RHEL 9 must enable the hardware random number generator entropy gatherer service.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-257782	RHEL-09-211035	SV-257782r991589_rule		Low

Description
The most important characteristic of a random number generator is its randomness, namely its ability to deliver random numbers that are impossible to predict. Entropy in computer security is associated with the unpredictability of a source of randomness. The random source with high entropy tends to achieve a uniform distribution of random values. Random number generators are one of the most important building blocks of cryptosystems. The rngd service feeds random data from hardware device to kernel random device. Quality (nonpredictable) random number generation is important for several security functions (i.e., ciphers).

Description

The most important characteristic of a random number generator is its randomness, namely its ability to deliver random numbers that are impossible to predict. Entropy in computer security is associated with the unpredictability of a source of randomness. The random source with high entropy tends to achieve a uniform distribution of random values. Random number generators are one of the most important building blocks of cryptosystems. The rngd service feeds random data from hardware device to kernel random device. Quality (nonpredictable) random number generation is important for several security functions (i.e., ciphers).

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-04

Details

Check Text ( C-61523r942960_chk )
Note: For RHEL 9 systems running with kernel FIPS mode enabled as specified by RHEL-09-671010, this requirement is Not Applicable. Verify that RHEL 9 has enabled the hardware random number generator entropy gatherer service with the following command: $ systemctl is-active rngd active If the "rngd" service is not active, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-61447r925332_fix)
Install the rng-tools package with the following command: $ sudo dnf install rng-tools Then enable the rngd service run the following command: $ sudo systemctl enable --now rngd