2.3.1 Ensure NIS Client is not installed

Information

The Network Information Service (NIS), formerly known as Yellow Pages, is a client-server
directory service protocol used to distribute system configuration files. The NIS client (
ypbind ) was used to bind a machine to an NIS server and receive the distributed
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been replaced by such protocols as Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).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 removed.

Solution

Uninstall ypbind using the appropriate package manager or manual installation:

yum remove ypbind

apt-get remove ypbind

zypper remove ypbind

Impact:

Many insecure service clients are used as troubleshooting tools and in testing
environments. Uninstalling them can inhibit capability to test and troubleshoot. If they are
required it is advisable to remove the clients after use to prevent accidental or intentional
misuse.

See Also

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