| Finding ID |
Severity |
Title |
Description |
|
V-242606
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must have a posture policy for posture required clients defined in the NAC System Security Plan (SSP). This is required for compliance with C2C Step 2. |
Posture assessments can reduce the risk that clients impose on networks. The posture policy is the function that can link requirements to applicable clients. Multiple requirements can be associated with a single policy. However, multiple polices can also be applicable to the same client. The posture policy operates in such... |
|
V-242605
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must enforce posture status assessment for posture required clients defined in the NAC System Security Plan (SSP). This is required for compliance with C2C Step 3. |
Posture assessments can reduce the risk that clients impose on networks by restricting or preventing access of noncompliant clients. If the posture assessment is not enforced, then access of clients not complying is not restricted allowing the risk of vulnerabilities being exposed.
Though the configuration is out of scope, one... |
|
V-242580
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must verify host-based IDS/IPS software is authorized and running on posture required clients defined in the NAC System Security Plan (SSP) prior to granting trusted network access. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Automated policy assessments must reflect the organization's current security policy so entry control decisions will happen only where remote endpoints meet the organization's security requirements. If the remote endpoints are allowed to connect to the organization's network without passing minimum-security controls, they become a threat to the entire network. |
|
V-242579
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must verify anti-malware software is installed and up to date on posture required clients defined in the NAC System Security Plan (SSP) prior to granting trusted network access. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
New viruses and malware are consistently being discovered. If the host-based security software is not current then it will not be able to defend against exploits that have been previously discovered. |
|
V-242578
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must verify host-based firewall software is running on posture required clients defined in the NAC System Security Plan (SSP) prior to granting trusted network access. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Automated policy assessments must reflect the organization's current security policy so entry control decisions will happen only where remote endpoints meet the organization's security requirements. If the remote endpoints are allowed to connect to the organization's network without passing minimum-security controls, they become a threat to the entire network. |
|
V-242577
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must be configured to profile endpoints connecting to the network. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
It is possible for endpoints to be manually added to an incorrect endpoint identity group. The endpoint policy can be dynamically set through profiling. If the endpoint group is statically set but the endpoint policy is set to dynamic, then it is possible to identify endpoints that may receive unintended... |
|
V-242576
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must enforce approved access by employing authorization policies with specific attributes; such as resource groups, device type, certificate attributes, or any other attributes that are specific to a group of endpoints, and/or mission conditions as defined in the site's Cisco ISE System Security Plan (SSP). This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Successful authentication must not automatically give an entity access to an asset or security boundary. The lack of authorization-based access control could result in the unauthorized network access.
Configuration policy sets with specific authorization policies. Policies consist of rules, where each rule consists of conditions to be met that allow... |
|
V-242575
|
High |
The Cisco ISE must use TLS 1.2, at a minimum, to protect the confidentiality of information passed between the endpoint agent and the Cisco ISE. This is This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
The agent may pass information about the endpoint to the Cisco ISE, which may be sensitive. Using older unauthorized versions or incorrectly configuring protocol negotiation makes the gateway vulnerable to known and unknown attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in this protocol. |
|
V-242604
|
Medium |
Before establishing a local, remote, and/or network connection with any endpoint device, the Cisco ISE must use a bidirectional authentication mechanism configured with a FIPS-validated Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cipher block algorithm to authenticate with the endpoint device. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
Bidirectional authentication provides stronger safeguards to validate the identity of other devices for connections that are of greater risk. Currently, DoD requires the use of AES for bidirectional authentication since it is the only FIPS-validated AES cipher block algorithm.
Because of the challenges of applying this requirement on a large... |
|
V-242603
|
Medium |
Before establishing a connection with a Network Time Protocol (NTP) server, the Cisco ISE must authenticate using a bidirectional, cryptographically based authentication method that uses a FIPS-validated Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cipher block algorithm to authenticate with the NTP server. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
If the NTP server is not authenticated, an attacker can introduce a rogue NTP server. This rogue server can then be used to send incorrect time information to network devices, which will make log timestamps inaccurate and affect scheduled actions. NTP authentication is used to prevent this tampering by authenticating... |
|
V-242602
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must be configured to dynamically apply restricted access of endpoints that are granted access using MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB). This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
MAB can be defeated by spoofing the MAC address of a valid device. MAB enables port-based access control using the MAC address of the endpoint. A MAB-enabled port can be dynamically enabled or disabled based on the MAC address of the device that connects to it.
NPE devices that can... |
|
V-242601
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must authenticate all endpoint devices before establishing a connection and proceeding with posture assessment. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Without authenticating devices, unidentified or unknown devices may be introduced, thereby facilitating malicious activity. However, failure to authenticate an endpoint does not need to result in connection termination or preclude compliance assessment. This is particularly true for unmanaged systems or when the Cisco ISE is performing network discovery.
