The NSX Distributed Firewall must be configured to prohibit or restrict the use of functions, ports, protocols, and/or services, as defined in the PPSM CAL and vulnerability assessments.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-69145	VNSX-FW-000036	SV-83749r1_rule		Medium

Description
In order to prevent unauthorized connection of devices, unauthorized transfer of information, or unauthorized tunneling (i.e., embedding of data types within data types); organizations must disable or restrict unused or unnecessary physical and logical ports/protocols on information systems. ALGs are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services provided by default may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations. DoD continually assesses the ports, protocols, and services that can be used for network communications. Some ports, protocols or services have known exploits or security weaknesses. Network traffic using these ports, protocols, and services must be prohibited or restricted in accordance with DoD policy. The ALG is a key network element for preventing these non-compliant ports, protocols, and services from causing harm to DoD information systems. The network ALG must be configured to prevent or restrict the use of prohibited ports, protocols, and services throughout the network by filtering the network traffic and disallowing or redirecting traffic as necessary. Default and updated policy filters from the vendors will disallow older version of protocols and applications and will address most known non-secure ports, protocols, and/or services. However, sources for further policy filters are the IAVMs and the PPSM requirements.

Description

In order to prevent unauthorized connection of devices, unauthorized transfer of information, or unauthorized tunneling (i.e., embedding of data types within data types); organizations must disable or restrict unused or unnecessary physical and logical ports/protocols on information systems. ALGs are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services provided by default may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations. DoD continually assesses the ports, protocols, and services that can be used for network communications. Some ports, protocols or services have known exploits or security weaknesses. Network traffic using these ports, protocols, and services must be prohibited or restricted in accordance with DoD policy. The ALG is a key network element for preventing these non-compliant ports, protocols, and services from causing harm to DoD information systems. The network ALG must be configured to prevent or restrict the use of prohibited ports, protocols, and services throughout the network by filtering the network traffic and disallowing or redirecting traffic as necessary. Default and updated policy filters from the vendors will disallow older version of protocols and applications and will address most known non-secure ports, protocols, and/or services. However, sources for further policy filters are the IAVMs and the PPSM requirements.

STIG	Date
VMware NSX Distributed Firewall Security Technical Implementation Guide	2016-06-27

Details

Check Text ( C-69583r1_chk )
View the configuration and vendor documentation of the ALG application to find the minimum ports, protocols, and services which are required for operation of the ALG. Log into vSphere Web Client with credentials authorized for administration, navigate and select Networking and Security >> Firewall tab on the left side menu >> Configuration >> General Verify the NSX Distributed Firewall policy restricts the use of ports, protocols, and/or services with the Ports, Protocol, and Service Management (PPSM) and IAVM requirements. If ports, protocols, and/or services are not disabled or restricted as required by the PPSM, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-69583r1_chk )

View the configuration and vendor documentation of the ALG application to find the minimum ports, protocols, and services which are required for operation of the ALG.

Log into vSphere Web Client with credentials authorized for administration, navigate and select Networking and Security >> Firewall tab on the left side menu >> Configuration >> General

Verify the NSX Distributed Firewall policy restricts the use of ports, protocols, and/or services with the Ports, Protocol, and Service Management (PPSM) and IAVM requirements.

If ports, protocols, and/or services are not disabled or restricted as required by the PPSM, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-75331r1_fix)
Disable ports, protocols, and/or services not required for operation of the ALG application. Log into vSphere Web Client with credentials authorized for administration, navigate and select Networking and Security >> Firewall tab on the left side menu >> Configuration >> General >> Click on Green check in the number column to disable an individual distributed firewall rule >> Publish Changes. Once configuration is saved successfully verify the check is greyed out.

Fix Text (F-75331r1_fix)

Disable ports, protocols, and/or services not required for operation of the ALG application.

Log into vSphere Web Client with credentials authorized for administration, navigate and select Networking and Security >> Firewall tab on the left side menu >> Configuration >> General >> Click on Green check in the number column to disable an individual distributed firewall rule >> Publish Changes.

Once configuration is saved successfully verify the check is greyed out.