The Samsung KNOX for Android platform must be configured to disable backup to remote systems.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-69625	KNOX-35-021300	SV-84247r1_rule		Medium

Description
Backups to remote systems (including cloud backup) can leave data vulnerable to breach on the external systems, which often offer less protection than the mobile operating system. Where the remote backup involves a cloud-based solution, the backup capability is often used to synchronize data across multiple devices. In this case, DoD devices may synchronize DoD-sensitive information to a user's personal device or other unauthorized computers that are vulnerable to breach. Disallowing remote backup mitigates this risk. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #40

Description

Backups to remote systems (including cloud backup) can leave data vulnerable to breach on the external systems, which often offer less protection than the mobile operating system. Where the remote backup involves a cloud-based solution, the backup capability is often used to synchronize data across multiple devices. In this case, DoD devices may synchronize DoD-sensitive information to a user's personal device or other unauthorized computers that are vulnerable to breach. Disallowing remote backup mitigates this risk. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #40

STIG	Date
Samsung Android OS 6 (with KNOX 2.x) Security Technical Implementation Guide	2016-11-14

Details

Check Text ( C-70061r1_chk )
This validation procedure is performed on both the MDM Administration Console and the Samsung KNOX for Android device. Check whether the appropriate setting is configured on the MDM Administration Console: 1. Ask the MDM administrator to display the "Allow Google Backup" and "Google Auto Sync" settings in the "Android Restrictions" rule. 2. Verify the settings are disabled. On the Samsung KNOX for Android device: 1. Open the device settings. 2. Select "Backup and reset" under the Google account section. 3. Verify "Back up my data" is disabled and cannot be enabled. If the "Allow Google Backup" or “Google Auto Sync" setting is enabled, this is a finding. If the user can enable the settings on the device, this is a finding. If the "Application disable list" configuration in the MDM console does not contain all pre-installed public cloud backup applications, or if the user is able to successfully launch an application on this list, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-70061r1_chk )

This validation procedure is performed on both the MDM Administration Console and the Samsung KNOX for Android device.

Check whether the appropriate setting is configured on the MDM Administration Console:
1. Ask the MDM administrator to display the "Allow Google Backup" and "Google Auto Sync" settings in the "Android Restrictions" rule.
2. Verify the settings are disabled.

On the Samsung KNOX for Android device:
1. Open the device settings.
2. Select "Backup and reset" under the Google account section.
3. Verify "Back up my data" is disabled and cannot be enabled.

If the "Allow Google Backup" or “Google Auto Sync" setting is enabled, this is a finding.

If the user can enable the settings on the device, this is a finding.

If the "Application disable list" configuration in the MDM console does not contain all pre-installed public cloud backup applications, or if the user is able to successfully launch an application on this list, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-75815r1_fix)
Configure the mobile operating system to disable backup to remote systems (including commercial clouds). Configure the mobile device to disable backups to Google servers, disable Google Auto Sync, and disable all pre-installed public cloud backup applications. On the MDM Administration Console, disable the "Allow Google backup" and "Google Auto Sync" settings in the "Android Restrictions" rule.