RHEL 8 must initiate a session lock for graphical user interfaces when the screensaver is activated.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-244535	RHEL-08-020031	SV-244535r743854_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. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000029-GPOS-00010, SRG-OS-000031-GPOS-00012, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227

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. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000029-GPOS-00010, SRG-OS-000031-GPOS-00012, SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-02-19

Details

Check Text ( C-47810r743852_chk )
Verify the operating system initiates a session lock a for graphical user interfaces when the screensaver is activated with the following command: Note: This requirement assumes the use of the RHEL 8 default graphical user interface, Gnome Shell. If the system does not have any graphical user interface installed, this requirement is Not Applicable. $ sudo gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-delay uint32 5 If the "uint32" setting is missing, or is not set to "5" or less, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-47810r743852_chk )

Verify the operating system initiates a session lock a for graphical user interfaces when the screensaver is activated with the following command:

Note: This requirement assumes the use of the RHEL 8 default graphical user interface, Gnome Shell. If the system does not have any graphical user interface installed, this requirement is Not Applicable.

$ sudo gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-delay

uint32 5

If the "uint32" setting is missing, or is not set to "5" or less, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-47767r743853_fix)
Configure the operating system to initiate a session lock for graphical user interfaces when a screensaver is activated. Create a database to contain the system-wide screensaver settings (if it does not already exist) with the following command: Note: The example below is using the database "local" for the system, so if the system is using another database in "/etc/dconf/profile/user", the file should be created under the appropriate subdirectory. $ sudo touch /etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-screensaver [org/gnome/desktop/screensaver] lock-delay=uint32 5 The "uint32" must be included along with the integer key values as shown. Update the system databases: $ sudo dconf update

Fix Text (F-47767r743853_fix)

Configure the operating system to initiate a session lock for graphical user interfaces when a screensaver is activated.

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

Note: The example below is using the database "local" for the system, so if the system is using another database in "/etc/dconf/profile/user", the file should be created under the appropriate subdirectory.

$ sudo touch /etc/dconf/db/local.d/00-screensaver

[org/gnome/desktop/screensaver]
lock-delay=uint32 5

The "uint32" must be included along with the integer key values as shown.

Update the system databases:

$ sudo dconf update