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SLEM-05-291010 - SLEM 5 wireless network adapters must be disabled unless approved and documented.

Information

Without protection of communications with wireless peripherals, confidentiality and integrity may be compromised because unprotected communications can be intercepted and either read, altered, or used to compromise SLEM 5.

This requirement applies to wireless peripheral technologies (e.g., wireless mice, keyboards, displays, etc.) used with a SLEM 5. Wireless peripherals (e.g., Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/IR keyboards, mice, pointing devices, and Near Field Communications [NFC]) present a unique challenge by creating an open, unsecured port on a computer. Wireless peripherals must meet DOD requirements for wireless data transmission and be approved for use by the AO. Even though some wireless peripherals, such as mice and pointing devices, do not ordinarily carry information that need to be protected, modification of communications with these wireless peripherals may be used to compromise SLEM 5. Communication paths outside the physical protection of a controlled boundary are exposed to the possibility of interception and modification.

Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of communications with wireless peripherals can be accomplished by physical means (e.g., employing physical barriers to wireless radio frequencies) or by logical means (e.g., employing cryptographic techniques). If physical means of protection are employed, then logical means (cryptography) do not have to be employed, and vice versa. If the wireless peripheral is only passing telemetry data, encryption of the data may not be required.

NOTE: Nessus has provided the target output to assist in reviewing the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

Configure SLEM 5 to disable all wireless network interfaces.

Run "nmcli device status" and note the device name from the DEVICE column for any wireless devices (e.g., wlan0).

Set the device to unmanaged using the device name:
 > sudo nmcli device set wlan0 managed no

Set the software switches to "off" with the following commands:
 > sudo nmcli radio wwan off
 > sudo nmcli radio wifi off

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_SLEM_5_V1R4_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: ACCESS CONTROL, SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|AC-18(1), 800-53|SC-8, CAT|II, CCI|CCI-001443, CCI|CCI-001444, CCI|CCI-002418, Rule-ID|SV-261346r1184409_rule, STIG-ID|SLEM-05-291010, Vuln-ID|V-261346

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: d32d5bb04924fda0ac805b28643f125b05ecbd8dbd8770e3393557fb2a3d8956