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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 HostbasedAuthentication parameter to no above any Match entries as follows:

HostbasedAuthentication no

Note: First occurrence of a option takes precedence, Match set statements withstanding.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/15023

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: a71f45b1ce3b24d7b8e62fae938eb33cfe0480c98dcedfaffdf8321f9d16ea1d