RHEL 9 wireless network adapters must be disabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-258040	RHEL-09-291040	SV-258040r991568_rule		Medium

Description
This requirement applies to wireless peripheral technologies (e.g., wireless mice, keyboards, displays, etc.) used with RHEL 9 systems. Wireless peripherals (e.g., Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/IR keyboards, mice and pointing devices, and near field communications [NFC]) present a unique challenge by creating an open, unsecured port on a computer. Wireless peripherals must meet DOD requirements for wireless data transmission and be approved for use by the Authorizing Official (AO). Even though some wireless peripherals, such as mice and pointing devices, do not ordinarily carry information that need to be protected, modification of communications with these wireless peripherals may be used to compromise the RHEL 9 operating system. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000299-GPOS-00117, SRG-OS-000300-GPOS-00118, SRG-OS-000424-GPOS-00188, SRG-OS-000481-GPOS-00481

Description

This requirement applies to wireless peripheral technologies (e.g., wireless mice, keyboards, displays, etc.) used with RHEL 9 systems. Wireless peripherals (e.g., Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/IR keyboards, mice and pointing devices, and near field communications [NFC]) present a unique challenge by creating an open, unsecured port on a computer. Wireless peripherals must meet DOD requirements for wireless data transmission and be approved for use by the Authorizing Official (AO). Even though some wireless peripherals, such as mice and pointing devices, do not ordinarily carry information that need to be protected, modification of communications with these wireless peripherals may be used to compromise the RHEL 9 operating system. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000299-GPOS-00117, SRG-OS-000300-GPOS-00118, SRG-OS-000424-GPOS-00188, SRG-OS-000481-GPOS-00481

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

Details

Check Text ( C-61781r926105_chk )
Verify there are no wireless interfaces configured on the system with the following command: Note: This requirement is Not Applicable for systems that do not have physical wireless network radios. $ nmcli device status DEVICE TYPE STATE CONNECTION virbr0 bridge connected virbr0 wlp7s0 wifi connected wifiSSID enp6s0 ethernet disconnected -- p2p-dev-wlp7s0 wifi-p2p disconnected -- lo loopback unmanaged -- virbr0-nic tun unmanaged -- If a wireless interface is configured and has not been documented and approved by the information system security officer (ISSO), this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-61781r926105_chk )

Verify there are no wireless interfaces configured on the system with the following command:

Note: This requirement is Not Applicable for systems that do not have physical wireless network radios.

$ nmcli device status

DEVICE TYPE STATE CONNECTION
virbr0 bridge connected virbr0
wlp7s0 wifi connected wifiSSID
enp6s0 ethernet disconnected --
p2p-dev-wlp7s0 wifi-p2p disconnected --
lo loopback unmanaged --
virbr0-nic tun unmanaged --

If a wireless interface is configured and has not been documented and approved by the information system security officer (ISSO), this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-61705r926106_fix)
Configure the system to disable all wireless network interfaces with the following command: $ nmcli radio all off