SLEM-05-654140 - SLEM 5 must generate audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect /etc/passwd.

Information

Once an attacker establishes initial access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to simply create a new account. Auditing account creation mitigates this risk.

To address access requirements, SLEM 5 may be integrated with enterprise-level authentication/access/auditing mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements.

Solution

Configure SLEM 5 to generate an audit record when all modifications to the "/etc/passwd" file occur.

Add or modify the following line in the "/etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules" file:

-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k account_mod

To reload the rules file, restart the audit daemon:

> sudo systemctl restart auditd.service

or issue the following command:

> sudo augenrules --load

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_SLEM_5_V1R3_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: ACCESS CONTROL, AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

References: 800-53|AC-2(4), 800-53|AU-12c., CAT|II, CCI|CCI-000018, CCI|CCI-000172, CCI|CCI-001403, CCI|CCI-001404, CCI|CCI-001405, CCI|CCI-001683, CCI|CCI-001684, CCI|CCI-001685, CCI|CCI-001686, CCI|CCI-002130, CCI|CCI-002132, Rule-ID|SV-261451r996760_rule, STIG-ID|SLEM-05-654140, Vuln-ID|V-261451

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 3175560c7090d70d24ab5b6b5402dd2c973bd0f910ea64c38b6eb16d2fb00405