6.4 Set Default Screen Lock for GNOME Users

Information

The timeout parameter dictates the invocation of a password-protected screen saver after a specified time of keyboard and mouse inactivity, specific to the xscreensaver application used in the GNOME windowing environment.

Rationale:

As a screensaver timeout provides protection for a desktop that has not been locked by the user upon his/her departure, to help prevent session hijacking, this value should be set as appropriate to the needs of the user.

Solution

Perform the following to implement the recommended state:

# cd /usr/share/X11/app-defaults

# cp XScreenSaver XScreenSaver.orig

# awk '/^*timeout:/ { $2 = '0:10:00' } /^*lockTimeout:/ { $2 = '0:00:00' } /^*lock:/ { $2 = 'True' } { print }' xScreenSaver > xScreenSaver.CIS

# mv xScreenSaver.CIS xScreenSaver

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/4777