SLEM 5 wireless network adapters must be disabled unless approved and documented.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-261346	SLEM-05-291010	SV-261346r996496_rule		Medium

Description
Without protection of communications with wireless peripherals, confidentiality and integrity may be compromised because unprotected communications can be intercepted and either read, altered, or used to compromise SLEM 5. This requirement applies to wireless peripheral technologies (e.g., wireless mice, keyboards, displays, etc.) used with a SLEM 5. Wireless peripherals (e.g., Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/IR keyboards, mice, 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 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 SLEM 5. Communication paths outside the physical protection of a controlled boundary are exposed to the possibility of interception and modification. Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of communications with wireless peripherals can be accomplished by physical means (e.g., employing physical barriers to wireless radio frequencies) or by logical means (e.g., employing cryptographic techniques). If physical means of protection are employed, then logical means (cryptography) do not have to be employed, and vice versa. If the wireless peripheral is only passing telemetry data, encryption of the data may not be required.

Description

Without protection of communications with wireless peripherals, confidentiality and integrity may be compromised because unprotected communications can be intercepted and either read, altered, or used to compromise SLEM 5. This requirement applies to wireless peripheral technologies (e.g., wireless mice, keyboards, displays, etc.) used with a SLEM 5. Wireless peripherals (e.g., Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/IR keyboards, mice, 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 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 SLEM 5. Communication paths outside the physical protection of a controlled boundary are exposed to the possibility of interception and modification. Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of communications with wireless peripherals can be accomplished by physical means (e.g., employing physical barriers to wireless radio frequencies) or by logical means (e.g., employing cryptographic techniques). If physical means of protection are employed, then logical means (cryptography) do not have to be employed, and vice versa. If the wireless peripheral is only passing telemetry data, encryption of the data may not be required.

STIG	Date
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro (SLEM) 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-04

Details

Check Text ( C-65075r996494_chk )
Verify that SLEM 5 has no wireless network adapters enabled with the following command: > sudo wicked show all ... wlan0 up link: #3, state up, mtu 1500 type: wireless, hwaddr 06:00:00:00:00:02 config: wicked:xml:/etc/wicked/ifconfig/wlan0.xml leases: ipv4 dhcp granted addr: ipv4 10.0.0.101/16 [dhcp] route: ipv4 default via 10.0.0.1 proto dhcp If a wireless interface is configured and has not been documented and approved by the AO, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-65075r996494_chk )

Verify that SLEM 5 has no wireless network adapters enabled with the following command:

> sudo wicked show all
...
wlan0 up
link: #3, state up, mtu 1500
type: wireless, hwaddr 06:00:00:00:00:02
config: wicked:xml:/etc/wicked/ifconfig/wlan0.xml
leases: ipv4 dhcp granted
addr: ipv4 10.0.0.101/16 [dhcp]
route: ipv4 default via 10.0.0.1 proto dhcp

If a wireless interface is configured and has not been documented and approved by the AO, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-64983r996495_fix)
Configure SLEM 5 to disable all wireless network interfaces with the following command: For each interface of type wireless, bring the interface into "down" state: > sudo wicked ifdown wlan0 For each interface of type wireless with a configuration type of "compat:suse:", remove the associated file: > sudo rm /etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-wlan0 For each interface of type wireless, for each configuration of type "wicked:xml:", remove the associated file or remove the interface configuration from the file. > sudo rm /etc/wicked/ifconfig/wlan0.xml

Fix Text (F-64983r996495_fix)

Configure SLEM 5 to disable all wireless network interfaces with the following command:

For each interface of type wireless, bring the interface into "down" state:

> sudo wicked ifdown wlan0

For each interface of type wireless with a configuration type of "compat:suse:", remove the associated file:

> sudo rm /etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-wlan0

For each interface of type wireless, for each configuration of type "wicked:xml:", remove the associated file or remove the interface configuration from the file.

> sudo rm /etc/wicked/ifconfig/wlan0.xml