The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must initiate a session lock for the screensaver after a period of inactivity for graphical user interfaces.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-204402	RHEL-07-010100	SV-204402r880782_rule		Medium

Description
A session time-out lock is a temporary action taken when a user stops work and moves away from the immediate physical vicinity of the information system but does not log out because of the temporary nature of the absence. Rather than relying on the user to manually lock their operating system session prior to vacating the vicinity, operating systems need to be able to identify when a user's session has idled and take action to initiate the session lock. The session lock is implemented at the point where session activity can be determined and/or controlled.

Description

A session time-out lock is a temporary action taken when a user stops work and moves away from the immediate physical vicinity of the information system but does not log out because of the temporary nature of the absence. Rather than relying on the user to manually lock their operating system session prior to vacating the vicinity, operating systems need to be able to identify when a user's session has idled and take action to initiate the session lock. The session lock is implemented at the point where session activity can be determined and/or controlled.

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-09-08

Details

Check Text ( C-4526r880780_chk )
Verify the operating system initiates a session lock after a 15-minute period of inactivity for graphical user interfaces. Note: If the system does not have a GNOME installed, this requirement is Not Applicable. Check for the session lock settings with the following commands: # grep -i idle-activation-enabled /etc/dconf/db/local.d/* idle-activation-enabled=true If "idle-activation-enabled" is not set to "true", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-4526r880780_chk )

Verify the operating system initiates a session lock after a 15-minute period of inactivity for graphical user interfaces.

Note: If the system does not have a GNOME installed, this requirement is Not Applicable.

Check for the session lock settings with the following commands:

# grep -i idle-activation-enabled /etc/dconf/db/local.d/*
idle-activation-enabled=true

If "idle-activation-enabled" is not set to "true", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-4526r880781_fix)
Configure the operating system to initiate a session lock after a 15-minute period of inactivity for graphical user interfaces. Create a database to contain the system-wide screensaver settings (if it does not already exist) with the following command: # touch /etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-screensaver Add the setting to enable screensaver locking after 15 minutes of inactivity: [org/gnome/desktop/screensaver] idle-activation-enabled=true Update the system databases: # dconf update Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.

Fix Text (F-4526r880781_fix)

Configure the operating system to initiate a session lock after a 15-minute period of inactivity for graphical user interfaces.

Create a database to contain the system-wide screensaver settings (if it does not already exist) with the following command:

# touch /etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-screensaver

Add the setting to enable screensaver locking after 15 minutes of inactivity:

[org/gnome/desktop/screensaver]

idle-activation-enabled=true

Update the system databases:

# dconf update

Users must log out and back in again before the system-wide settings take effect.