1.23 RHEL-09-213020

Information

RHEL 9 must prevent the loading of a new kernel for later execution.

GROUP ID: V-257799
RULE ID: SV-257799r1044850

Changes to any software components can have significant effects on the overall security of the operating system. This requirement ensures the software has not been tampered with and that it has been provided by a trusted vendor.

Disabling kexec_load prevents an unsigned kernel image (that could be a windows kernel or modified vulnerable kernel) from being loaded. Kexec can be used subvert the entire secureboot process and should be avoided at all costs especially since it can load unsigned kernel images.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227, SRG-OS-000366-GPOS-00153

Solution

Add or edit the following line in a system configuration file in the "/etc/sysctl.d/" directory:

kernel.kexec_load_disabled = 1

Load settings from all system configuration files with the following command:

$ sudo sysctl --system

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/22008

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-5(3), CAT|II, CCI|CCI-001749, CCI|CCI-003992, Rule-ID|SV-257799r1044850_rule, STIG-ID|RHEL-09-213020, Vuln-ID|V-257799

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 61e2015d755e2f206ac6bcca9008183e2c203a4e4c07f65832f30e307eff9807