The Palo Alto Networks security platform must delete or quarantine malicious code in response to malicious code detection.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-228849	PANW-AG-000063	SV-228849r559739_rule		Medium

Description
Taking an appropriate action based on local organizational incident handling procedures minimizes the impact of this code on the network. This requirement is limited to ALGs web content filters and packet inspection firewalls that perform malicious code detection as part of their functionality. The Palo Alto Networks security platform allows customized profiles to be used to perform antivirus inspection for traffic between zones. Antivirus, anti-spyware, and vulnerability protection features require a specific license. There is a default Antivirus Profile; the profile inspects all of the listed protocol decoders for viruses, and generates alerts for SMTP, IMAP, and POP3 protocols while dropping traffic for FTP, HTTP, and SMB protocols. However, these default actions cannot be edited and the values for the FTP, HTTP, and SMB protocols do not meet the requirement, so customized profiles must be used. Inspection is done through stream-based analysis, which means files are not cached or stored in their entirety on the firewall, but analyzed in real-time as they pass through the firewall. Therefore, any detected virus will automatically be deleted when detected.

Description

Taking an appropriate action based on local organizational incident handling procedures minimizes the impact of this code on the network. This requirement is limited to ALGs web content filters and packet inspection firewalls that perform malicious code detection as part of their functionality. The Palo Alto Networks security platform allows customized profiles to be used to perform antivirus inspection for traffic between zones. Antivirus, anti-spyware, and vulnerability protection features require a specific license. There is a default Antivirus Profile; the profile inspects all of the listed protocol decoders for viruses, and generates alerts for SMTP, IMAP, and POP3 protocols while dropping traffic for FTP, HTTP, and SMB protocols. However, these default actions cannot be edited and the values for the FTP, HTTP, and SMB protocols do not meet the requirement, so customized profiles must be used. Inspection is done through stream-based analysis, which means files are not cached or stored in their entirety on the firewall, but analyzed in real-time as they pass through the firewall. Therefore, any detected virus will automatically be deleted when detected.

STIG	Date
Palo Alto Networks ALG Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-17

Details

Check Text ( C-31084r513842_chk )
Go to Objects >> Security Profiles >> Antivirus If there are no Antivirus Profiles configured other than the default, this is a finding. View the configured Antivirus Profiles; for each protocol decoder (SMTP, IMAP, POP3, FTP, HTTP, SMB), if the "Action" is anything other than “drop” or "reset-both", this is a finding. Go to Policies >> Security Review each of the configured security policies in turn. For any Security Policy that affects traffic between Zones (interzone), view the "Profile" column. If the "Profile" column does not display the "Antivirus Profile" symbol, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-31084r513842_chk )

Go to Objects >> Security Profiles >> Antivirus

If there are no Antivirus Profiles configured other than the default, this is a finding.

View the configured Antivirus Profiles; for each protocol decoder (SMTP, IMAP, POP3, FTP, HTTP, SMB), if the "Action" is anything other than “drop” or "reset-both", this is a finding.

Go to Policies >> Security

Review each of the configured security policies in turn. For any Security Policy that affects traffic between Zones (interzone), view the "Profile" column.

If the "Profile" column does not display the "Antivirus Profile" symbol, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-31061r573747_fix)
To create an Antivirus Profile: Go to Objects >> Security Profiles >> Antivirus Select "Add". In the "Antivirus Profile" window, complete the required fields. Complete the "Name" and "Description" fields. In the "Antivirus" tab, for all Decoders (SMTP, IMAP, POP3, FTP, HTTP, SMB protocols) set the "Action" to “drop” or "reset-both". This will drop the data stream and create a log record. Select "OK". Use the Profile in a Security Policy: Go to Policies >> Security Select an existing policy rule or select "Add" to create a new one. In the "Actions" tab in the "Profile Setting" section; in the "Profile Type" field, select "Profiles". The window will change to display the different categories of Profiles. In the "Actions" tab in the "Profile Setting" section; in the "Antivirus" field, select the configured Antivirus Profile. Select "OK". Commit changes by selecting "Commit" in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select "OK" when the confirmation dialog appears.

Fix Text (F-31061r573747_fix)

To create an Antivirus Profile:
Go to Objects >> Security Profiles >> Antivirus

Select "Add".

In the "Antivirus Profile" window, complete the required fields.

Complete the "Name" and "Description" fields.

In the "Antivirus" tab, for all Decoders (SMTP, IMAP, POP3, FTP, HTTP, SMB protocols) set the "Action" to “drop” or "reset-both". This will drop the data stream and create a log record.

Select "OK".

Use the Profile in a Security Policy:
Go to Policies >> Security

Select an existing policy rule or select "Add" to create a new one.

In the "Actions" tab in the "Profile Setting" section; in the "Profile Type" field, select "Profiles". The window will change to display the different categories of Profiles.

In the "Actions" tab in the "Profile Setting" section; in the "Antivirus" field, select the configured Antivirus Profile.
Select "OK".

Commit changes by selecting "Commit" in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Select "OK" when the confirmation dialog appears.