2.2.17 Ensure NIS Server is not enabled

Information

The Network Information Service (NIS) (formally known as Yellow Pages) is a client-server
directory service protocol for distributing system configuration files. The NIS server is a
collection of programs that allow for the distribution of configuration files.

Rationale:

The NIS service is inherently an insecure system that has been vulnerable to DOS attacks,
buffer overflows and has poor authentication for querying NIS maps. NIS generally has
been replaced by such protocols as Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). It is
recommended that the service be disabled and other, more secure services be used

Solution

Run one of the following commands to disable ypserv :

# chkconfig ypserv off

# systemctl disable ypserv

# update-rc.d ypserv disable

Notes:

Additional methods of disabling a service exist. Consult your distribution documentation
for appropriate methods.

On some distributions the NIS service is known as nis, not ypserv.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/2420

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-7b., CSCv6|9.1, CSCv7|9.2

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 98d7b53f4f27caa33a55213e66e28dcee81d8814d8816cac7e249d018505c3ab