The Samsung KNOX for Android container must enforce an application installation policy by specifying an application whitelist.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-69689	KNOX-39-020100	SV-84311r1_rule		Medium

Description
Requiring all authorized applications to be in an application whitelist prevents the execution of any applications (e.g., unauthorized, malicious) that are not part of the whitelist. Failure to configure an application whitelist properly could allow unauthorized and malicious applications to be downloaded, installed, and executed on the mobile device, causing a compromise of DoD data accessible by these applications. The application whitelist, in addition to controlling the installation of applications on the mobile device, must control user access/execution of all core applications (included in the operating system [OS] by the OS vendor) and pre-installed applications (provided by the mobile device vendor and wireless carrier), or the mobile device must provide an alternate method of restricting user access/execution to core and pre-installed applications. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #10b

Description

Requiring all authorized applications to be in an application whitelist prevents the execution of any applications (e.g., unauthorized, malicious) that are not part of the whitelist. Failure to configure an application whitelist properly could allow unauthorized and malicious applications to be downloaded, installed, and executed on the mobile device, causing a compromise of DoD data accessible by these applications. The application whitelist, in addition to controlling the installation of applications on the mobile device, must control user access/execution of all core applications (included in the operating system [OS] by the OS vendor) and pre-installed applications (provided by the mobile device vendor and wireless carrier), or the mobile device must provide an alternate method of restricting user access/execution to core and pre-installed applications. SFR ID: FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #10b

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

Details

Check Text ( C-70131r1_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 list of whitelisted applications in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Applications" rule. 2. Verify the list of whitelisted applications have been approved by the Authorizing Official (AO). Note: Refer to the Supplemental document for additional information. Note: This list can be empty if no applications have been approved. On the Samsung KNOX for Android device: 1. Open the KNOX Container. 2. Attempt to install an application that is not in the application whitelist. If any of the applications on the MDM Administration Console have not been approved by the AO, or the device allows the user to successfully install the application, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-70131r1_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 list of whitelisted applications in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Applications" rule.
2. Verify the list of whitelisted applications have been approved by the Authorizing Official (AO).

Note: Refer to the Supplemental document for additional information.

Note: This list can be empty if no applications have been approved.

On the Samsung KNOX for Android device:
1. Open the KNOX Container.
2. Attempt to install an application that is not in the application whitelist.

If any of the applications on the MDM Administration Console have not been approved by the AO, or the device allows the user to successfully install the application, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-75893r2_fix)
Configure the mobile device to use an application whitelist. On the MDM Administration Console, configure the list of whitelisted applications in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Applications" rule and ensure only AO-approved applications are on the list. Note: This list can be empty if no applications have been approved. Note: Refer to the Supplemental document for additional information.

Fix Text (F-75893r2_fix)

Configure the mobile device to use an application whitelist.

On the MDM Administration Console, configure the list of whitelisted applications in the "Android KNOX Container >> Container Applications" rule and ensure only AO-approved applications are on the list.

Note: This list can be empty if no applications have been approved.

Note: Refer to the Supplemental document for additional information.