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CIS Ubuntu 22.04 Level 2 Server Benchmark

Rules and Groups employed by this XCCDF Profile

  • Verify permissions on Message of the Day Banner

    To properly set the permissions of /etc/motd, run the command:
    $ sudo chmod 0644 /etc/motd
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Implement a GUI Warning Banner

    In the default graphical environment, users logging directly into the system are greeted with a login screen provided by the GNOME Display Manager (GDM). The warning banner should be displayed in t...
    Group
  • Enable GNOME3 Login Warning Banner

    In the default graphical environment, displaying a login warning banner in the GNOME Display Manager's login screen can be enabled on the login screen by setting <code>banner-message-enable</code> ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set the GNOME3 Login Warning Banner Text

    In the default graphical environment, configuring the login warning banner text in the GNOME Display Manager's login screen can be configured on the login screen by setting <code>banner-message-tex...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Protect Accounts by Configuring PAM

    PAM, or Pluggable Authentication Modules, is a system which implements modular authentication for Linux programs. PAM provides a flexible and configurable architecture for authentication, and it sh...
    Group
  • Set Lockouts for Failed Password Attempts

    The <code>pam_faillock</code> PAM module provides the capability to lock out user accounts after a number of failed login attempts. Its documentation is available in <code>/usr/share/doc/pam-VERSIO...
    Group
  • Limit Password Reuse

    Do not allow users to reuse recent passwords. This can be accomplished by using the remember option for the pam_unix or pam_pwhistory PAM modules.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Lock Accounts After Failed Password Attempts

    This rule configures the system to lock out accounts after a number of incorrect login attempts using <code>pam_faillock.so</code>. pam_faillock.so module requires multiple entries in pam files. Th...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Interval For Counting Failed Password Attempts

    Utilizing <code>pam_faillock.so</code>, the <code>fail_interval</code> directive configures the system to lock out an account after a number of incorrect login attempts within a specified time peri...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Lockout Time for Failed Password Attempts

    This rule configures the system to lock out accounts during a specified time period after a number of incorrect login attempts using <code>pam_faillock.so</code>. Ensure that the file <code>/etc/s...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Quality Requirements

    The default <code>pam_pwquality</code> PAM module provides strength checking for passwords. It performs a number of checks, such as making sure passwords are not similar to dictionary words, are of...
    Group
  • Set Password Quality Requirements with pam_pwquality

    The <code>pam_pwquality</code> PAM module can be configured to meet requirements for a variety of policies. <br> <br> For example, to configure <code>pam_pwquality</code> to require at lea...
    Group
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Digit Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>dcredit</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of digits in a password. When set to a negative number, any password will be required to contain that many ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Lowercase Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>lcredit</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of lowercase letters in a password. When set to a negative number, any password will be required to contain...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Different Categories

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>minclass</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of different character classes, or types, of character that must exist in a password before it is consider...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Length

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>minlen</code> parameter controls requirements for minimum characters required in a password. Add <code>minlen=<xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_val...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Special Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>ocredit=</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of special (or "other") characters in a password. When set to a negative number, any password will be requ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Authentication Retry Prompts Permitted Per-Session

    To configure the number of retry prompts that are permitted per-session: Edit the <code>pam_pwquality.so</code> statement in <code>/etc/pam.d/common-password</code> to show <code>retry=<xccdf-1...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure PAM Enforces Password Requirements - Minimum Uppercase Characters

    The pam_pwquality module's <code>ucredit=</code> parameter controls requirements for usage of uppercase letters in a password. When set to a negative number, any password will be required to contai...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Hashing Algorithm

    The system's default algorithm for storing password hashes in /etc/shadow is SHA-512. This can be configured in several locations.
    Group
  • Set Password Hashing Algorithm in /etc/login.defs

    In <code>/etc/login.defs</code>, add or update the following line to ensure the system will use <xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_value_var_password_hashing_algorithm" use="legacy"...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Protect Accounts by Restricting Password-Based Login

    Conventionally, Unix shell accounts are accessed by providing a username and password to a login program, which tests these values for correctness using the <code>/etc/passwd</code> and <code>/etc/...
    Group
  • Ensure All Accounts on the System Have Unique User IDs

    Change user IDs (UIDs), or delete accounts, so each has a unique name.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure All Groups on the System Have Unique Group ID

    Change the group name or delete groups, so each has a unique id.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure All Groups on the System Have Unique Group Names

    Change the group name or delete groups, so each has a unique name.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Account Expiration Parameters

    Accounts can be configured to be automatically disabled after a certain time period, meaning that they will require administrator interaction to become usable again. Expiration of accounts after in...
    Group
  • Set Account Expiration Following Inactivity

