Disable ntpdate Service (ntpdate)

An XCCDF Rule

Description

The ntpdate service sets the local hardware clock by polling NTP servers when the system boots. It synchronizes to the NTP servers listed in /etc/ntp/step-tickers or /etc/ntp.conf and then sets the local hardware clock to the newly synchronized system time. The ntpdate service can be disabled with the following command:

$ sudo systemctl mask --now ntpdate.service

Rationale

The ntpdate service may only be suitable for systems which are rebooted frequently enough that clock drift does not cause problems between reboots. In any event, the functionality of the ntpdate service is now available in the ntpd program and should be considered deprecated.

ID: xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_rule_service_ntpdate_disabled
Severity: Low
References: 11 12 14 15 3 8 9

APO13.01 BAI10.01 BAI10.02 BAI10.03 BAI10.05 DSS01.04 DSS05.02 DSS05.03 DSS05.05 DSS06.06

CCI-000382

4.3.3.5.1 4.3.3.5.2 4.3.3.5.3 4.3.3.5.4 4.3.3.5.5 4.3.3.5.6 4.3.3.5.7 4.3.3.5.8 4.3.3.6.1 4.3.3.6.2 4.3.3.6.3 4.3.3.6.4 4.3.3.6.5 4.3.3.6.6 4.3.3.6.7 4.3.3.6.8 4.3.3.6.9 4.3.3.7.1 4.3.3.7.2 4.3.3.7.3 4.3.3.7.4 4.3.4.3.2 4.3.4.3.3

SR 1.1 SR 1.10 SR 1.11 SR 1.12 SR 1.13 SR 1.2 SR 1.3 SR 1.4 SR 1.5 SR 1.6 SR 1.7 SR 1.8 SR 1.9 SR 2.1 SR 2.2 SR 2.3 SR 2.4 SR 2.5 SR 2.6 SR 2.7 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 7.1 SR 7.6

A.11.2.6 A.12.1.2 A.12.5.1 A.12.6.2 A.13.1.1 A.13.2.1 A.14.1.3 A.14.2.2 A.14.2.3 A.14.2.4 A.6.2.1 A.6.2.2 A.9.1.2

CM-6(a) CM-7(a) CM-7(b)

PR.AC-3 PR.IP-1 PR.PT-3 PR.PT-4
Updated: 5 days ago

- name: Disable ntpdate Service (ntpdate) - Collect systemd Services Present in the
    System
  ansible.builtin.command: systemctl -q list-unit-files --type service
  register: service_exists
  changed_when: false
  failed_when: service_exists.rc not in [0, 1]  check_mode: false
  when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - disable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - low_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - service_ntpdate_disabled

- name: Disable ntpdate Service (ntpdate) - Ensure ntpdate.service is Masked
  ansible.builtin.systemd:
    name: ntpdate.service
    state: stopped
    enabled: false
    masked: true
  when:
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - service_exists.stdout_lines is search("ntpdate.service", multiline=True)
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - disable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - low_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - service_ntpdate_disabled

- name: Unit Socket Exists - ntpdate.socket
  ansible.builtin.command: systemctl -q list-unit-files ntpdate.socket
  register: socket_file_exists
  changed_when: false
  failed_when: socket_file_exists.rc not in [0, 1]
  check_mode: false
  when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - disable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - low_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - service_ntpdate_disabled

- name: Disable ntpdate Service (ntpdate) - Disable Socket ntpdate
  ansible.builtin.systemd:
    name: ntpdate.socket
    enabled: false
    state: stopped
    masked: true
  when:
  - ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  - socket_file_exists.stdout_lines is search("ntpdate.socket", multiline=True)
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - disable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - low_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - service_ntpdate_disabled

include disable_ntpdate

class disable_ntpdate {
  service {'ntpdate':
    enable => false,
    ensure => 'stopped',  }
}


[customizations.services]
masked = ["ntpdate"]

Disable ntpdate Service (ntpdate)

Description

Rationale

Remediation - Ansible

Remediation - Puppet

Remediation - OS Build Blueprint