Enable Encrypted X11 Forwarding

An XCCDF Rule

Description

By default, remote X11 connections are not encrypted when initiated by users. SSH has the capability to encrypt remote X11 connections when SSH's X11Forwarding option is enabled.

To enable X11 Forwarding, add or correct the following line in /etc/ssh/sshd_config:

X11Forwarding yes

Rationale

Non-encrypted X displays allow an attacker to capture keystrokes and to execute commands remotely.

ID: xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_rule_sshd_enable_x11_forwarding
Severity: High
References: 1 11 12 13 15 16 18 20 3 4 6 9

BAI03.08 BAI07.04 BAI10.01 BAI10.02 BAI10.03 BAI10.05 DSS03.01

3.1.13

CCI-000366

4.3.4.3.2 4.3.4.3.3 4.4.3.3

SR 7.6

A.12.1.1 A.12.1.2 A.12.1.4 A.12.5.1 A.12.6.2 A.13.1.1 A.13.1.2 A.14.2.2 A.14.2.3 A.14.2.4

CIP-007-3 R7.1

AC-17(2) AC-17(a) CM-6(a)

DE.AE-1 PR.DS-7 PR.IP-1

SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227
Updated: about 1 year ago

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

if [ -e "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" ] ; then
    
    LC_ALL=C sed -i "/^\s*X11Forwarding\s\+/Id" "/etc/ssh/sshd_config"else
    touch "/etc/ssh/sshd_config"
fi
# make sure file has newline at the end
sed -i -e '$a\' "/etc/ssh/sshd_config"

cp "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" "/etc/ssh/sshd_config.bak"
# Insert at the beginning of the file
printf '%s\n' "X11Forwarding yes" > "/etc/ssh/sshd_config"
cat "/etc/ssh/sshd_config.bak" >> "/etc/ssh/sshd_config"
# Clean up after ourselves.
rm "/etc/ssh/sshd_config.bak"

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

- name: Enable Encrypted X11 Forwarding
  block:

  - name: Check for duplicate values
    lineinfile:
      path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config      create: true
      regexp: (?i)^\s*X11Forwarding\s+
      state: absent
    check_mode: true
    changed_when: false
    register: dupes

  - name: Deduplicate values from /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    lineinfile:
      path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
      create: true
      regexp: (?i)^\s*X11Forwarding\s+
      state: absent
    when: dupes.found is defined and dupes.found > 1

  - name: Insert correct line to /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    lineinfile:
      path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
      create: true
      regexp: (?i)^\s*X11Forwarding\s+
      line: X11Forwarding yes
      state: present
      insertbefore: BOF
      validate: /usr/sbin/sshd -t -f %s
  when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.13
  - NIST-800-53-AC-17(2)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - high_severity
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy
  - sshd_enable_x11_forwarding

Enable Encrypted X11 Forwarding

Description

Rationale

Remediation - Shell Script

Remediation - Ansible