All SUSE operating system local interactive user initialization files executable search paths must contain only paths that resolve to the users home directory.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-234996	SLES-15-040120	SV-234996r793060_rule		Medium

Description
The executable search path (typically the PATH environment variable) contains a list of directories for the shell to search to find executables. If this path includes the current working directory (other than the user's home directory), executables in these directories may be executed instead of system commands. This variable is formatted as a colon-separated list of directories. If there is an empty entry, such as a leading or trailing colon or two consecutive colons, this is interpreted as the current working directory. If deviations from the default system search path for the local interactive user are required, they must be documented with the Information System Security Officer (ISSO).

Description

The executable search path (typically the PATH environment variable) contains a list of directories for the shell to search to find executables. If this path includes the current working directory (other than the user's home directory), executables in these directories may be executed instead of system commands. This variable is formatted as a colon-separated list of directories. If there is an empty entry, such as a leading or trailing colon or two consecutive colons, this is interpreted as the current working directory. If deviations from the default system search path for the local interactive user are required, they must be documented with the Information System Security Officer (ISSO).

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

Details

Check Text ( C-38184r793059_chk )
Verify that all SUSE operating system local interactive user initialization files executable search path statements do not contain statements that will reference a working directory other than the user's home directory. Check the executable search path statement for all operating system local interactive user initialization files in the user's home directory with the following commands: Note: The example will be for the user "smithj", who has a home directory of "/home/smithj". > sudo grep -i path= /home/smithj/.* /home/smithj/.bash_profile:PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin:$HOME/bin If any local interactive user initialization files have executable search path statements that include directories outside of their home directory, and the additional path statements are not documented with the ISSO as an operational requirement, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-38184r793059_chk )

Verify that all SUSE operating system local interactive user initialization files executable search path statements do not contain statements that will reference a working directory other than the user's home directory.

Check the executable search path statement for all operating system local interactive user initialization files in the user's home directory with the following commands:

Note: The example will be for the user "smithj", who has a home directory of "/home/smithj".

> sudo grep -i path= /home/smithj/.*
/home/smithj/.bash_profile:PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin:$HOME/bin

If any local interactive user initialization files have executable search path statements that include directories outside of their home directory, and the additional path statements are not documented with the ISSO as an operational requirement, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-38147r619258_fix)
Edit the SUSE operating system local interactive user initialization files to change any PATH variable statements for executables that reference directories other than their home directory. If a local interactive user requires path variables to reference a directory owned by the application, it must be documented with the ISSO.