Authentication methods... |
|
V-242600
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must deny network connection for endpoints that cannot be authenticated using an approved method. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Without identifying devices, unidentified or unknown devices may be introduced, thereby facilitating malicious activity. Identification failure does not need to result in connection termination or preclude compliance assessment. This is particularly true for unmanaged systems or when the Cisco ISE is performing network discovery. |
|
V-242599
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must perform continuous detection and tracking of endpoint devices attached to the network. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
Continuous scanning capabilities on the Cisco ISE provide visibility of devices that are connected to the switch ports. The Cisco ISE continuously scans networks and monitors the activity of managed and unmanaged devices, which can be personally owned or rogue endpoints. Because many of today's small devices do not include... |
|
V-242598
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must continue to queue traffic log records locally when communication with the central log server is lost and there is an audit archival failure. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
It is critical that when the network element is at risk of failing to process traffic logs as required, it takes action to mitigate the failure. Audit processing failures include software/hardware errors, failures in the audit capturing mechanisms, and audit storage capacity being reached or exceeded. Responses to audit failure... |
|
V-242597
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must generate a critical alert to be sent to the ISSO and SA (at a minimum) if it is unable to communicate with the central event log. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
It is critical for the appropriate personnel to be aware if a system is at risk of failing to process audit logs as required. Without this notification, the security personnel may be unaware of an impending failure of the audit capability and system operation may be adversely affected.
Audit processing... |
|
V-242596
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must be configured with a secondary log server in case the primary log is unreachable. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
It is critical for the appropriate personnel to be aware if a system is at risk of failing to process audit logs as required. Without this notification, the security personnel may be unaware of an impending failure of the audit capability and system operation may be adversely affected.
Audit processing... |
|
V-242595
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must provide an alert to, at a minimum, the SA and ISSO of all audit failure events where the detection and/or prevention function is unable to write events to either local storage or the centralized server. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
Without an alert, security personnel may be unaware of an impending failure of the audit capability and system operation may be adversely affected.
Alerts provide organizations with urgent messages. Alerts provide these messages immediately (i.e., the time from event detection to alert occurs in seconds or less).
This does not... |
|
V-242594
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must generate a critical alert to be sent to the ISSO and SA (at a minimum) in the event of an audit processing failure. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
It is critical for the appropriate personnel to be aware if a system is at risk of failing to process audit logs as required. Without an alert, security personnel may be unaware of an impending failure of the audit capability and system operation may be adversely affected.
Cisco ISE provides... |
|
V-242591
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must send an alert to the system administrator, at a minimum, when endpoints fail the policy assessment checks for organization-defined infractions. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 3. |
Failing the Cisco ISE assessment, means that an unauthorized machine has attempted to access the secure network. Without generating log records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident, or identify... |
|
V-242590
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must generate a log record when the client machine fails posture assessment because required security software is missing or has been deleted. This is This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
Failing the Cisco ISE assessment means an unauthorized machine has attempted to access the secure network. Without generating log records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident, or identify those... |
|
V-242589
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must generate a log record when an endpoint fails authentication. This is This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
Failing the Cisco ISE assessment means that an unauthorized machine has attempted to access the secure network. Without generating log records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident or identify... |
|
V-242588
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must deny or restrict access for endpoints that fail required posture checks. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Devices, which do not meet minimum-security configuration requirements, pose a risk to the DOD network and information assets.
Endpoint devices must be disconnected or given limited access as designated by the approval authority and system owner if the device fails the authentication or security assessment. The user will be presented... |
|
V-242587
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must be configured so client machines do not communicate with other network devices in the DMZ or subnet except as needed to perform an access client assessment or to identify themselves. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 2. |
Devices not compliant with DoD secure configuration policies are vulnerable to attack. Allowing these systems to connect presents a danger to the enclave.
This requirement gives the option to configure for automated remediation and/or manual remediation. Detailed record must be passed to the remediation server for action. Alternatively, the details... |
|
V-242586
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must place client machines on the blacklist and terminate the agent connection when critical security issues are found that put the network at risk. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4.
|
Since the Cisco ISE devices and servers should have no legitimate reason for communicating with other devices outside of the assessment solution, any direct communication with unrelated hosts would be suspect traffic. |
|
V-242585
|
Medium |
When endpoints fail the policy assessment, the Cisco ISE must create a record with sufficient detail suitable for forwarding to a remediation server for automated remediation or sending to the user for manual remediation. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 3. |
Failing the NAC assessment means that an unauthorized machine has attempted to access the secure network. Without generating log records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident, or identify those... |
|
V-242584
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must send an alert to the Information System Security Manager (ISSM) and System Administrator (SA), at a minimum, when security issues are found that put the network at risk. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 2. |
Trusted computing should require authentication and authorization of both the user's identity and the identity of the computing device. An authorized user may be accessing the network remotely from a computer that does not meet DoD standards. This may compromise user information, particularly before or after a VPN tunnel is... |
|
V-242583
|
Medium |
The Cisco ISE must be configured so that all endpoints that are allowed to bypass policy assessment are approved by the Information System Security Manager (ISSM) and documented in the System Security Plan (SSP). This is This is required for compliance with C2C Step 1. |
Connections that bypass established security controls should be only in cases of administrative need. These procedures and use cases must be approved by the Information System Security Manager (ISSM). |
|
V-242581
|
Medium |
For endpoints that require automated remediation, the Cisco ISE must be configured to redirect endpoints to a logically separate VLAN for remediation services. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 4. |
Automated and manual procedures for remediation for critical security updates will be managed differently. Continuing to assess and remediate endpoints with risks that could endanger the network could impact network usage for all users. This isolation prevents traffic from flowing with traffic from endpoints that have been fully assessed and... |
|
V-242582
|
Low |
The Cisco ISE must be configured to notify the user before proceeding with remediation of the user's endpoint device when automated remediation is used. This is required for compliance with C2C Step 3. |
Notification will let the user know that installation is in progress and may take a while. This notice may deter the user from disconnecting and retrying the connection before the remediation is completed. Premature disconnections may increase network demand and frustrate the user.
Note: This policy does not require remediation... |
