The SUSE operating system must generate audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect /etc/passwd.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-234899	SLES-15-030000	SV-234899r854216_rule		Medium

Description
Once an attacker establishes initial access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to simply create a new account. Auditing of account creation mitigates this risk. To address access requirements, many SUSE operating systems may be integrated with enterprise-level authentication/access/auditing mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004, SRG-OS-000239-GPOS-00089, SRG-OS-000240-GPOS-00090, SRG-OS-000241-GPOS-00091, SRG-OS-000274-GPOS-00104, SRG-OS-000275-GPOS-00105, SRG-OS-000276-GPOS-00106, SRG-OS-000277-GPOS-00107, SRG-OS-000303-GPOS-00120, SRG-OS-000463-GPOS-00207, SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121, SRG-OS-000470-GPOS-00214, SRG-OS-000476-GPOS-00221

Description

Once an attacker establishes initial access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to simply create a new account. Auditing of account creation mitigates this risk. To address access requirements, many SUSE operating systems may be integrated with enterprise-level authentication/access/auditing mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004, SRG-OS-000239-GPOS-00089, SRG-OS-000240-GPOS-00090, SRG-OS-000241-GPOS-00091, SRG-OS-000274-GPOS-00104, SRG-OS-000275-GPOS-00105, SRG-OS-000276-GPOS-00106, SRG-OS-000277-GPOS-00107, SRG-OS-000303-GPOS-00120, SRG-OS-000463-GPOS-00207, SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121, SRG-OS-000470-GPOS-00214, SRG-OS-000476-GPOS-00221

STIG	Date
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-09-08

Details

Check Text ( C-38087r618966_chk )
Verify the SUSE operating system generates an audit record when all modifications occur to the "/etc/passwd" file. Check that the file is being audited by performing the following command: > sudo auditctl -l \| grep -w '/etc/passwd' -w /etc/passwd -p wa -k account_mod If the command does not return a line, this is a finding. Notes: The "-k" allows for specifying an arbitrary identifier. The string following "-k" does not need to match the example output above.

Check Text ( C-38087r618966_chk )

Verify the SUSE operating system generates an audit record when all modifications occur to the "/etc/passwd" file.

Check that the file is being audited by performing the following command:

> sudo auditctl -l | grep -w '/etc/passwd'

-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k account_mod

If the command does not return a line, this is a finding.

Notes:
The "-k" allows for specifying an arbitrary identifier. The string following "-k" does not need to match the example output above.

Fix Text (F-38050r618967_fix)
Configure the SUSE operating system to generate an audit record when all modifications to the "/etc/passwd" file occur. Add or update the following rule to "/etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules": -w /etc/passwd -p wa -k account_mod To reload the rules file, restart the audit daemon > sudo systemctl restart auditd.service or issue the following command: > sudo augenrules --load