audit_rules_file"
    else
        # Rule isn't present yet. Append it at the end of $audit_rules_file file
        # with proper key

        echo "-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k audit_rules_usergroup_modification" >> "$audit_rules_file"
    fi
done
# Create a list of audit *.rules files that should be inspected for presence and correctness
# of a particular audit rule. The scheme is as follows:
#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Tool used to load audit rules	| Rule already defined	|  Audit rules file to inspect	  |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#	auditctl		|     Doesn't matter	|  /etc/audit/audit.rules	  |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 	augenrules		|          Yes		|  /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules	  |
# 	augenrules		|          No		|  /etc/audit/rules.d/$key.rules  |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
files_to_inspect=()

# If the audit is 'augenrules', then check if rule is already defined
# If rule is defined, add '/etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules' to list of files for inspection.
# If rule isn't defined, add '/etc/audit/rules.d/audit_rules_usergroup_modification.rules' to list of files for inspection.
readarray -t matches < <(grep -HP "[\s]*-w[\s]+/etc/passwd" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules)

# For each of the matched entries
for match in "${matches[@]}"
do
    # Extract filepath from the match
    rulesd_audit_file=$(echo $match | cut -f1 -d ':')
    # Append that path into list of files for inspection
    files_to_inspect+=("$rulesd_audit_file")
done
# Case when particular audit rule isn't defined yet
if [ "${#files_to_inspect[@]}" -eq "0" ]
then
    # Append '/etc/audit/rules.d/audit_rules_usergroup_modification.rules' into list of files for inspection
    key_rule_file="/etc/audit/rules.d/audit_rules_usergroup_modification.rules"
    # If the audit_rules_usergroup_modification.rules file doesn't exist yet, create it with correct permissions
    if [ ! -e "$key_rule_file" ]
    then
        touch "$key_rule_file"
        chmod 0640 "$key_rule_file"
    fi
    files_to_inspect+=("$key_rule_file")
fi

# Finally perform the inspection and possible subsequent audit rule
# correction for each of the files previously identified for inspection
for audit_rules_file in "${files_to_inspect[@]}"
do
    # Check if audit watch file system object rule for given path already present
    if grep -q -P -- "^[\s]*-w[\s]+/etc/passwd" "$audit_rules_file"
    then
        # Rule is found => verify yet if existing rule definition contains
        # all of the required access type bits

        # Define BRE whitespace class shortcut
        sp="[[:space:]]"
        # Extract current permission access types (e.g. -p [r|w|x|a] values) from audit rule
        current_access_bits=$(sed -ne "s#$sp*-w$sp\+/etc/passwd $sp\+-p$sp\+\([rxwa]\{1,4\}\).*#\1#p" "$audit_rules_file")
        # Split required access bits string into characters array
        # (to check bit's presence for one bit at a time)
        for access_bit in $(echo "wa" | grep -o .)
        do
            # For each from the required access bits (e.g. 'w', 'a') check
            # if they are already present in current access bits for rule.
            # If not, append that bit at the end
            if ! grep -q "$access_bit" <<< "$current_access_bits"
            then
                # Concatenate the existing mask with the missing bit
                current_access_bits="$current_access_bits$access_bit"
            fi
        done
        # Propagate the updated rule's access bits (original + the required
        # ones) back into the /etc/audit/audit.rules file for that rule
        sed -i "s#\($sp*-w$sp\+/etc/passwd$sp\+-p$sp\+\)\([rxwa]\{1,4\}\)\(.*\)#\1$current_access_bits\3#" "$audit_rules_file"
    else
        # Rule isn't present yet. Append it at the end of $audit_rules_file file
        # with proper key

        echo "-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k audit_rules_usergroup_modification" >> "$audit_rules_file"
    fi
done

else
    >&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi

Record Events that Modify User/Group Information - /etc/passwd

Description

Rationale

Remediation - Ansible

Remediation - Shell Script