The Cisco switch must be configured to automatically audit account creation.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-220475	CISC-ND-000090	SV-220475r879525_rule		Medium

Description
Upon gaining access to a network device, an attacker will often first attempt to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is to create a new account. Notification of account creation helps to mitigate this risk. Auditing account creation provides the necessary reconciliation that account management procedures are being followed. Without this audit trail, personnel without the proper authorization may gain access to critical network nodes.

Description

Upon gaining access to a network device, an attacker will often first attempt to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is to create a new account. Notification of account creation helps to mitigate this risk. Auditing account creation provides the necessary reconciliation that account management procedures are being followed. Without this audit trail, personnel without the proper authorization may gain access to critical network nodes.

STIG	Date
Cisco NX OS Switch NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-02-17

Details

Check Text ( C-22190r539146_chk )
Review the switch configuration to determine if it automatically audits account creation. Step 1: Verify that account records will be sent to an AAA server as shown in the example below: aaa accounting default group RADIUS_SERVERS Step 2: Verify that the referenced group name has defined AAA servers that are online. aaa group server radius RADIUS_SERVERS server 10.1.48.10 server 10.1.48.12 Note: Cisco NX-OS devices report configuration activity to TACACS+ or RADIUS servers in the form of accounting records. Each accounting record contains accounting attribute-value (AV) pairs and is stored on the AAA server. If account creation is not automatically audited, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-22190r539146_chk )

Review the switch configuration to determine if it automatically audits account creation.

Step 1: Verify that account records will be sent to an AAA server as shown in the example below:

aaa accounting default group RADIUS_SERVERS

Step 2: Verify that the referenced group name has defined AAA servers that are online.

aaa group server radius RADIUS_SERVERS
server 10.1.48.10
server 10.1.48.12

Note: Cisco NX-OS devices report configuration activity to TACACS+ or RADIUS servers in the form of accounting records. Each accounting record contains accounting attribute-value (AV) pairs and is stored on the AAA server.

If account creation is not automatically audited, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-22179r539147_fix)
Configure the switch to log account creation using the following steps: Step 1: Configure the AAA servers as shown in the example below: SW1(config)# radius-server host 10.1.48.10 SW1(config)# radius-server host 10.1.48.12 Step 2: Configure an AAA server group as shown in the example below: SW1(config)# aaa group server radius RADIUS_SERVERS SW1(config-radius)# server 10.1.48.10 SW1(config-radius)# server 10.1.48.12 SW1(config-radius)# exit Step 3: Enable AAA accounting as shown in the example below: SW1(config)# aaa accounting default group RADIUS_SERVERS SW1(config)# end

Fix Text (F-22179r539147_fix)

Configure the switch to log account creation using the following steps:

Step 1: Configure the AAA servers as shown in the example below:

SW1(config)# radius-server host 10.1.48.10
SW1(config)# radius-server host 10.1.48.12

Step 2: Configure an AAA server group as shown in the example below:

SW1(config)# aaa group server radius RADIUS_SERVERS
SW1(config-radius)# server 10.1.48.10
SW1(config-radius)# server 10.1.48.12
SW1(config-radius)# exit

Step 3: Enable AAA accounting as shown in the example below:

SW1(config)# aaa accounting default group RADIUS_SERVERS
SW1(config)# end