    To specify the number of days after a password expires (which signifies inactivity) until an account is permanently disabled, add or correct the following line in <code>/etc/default/useradd</code>:...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure All Accounts on the System Have Unique Names

    Ensure accounts on the system have unique names. To ensure all accounts have unique names, run the following command: <pre>$ sudo getent passwd | awk -F: '{ print $1}' | uniq -d</pre> If a usernam...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure shadow Group is Empty

    The shadow group allows system programs which require access the ability to read the /etc/shadow file. No users should be assigned to the shadow group.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Expiration Parameters

    The file <code>/etc/login.defs</code> controls several password-related settings. Programs such as <code>passwd</code>, <code>su</code>, and <code>login</code> consult <code>/etc/login.defs</code> ...
    Group
  • Set Password Maximum Age

    To specify password maximum age for new accounts, edit the file <code>/etc/login.defs</code> and add or correct the following line: <pre>PASS_MAX_DAYS <xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.con...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Minimum Age

    To specify password minimum age for new accounts, edit the file <code>/etc/login.defs</code> and add or correct the following line: <pre>PASS_MIN_DAYS <xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.con...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Existing Passwords Maximum Age

    Configure non-compliant accounts to enforce a <xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_value_var_accounts_maximum_age_login_defs" use="legacy"></xccdf-1.2:sub>-day maximum password lifeti...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Existing Passwords Minimum Age

    Configure non-compliant accounts to enforce a 24 hours/1 day minimum password lifetime by running the following command:
    $ sudo chage -m 1 USER
             
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Set Password Warning Age

    To specify how many days prior to password expiration that a warning will be issued to users, edit the file <code>/etc/login.defs</code> and add or correct the following line: <pre>PASS_WARN_AGE <...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Verify Proper Storage and Existence of Password Hashes

    By default, password hashes for local accounts are stored in the second field (colon-separated) in <code>/etc/shadow</code>. This file should be readable only by processes running with root credent...
    Group
  • Verify All Account Password Hashes are Shadowed

    If any password hashes are stored in <code>/etc/passwd</code> (in the second field, instead of an <code>x</code> or <code>*</code>), the cause of this misconfiguration should be investigated. The a...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure all users last password change date is in the past

    All users should have a password change date in the past.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • All GIDs referenced in /etc/passwd must be defined in /etc/group

    Add a group to the system for each GID referenced without a corresponding group.
    Rule Low Severity
  • Ensure There Are No Accounts With Blank or Null Passwords

    Check the "/etc/shadow" file for blank passwords with the following command: <pre>$ sudo awk -F: '!$2 {print $1}' /etc/shadow</pre> If the command returns any results, this is a finding. Configure ...
    Rule High Severity
  • Verify No netrc Files Exist

    The <code>.netrc</code> files contain login information used to auto-login into FTP servers and reside in the user's home directory. These files may contain unencrypted passwords to remote FTP serv...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Restrict Root Logins

    Direct root logins should be allowed only for emergency use. In normal situations, the administrator should access the system via a unique unprivileged account, and then use <code>su</code> or <cod...
    Group
  • Verify Only Root Has UID 0

    If any account other than root has a UID of 0, this misconfiguration should be investigated and the accounts other than root should be removed or have their UID changed. <br> If the account is asso...
    Rule High Severity
  • Verify Root Has A Primary GID 0

    The root user should have a primary group of 0.
    Rule High Severity
  • Ensure the Group Used by pam_wheel.so Module Exists on System and is Empty

    Ensure that the group <code><xccdf-1.2:sub idref="xccdf_org.ssgproject.content_value_var_pam_wheel_group_for_su" use="legacy"></xccdf-1.2:sub></code> referenced by <code>var_pam_wheel_group_for_su<...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure Authentication Required for Single User Mode

    Single user mode is used for recovery when the system detects an issue during boot or by manual selection from the bootloader.
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Ensure that System Accounts Do Not Run a Shell Upon Login

    Some accounts are not associated with a human user of the system, and exist to perform some administrative functions. Should an attacker be able to log into these accounts, they should not be grant...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Enforce Usage of pam_wheel with Group Parameter for su Authentication

    To ensure that only users who are members of the group set in the <code>group</code> option of <code>pam_wheel.so</code> module can run commands with altered privileges through the <code>su</code> ...
    Rule Medium Severity
  • Secure Session Configuration Files for Login Accounts

    When a user logs into a Unix account, the system configures the user's session by reading a number of files. Many of these files are located in the user's home directory, and may have weak permissi...
    Group
  • Set Interactive Session Timeout

    Setting the <code>TMOUT</code> option in <code>/etc/profile</code> ensures that all user sessions will terminate based on inactivity. The value of TMOUT should be exported and read only. The <code>...
    Rule Medium Severity

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