At a minimum, the audit system should collect the execution of
privileged commands for all users and root. If the auditd daemon is
configured to use the augenrules program to read audit rules during
daemon startup (the default), add a line of the following form to a file with
suffix .rules in the directory /etc/audit/rules.d:
-w /sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
Rationale
Misuse of privileged functions, either intentionally or unintentionally by
authorized users, or by unauthorized external entities that have compromised system accounts,
is a serious and ongoing concern and can have significant adverse impacts on organizations.
Auditing the use of privileged functions is one way to detect such misuse and identify
the risk from insider and advanced persistent threats.
Privileged programs are subject to escalation-of-privilege attacks,
which attempt to subvert their normal role of providing some necessary but
limited capability. As such, motivation exists to monitor these programs for
unusual activity.
- name: Gather the package facts
package_facts:
manager: auto
tags:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Check if watch rule for /sbin/insmod already exists in /etc/audit/rules.d/
find:
paths: /etc/audit/rules.d
contains: ^\s*-w\s+/sbin/insmod\s+-p\s+x(\s|$)+
patterns: '*.rules'
register: find_existing_watch_rules_d
when:
- '"audit" in ansible_facts.packages'
- ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
tags:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Search /etc/audit/rules.d for other rules with specified key modules
find:
paths: /etc/audit/rules.d
contains: ^.*(?:-F key=|-k\s+)modules$
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:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Use /etc/audit/rules.d/modules.rules as the recipient for the rule
set_fact:
all_files:
- /etc/audit/rules.d/modules.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:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- 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:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Add watch rule for /sbin/insmod in /etc/audit/rules.d/
lineinfile:
path: '{{ all_files[0] }}'
line: -w /sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
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:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Check if watch rule for /sbin/insmod already exists in /etc/audit/audit.rules
find:
paths: /etc/audit/
contains: ^\s*-w\s+/sbin/insmod\s+-p\s+x(\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:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Add watch rule for /sbin/insmod in /etc/audit/audit.rules
lineinfile:
line: -w /sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
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:
- CCE-92258-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(a)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12(c)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(ii)
- NIST-800-53-AU-12.1(iv)
- NIST-800-53-AU-3
- NIST-800-53-AU-3.1
- NIST-800-53-MA-4(1)(a)
- audit_rules_privileged_commands_insmod
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
Remediation - Shell Script
# 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 "${files_to_inspect[@]}"
do
# Check if audit watch file system object rule for given path already present
if grep -q -P -- "^[\s]*-w[\s]+/sbin/insmod" "$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\+/sbin/insmod $sp\+-p$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 $(echo "x" | grep -o .)
do
# For each from the required access bits (e.g. 'w', 'a') check
# if they are already present in current access bits for rule.
# If not, append that bit at the end
if ! grep -q "$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#\($sp*-w$sp\+/sbin/insmod$sp\+-p$sp\+\)\([rxwa]\{1,4\}\)\(.*\)#\1$current_access_bits\3#" "$audit_rules_file"
else
# Rule isn't present yet. Append it at the end of $audit_rules_file file
# with proper key
echo "-w /sbin/insmod -p x -k modules" >> "$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/$key.rules |
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
files_to_inspect=()
# If the audit is 'augenrules', then check if rule is already defined
# If rule is defined, add '/etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules' to list of files for inspection.
# If rule isn't defined, add '/etc/audit/rules.d/modules.rules' to list of files for inspection.
readarray -t matches < <(grep -HP "[\s]*-w[\s]+/sbin/insmod" /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules)
# For each of the matched entries
for match in "${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 [ "${#files_to_inspect[@]}" -eq "0" ]
then
# Append '/etc/audit/rules.d/modules.rules' into list of files for inspection
key_rule_file="/etc/audit/rules.d/modules.rules"
# If the modules.rules file doesn't exist yet, create it with correct permissions
if [ ! -e "$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]+/sbin/insmod" "$audit_rules_file"
then
# Rule is found => verify yet if existing rule definition contains
# all of the required access type bits
# Define BRE whitespace class shortcut
sp="[[:space:]]"
# Extract current permission access types (e.g. -p [r|w|x|a] values) from audit rule
current_access_bits=$(sed -ne "s#$sp*-w$sp\+/sbin/insmod $sp\+-p$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 $(echo "x" | grep -o .)
do
# For each from the required access bits (e.g. 'w', 'a') check
# if they are already present in current access bits for rule.
# If not, append that bit at the end
if ! grep -q "$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#\($sp*-w$sp\+/sbin/insmod$sp\+-p$sp\+\)\([rxwa]\{1,4\}\)\(.*\)#\1$current_access_bits\3#" "$audit_rules_file"
else
# Rule isn't present yet. Append it at the end of $audit_rules_file file
# with proper key
echo "-w /sbin/insmod -p x -k modules" >> "$audit_rules_file"
fi
done
else
>&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi