Verify Permissions on /etc/hosts.allow

An XCCDF Rule

Description

To properly set the permissions of /etc/hosts.allow, run the command:

$ sudo chmod 0644 /etc/hosts.allow

Rationale

The /etc/hosts.allow file is used to control access of clients to daemons in the server. Insecure groupownership of this file could allow users to grant clients unrestricted access or no access at all to services in the server.

ID: xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_rule_file_permissions_etc_hosts_allow
Severity: Medium
Updated: about 1 year ago

- name: Test for existence /etc/hosts.allow
  stat:
    path: /etc/hosts.allow
  register: file_exists
  when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:  - configure_strategy
  - file_permissions_etc_hosts_allow
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Ensure permission u-xs,g-xws,o-xwt on /etc/hosts.allow
  file:
    path: /etc/hosts.allow
    mode: u-xs,g-xws,o-xwt
  when:
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - file_exists.stat is defined and file_exists.stat.exists
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_permissions_etc_hosts_allow
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

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

chmod u-xs,g-xws,o-xwt /etc/hosts.allow

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

Verify Permissions on /etc/hosts.allow

Description

Rationale

Remediation - Ansible

Remediation - Shell Script