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1.1.2.5.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/log partition

Information

The noexec mount option specifies that the filesystem cannot contain executable binaries.

WARNING This option was not designed as a security feature and no guarantee is made that it will prevent malicious code execution; for example, it is still possible to execute scripts which reside on a noexec mounted partition.

Since the /var/log filesystem is only intended for log files, set this option to ensure that users cannot run executable binaries from /var/log.

Solution

- IF - a separate partition exists for /var/log.

Edit the /etc/fstab file and add noexec to the fourth field (mounting options) for the /var/log partition.

Example:

<device> /var/log <fstype> rw,nosuid,noexec 0 0

Run the following command to remount /var/log with the configured options:

# mount -u -o noexec /var/log

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/19044

Item Details

Category: ACCESS CONTROL, MEDIA PROTECTION

References: 800-53|AC-3, 800-53|AC-5, 800-53|AC-6, 800-53|MP-2, CSCv7|14.6

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 5f5852b2e8710276c17f87355c86a19770c540cb58e717bc746c20a7dfd6d26b