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O19C-00-013700 - Oracle Database must ensure users are authenticated with an individual authenticator prior to using a shared authenticator.

Information

To assure individual accountability and prevent unauthorized access, application users (and any processes acting on behalf of users) must be individually identified and authenticated.

A shared authenticator is a generic account used by multiple individuals. Use of a shared authenticator alone does not uniquely identify individual users. An example of a shared authenticator is the Unix OS "root" user account, a Windows "administrator" account, a "SA" account, or a "helpdesk" account.

For example, the Unix and Windows operating systems offer a "switch user" capability allowing users to authenticate with their individual credentials and, when needed, switch to the administrator role. This method provides for unique individual authentication prior to using a shared authenticator.

Some applications may not have the need to provide a group authenticator; this is considered a matter of application design. In those instances where the application design includes the use of a shared authenticator, this requirement will apply.

There may also be instances when specific user actions need to be performed on the information system without unique user identification or authentication. An example of this type of access is a web server which contains publicly releasable information. These types of accesses are allowed but must be explicitly identified and documented by the organization.

When shared accounts are used without another means of identifying individual users, users may deny having performed a particular action.

Oracle Access Manager may be helpful in meeting this requirement.

Oracle Access Manager is used when there is a need for multifactor authentication of applications front-ending Oracle Datasets that may use group accounts. Oracle Access Manager supports using PKI-based smart cards (CAC, PIV) for multifactor authentication. When a user authenticates to a smart card application, the smart card engine produces a certificate-based authentication token. Can configure a certificate-based authentication scheme in Oracle Access Manager that uses information from the smart card certificate. Certificate-based authentication works with any smart card or similar device that presents an X.509 certificate.

NOTE: Nessus has not performed this check. Please review the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

Configure the DBMS, OS, and/or enterprise-level authentication/access mechanism to require individual authentication prior to authentication for shared account access.

If appropriate, install Oracle Access Manager to provide multifactor authentication of applications front-ending Oracle Databases and using shared accounts. After installation, use x509 Authentication modules provided out of the box.

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_Oracle_Database_19c_V1R1_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION

References: 800-53|IA-2, CAT|II, CCI|CCI-000764, Rule-ID|SV-270559r1068298_rule, STIG-ID|O19C-00-013700, Vuln-ID|V-270559

Plugin: OracleDB

Control ID: dd85903ed128fcca03071d36b5d3285586ec2f5c3e327b25c6bd953c1e6d7f30