The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must enable an application firewall, if available.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-204604	RHEL-07-040520	SV-204604r603261_rule		Medium

Description
Firewalls protect computers from network attacks by blocking or limiting access to open network ports. Application firewalls limit which applications are allowed to communicate over the network. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00231, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00232

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-12-01

Details

Check Text ( C-4728r89004_chk )
Verify the operating system enabled an application firewall. Check to see if "firewalld" is installed with the following command: # yum list installed firewalld firewalld-0.3.9-11.el7.noarch.rpm If the "firewalld" package is not installed, ask the System Administrator if another firewall application (such as iptables) is installed. If an application firewall is not installed, this is a finding. Check to see if the firewall is loaded and active with the following command: # systemctl status firewalld firewalld.service - firewalld - dynamic firewall daemon Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/firewalld.service; enabled) Active: active (running) since Tue 2014-06-17 11:14:49 CEST; 5 days ago If "firewalld" does not show a status of "loaded" and "active", this is a finding. Check the state of the firewall: # firewall-cmd --state running If "firewalld" does not show a state of "running", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-4728r89004_chk )

Verify the operating system enabled an application firewall.

Check to see if "firewalld" is installed with the following command:

# yum list installed firewalld
firewalld-0.3.9-11.el7.noarch.rpm

If the "firewalld" package is not installed, ask the System Administrator if another firewall application (such as iptables) is installed.

If an application firewall is not installed, this is a finding.

Check to see if the firewall is loaded and active with the following command:

# systemctl status firewalld
firewalld.service - firewalld - dynamic firewall daemon

Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/firewalld.service; enabled)
Active: active (running) since Tue 2014-06-17 11:14:49 CEST; 5 days ago

If "firewalld" does not show a status of "loaded" and "active", this is a finding.

Check the state of the firewall:

# firewall-cmd --state
running

If "firewalld" does not show a state of "running", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-4728r89005_fix)
Ensure the operating system's application firewall is enabled. Install the "firewalld" package, if it is not on the system, with the following command: # yum install firewalld Start the firewall via "systemctl" with the following command: # systemctl start firewalld