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1.1.2.6.3 Ensure noexec option set on /var/audit 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/audit filesystem is only intended for audit logs, set this option to ensure that users cannot run executable binaries from /var/audit.

Solution

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

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

Example:

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

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

# mount -u -o noexec /var/audit

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: cd939e4afbc7fb68fb50381185b47c272f80d1db6036f35590e696a58041533f