4.2.9 Ensure sshd HostbasedAuthentication is disabled

Information

The HostbasedAuthentication parameter specifies if authentication is allowed through trusted hosts via the user of .rhosts, or /etc/hosts.equiv, along with successful public key client host authentication.

Even though the .rhosts files are ineffective if support is disabled in /etc/pam.conf, disabling the ability to use .rhosts files in SSH provides an additional layer of protection.

Solution

Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file to set the parameter above any Include entries as follows:

HostbasedAuthentication no

See Also

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

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT, IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION

References: 800-53|CM-1, 800-53|CM-2, 800-53|CM-6, 800-53|CM-7, 800-53|IA-5

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: d77cbec5c7387c208b1529a11f6104c476417f1a38f005c4dcc5ddbd11f2765d