The SUSE operating system must lock an account after three consecutive invalid access attempts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-234867	SLES-15-020010	SV-234867r854212_rule		Medium

Description
By limiting the number of failed access attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. The pam_tally2.so module maintains a count of attempted accesses. This includes user name entry into a logon field as well as password entry. With counting access attempts, it is possible to lock an account without presenting a password into the password field. This should be taken into consideration as it poses as an avenue for denial of service. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000021-GPOS-00005, SRG-OS-000329-GPOS-00128

Description

By limiting the number of failed access attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. The pam_tally2.so module maintains a count of attempted accesses. This includes user name entry into a logon field as well as password entry. With counting access attempts, it is possible to lock an account without presenting a password into the password field. This should be taken into consideration as it poses as an avenue for denial of service. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000021-GPOS-00005, SRG-OS-000329-GPOS-00128

STIG	Date
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-02-16

Details

Check Text ( C-38055r618870_chk )
Verify the SUSE operating system locks a user account after three consecutive failed access attempts until the locked account is released by an administrator. Check that the system locks a user account after three consecutive failed login attempts using the following command: > grep pam_tally2.so /etc/pam.d/common-auth auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail deny=3 If no line is returned or the line is commented out, this is a finding. If the line is missing "onerr=fail", this is a finding. If the line has "deny" set to a value other than 1, 2, or 3, this is a finding. Check that the system resets the failed login attempts counter after a successful login using the following command: > grep pam_tally2.so /etc/pam.d/common-account account required pam_tally2.so If the account option is missing, or commented out, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-38055r618870_chk )

Verify the SUSE operating system locks a user account after three consecutive failed access attempts until the locked account is released by an administrator.

Check that the system locks a user account after three consecutive failed login attempts using the following command:

> grep pam_tally2.so /etc/pam.d/common-auth
auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail deny=3

If no line is returned or the line is commented out, this is a finding.
If the line is missing "onerr=fail", this is a finding.
If the line has "deny" set to a value other than 1, 2, or 3, this is a finding.

Check that the system resets the failed login attempts counter after a successful login using the following command:

> grep pam_tally2.so /etc/pam.d/common-account
account required pam_tally2.so

If the account option is missing, or commented out, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-38018r618871_fix)
Configure the operating system to lock an account when three unsuccessful access attempts occur. Modify the first line of the auth section "/etc/pam.d/common-auth" file to match the following lines: auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail silent audit deny=3 Add or modify the following line in the /etc/pam.d/common-account file: account required pam_tally2.so Note: Manual changes to the listed files may be overwritten by the "pam-config" program. The "pam-config" program should not be used to update the configurations listed in this requirement.

Fix Text (F-38018r618871_fix)

Configure the operating system to lock an account when three unsuccessful access attempts occur.

Modify the first line of the auth section "/etc/pam.d/common-auth" file to match the following lines:

auth required pam_tally2.so onerr=fail silent audit deny=3

Add or modify the following line in the /etc/pam.d/common-account file:
account required pam_tally2.so

Note: Manual changes to the listed files may be overwritten by the "pam-config" program. The "pam-config" program should not be used to update the configurations listed in this requirement.