The Cisco router must notify System Administrators (SAs) and Information System Security Officers (ISSMs) when accounts are created, or enabled when previously disabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-96435	CISC-ND-000890	SV-105573r1_rule		Medium

Description
Once an attacker establishes initial access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to simply enable a new or disabled account. Notification of account enabling is one method for mitigating this risk. A comprehensive account management process will ensure an audit trail which documents the creation of application user accounts and notifies SAs and ISSMs. Such a process greatly reduces the risk that accounts will be surreptitiously enabled and provides logging that can be used for forensic purposes. In order to detect and respond to events that affect network administrator accessibility and device processing, network devices must audit account enabling actions and, as required, notify the appropriate individuals so they can investigate the event.

Description

Once an attacker establishes initial access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to simply enable a new or disabled account. Notification of account enabling is one method for mitigating this risk. A comprehensive account management process will ensure an audit trail which documents the creation of application user accounts and notifies SAs and ISSMs. Such a process greatly reduces the risk that accounts will be surreptitiously enabled and provides logging that can be used for forensic purposes. In order to detect and respond to events that affect network administrator accessibility and device processing, network devices must audit account enabling actions and, as required, notify the appropriate individuals so they can investigate the event.

STIG	Date
Cisco IOS XR Router NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide	2019-07-26

Details

Check Text ( C-95271r1_chk )
The Cisco router is not compliant with this requirement. However, the risk associated with this requirement can be fully mitigated if the router is configured to utilize an authentication server to authenticate and authorize users for administrative access. Review the router configuration to verify that the device is configured to use an authentication server as primary source for authentication as shown in the following example: radius-server host 10.1.3.16 auth-port 1645 acct-port 1646 key xxxxxxxxxx … … … aaa authentication login LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION group radius local line console login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION ! line default login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION transport input ssh If the router is not configured to use an authentication server to authenticate and authorize users for administrative access, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-95271r1_chk )

The Cisco router is not compliant with this requirement. However, the risk associated with this requirement can be fully mitigated if the router is configured to utilize an authentication server to authenticate and authorize users for administrative access.

Review the router configuration to verify that the device is configured to use an authentication server as primary source for authentication as shown in the following example:

radius-server host 10.1.3.16 auth-port 1645 acct-port 1646
key xxxxxxxxxx
…
…
…
aaa authentication login LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION group radius local
line console
login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION
!
line default
login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION
transport input ssh

If the router is not configured to use an authentication server to authenticate and authorize users for administrative access, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-102111r2_fix)
Step 1: Configure the router to use an authentication server as shown in the following example: RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#radius-server host 10.1.3.16 key xxxxxxxx Step 2: Configure the authentication order to use the authentication server as primary source for authentication as shown in the following example: RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#aaa authentication login LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION group radius local Step 3: Configure all network connections associated with a device management to use an authentication server for the purpose of login authentication as shown in the following example: RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#line default RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config-line)#login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config-line)#exit RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#line console RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config-line)#login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION

Fix Text (F-102111r2_fix)

Step 1: Configure the router to use an authentication server as shown in the following example:

RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#radius-server host 10.1.3.16 key xxxxxxxx

Step 2: Configure the authentication order to use the authentication server as primary source for authentication as shown in the following example:

RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#aaa authentication login LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION group radius local

Step 3: Configure all network connections associated with a device management to use an authentication server for the purpose of login authentication as shown in the following example:

RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#line default
RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config-line)#login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION
RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config-line)#exit
RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config)#line console
RP/0/0/CPU0:R3(config-line)#login authentication LOGIN_AUTHENTICATION