RHEL 8 systems, versions 8.2 and above, must configure SELinux context type to allow the use of a non-default faillock tally directory.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-250315	RHEL-08-020027	SV-250315r854079_rule		Medium

Description
By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-force attacks, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. From "faillock.conf" man pages: Note that the default directory that "pam_faillock" uses is usually cleared on system boot so the access will be re-enabled after system reboot. If that is undesirable, a different tally directory must be set with the "dir" option. SELinux, enforcing a targeted policy, will require any non-default tally directory's security context type to match the default directory's security context type. Without updating the security context type, the pam_faillock module will not write failed login attempts to the non-default tally directory.

Description

By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-force attacks, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. From "faillock.conf" man pages: Note that the default directory that "pam_faillock" uses is usually cleared on system boot so the access will be re-enabled after system reboot. If that is undesirable, a different tally directory must be set with the "dir" option. SELinux, enforcing a targeted policy, will require any non-default tally directory's security context type to match the default directory's security context type. Without updating the security context type, the pam_faillock module will not write failed login attempts to the non-default tally directory.

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-03-08

Details

Check Text ( C-53749r793000_chk )
If the system does not have SELinux enabled and enforcing a targeted policy, or if the pam_faillock module is not configured for use, this requirement is not applicable. Note: This check applies to RHEL versions 8.2 or newer. If the system is RHEL version 8.0 or 8.1, this check is not applicable. Verify the location of the non-default tally directory for the pam_faillock module with the following command: $ sudo grep -w dir /etc/security/faillock.conf dir = /var/log/faillock Check the security context type of the non-default tally directory with the following command: $ sudo ls -Zd /var/log/faillock unconfined_u:object_r:faillog_t:s0 /var/log/faillock If the security context type of the non-default tally directory is not "faillog_t", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-53749r793000_chk )

If the system does not have SELinux enabled and enforcing a targeted policy, or if the pam_faillock module is not configured for use, this requirement is not applicable.

Note: This check applies to RHEL versions 8.2 or newer. If the system is RHEL version 8.0 or 8.1, this check is not applicable.

Verify the location of the non-default tally directory for the pam_faillock module with the following command:

$ sudo grep -w dir /etc/security/faillock.conf

dir = /var/log/faillock

Check the security context type of the non-default tally directory with the following command:

$ sudo ls -Zd /var/log/faillock

unconfined_u:object_r:faillog_t:s0 /var/log/faillock

If the security context type of the non-default tally directory is not "faillog_t", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-53703r793001_fix)
Configure RHEL 8 to allow the use of a non-default faillock tally directory while SELinux enforces a targeted policy. Create a non-default faillock tally directory (if it does not already exist) with the following example: $ sudo mkdir /var/log/faillock Update the /etc/selinux/targeted/contexts/files/file_contexts.local with "faillog_t" context type for the non-default faillock tally directory with the following command: $ sudo semanage fcontext -a -t faillog_t "/var/log/faillock(/.*)?" Next, update the context type of the non-default faillock directory/subdirectories and files with the following command: $ sudo restorecon -R -v /var/log/faillock

Fix Text (F-53703r793001_fix)

Configure RHEL 8 to allow the use of a non-default faillock tally directory while SELinux enforces a targeted policy.

Create a non-default faillock tally directory (if it does not already exist) with the following example:

$ sudo mkdir /var/log/faillock

Update the /etc/selinux/targeted/contexts/files/file_contexts.local with "faillog_t" context type for the non-default faillock tally directory with the following command:

$ sudo semanage fcontext -a -t faillog_t "/var/log/faillock(/.*)?"

Next, update the context type of the non-default faillock directory/subdirectories and files with the following command:

$ sudo restorecon -R -v /var/log/faillock