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Global initialization files must contain the "mesg -n" or "mesg n" commands.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-825 GEN001780 SV-37289r1_rule ECSC-1 Low
Description
If the "mesg -n" or "mesg n" command is not placed into the system profile, messaging can be used to cause a Denial of Service attack.
STIG Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2015-03-12

Details

Check Text ( C-35983r1_chk )
Check global initialization files for the presence of "mesg -n" or "mesg n".

Procedure:
# grep "mesg" etc/bashrc /etc/csh.cshrc /etc/csh.login /etc/csh.logout /etc/environment /etc/ksh.kshrc /etc/profile /etc/suid_profile /etc/profile.d/*

If no global initialization files contain "mesg -n" or "mesg n", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-31237r1_fix)
Edit /etc/profile or another global initialization script, and add the "mesg -n" command.