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OL 8 must not permit direct logons to the root account using remote access via SSH.

An XCCDF Rule

Description

Although the communications channel may be encrypted, an additional layer of security is gained by extending the policy of not logging on directly as root. In addition, logging on with a user-specific account provides individual accountability of actions performed on the system.

ID
SV-248613r1015039_rule
Version
OL08-00-010550
Severity
Medium
References
Updated

Remediation Templates

A Manual Procedure

Configure OL 8 to stop users from logging on remotely as the "root" user via SSH. 
 
Edit the appropriate "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" file to uncomment or add the line for the "PermitRootLogin" keyword and set its value to "no": 
 
PermitRootLogin no