Skip to content

Record Unsuccessful Delete Attempts to Files - unlinkat

An XCCDF Rule

Description

The audit system should collect unsuccessful file deletion attempts 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 the following lines to a file with suffix .rules in the directory /etc/audit/rules.d. If the auditd daemon is configured to use the auditctl utility to read audit rules during daemon startup, add the following lines to /etc/audit/audit.rules file.

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlinkat -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=unsuccessful-delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlinkat -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=unsuccessful-delete
If the system is 64 bit then also add the following lines:
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S unlinkat -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=unsuccessful-delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S unlinkat -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=unsuccessful-delete

warning alert: Warning

Note that these rules can be configured in a number of ways while still achieving the desired effect. Here the system calls have been placed independent of other system calls. Grouping system calls related to the same event is more efficient. See the following example:
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S unlink,unlinkat,rename,renameat -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=unset -F key=unsuccesful-delete

Rationale

Unsuccessful attempts to delete files could be an indicator of malicious activity on a system. Auditing these events could serve as evidence of potential system compromise.

ID
xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_rule_audit_rules_unsuccessful_file_modification_unlinkat
Severity
Medium
References
Updated



Remediation - Ansible

- name: Gather the package facts
  package_facts:
    manager: auto
  tags:
  - CCE-90754-3
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.7

Remediation - Shell Script

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

# First perform the remediation of the syscall rule
# Retrieve hardware architecture of the underlying system
[ "$(getconf LONG_BIT)" = "32" ] && RULE_ARCHS=("b32") || RULE_ARCHS=("b32" "b64")