Detections
Analytics

6.2.3.16 Ensure events that modify /etc/pam.conf and /etc/pam.d/ information are collected

Information

Record events affecting the modification of user or group information, including that of passwords and old passwords if in use.

 - /etc/pam.conf - file determines the authentication services to be used, and the order in which the services are used.
 - /etc/pam.d - directory contains the PAM configuration files for each PAM-aware application.

Unexpected changes to these files could be an indication that the system has been compromised and that an unauthorized user is attempting to hide their activities or compromise additional accounts.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000062-GPOS-00031, SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004, SRG-OS-000037-GPOS-00015, SRG-OS-000042-GPOS-00020, SRG-OS-000062-GPOS-00031, SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121, SRG-OS-000392-GPOS-00172, SRG-OS-000462-GPOS-00206, SRG-OS-000470-GPOS-00214, SRG-OS-000471-GPOS-00215, SRG-OS-000239-GPOS-00089, SRG-OS-000240-GPOS-00090, SRG-OS-000241-GPOS-00091, SRG-OS-000303-GPOS-00120, SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121, SRG-OS-000476-GPOS-00221

Solution

- Edit or create a file in the /etc/audit/rules.d/ directory, ending in .rules extension, with the relevant rules to monitor events that modify user/group information.

Example:

# printf "
-w /etc/pam.conf -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/pam.d -p wa -k identity
" >> /etc/audit/rules.d/50-identity.rules

 - Merge and load the rules into active configuration:

# augenrules --load

 - Check if reboot is required:

# if [[ $(auditctl -s | grep "enabled") =~ "2" ]]; then printf "Reboot required to load rules\n"; fi

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/26893

Item Details

Category: AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

References: 800-53|AU-3, 800-53|AU-3(1), 800-53|AU-7, 800-53|AU-12, 800-53|AU-12a., CSCv7|4.8

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 7afc686600638dbd9b1a9e3ee80b5f62d3b1202361fa6517cb13096760710f88