Amazon Linux 2023 must generate audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect /etc/passwd.

STIG ID: AZLX-23-002250  |  SRG: SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004 |  Severity: medium (CAT II)  |  CCI: CCI-000018,CCI-000130,CCI-000135,CCI-000169,CCI-000015,CCI-002884,CCI-000172,CCI-001403,CCI-001404,CCI-001405,CCI-002130 |  Vulnerability Id: V-274113

Vulnerability Discussion

In addition to auditing new user and group accounts, these watches will alert the system administrator(s) (SAs) to any modifications. Any unexpected users, groups, or modifications should be investigated for legitimacy.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004, SRG-OS-000037-GPOS-00015, SRG-OS-000042-GPOS-00020, SRG-OS-000062-GPOS-00031, SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121, SRG-OS-000392-GPOS-00172, SRG-OS-000462-GPOS-00206, SRG-OS-000470-GPOS-00214, SRG-OS-000471-GPOS-00215, SRG-OS-000239-GPOS-00089, SRG-OS-000240-GPOS-00090, SRG-OS-000241-GPOS-00091, SRG-OS-000303-GPOS-00120, SRG-OS-000466-GPOS-00210, SRG-OS-000476-GPOS-00221, SRG-OS-000274-GPOS-00104, SRG-OS-000275-GPOS-00105, SRG-OS-000276-GPOS-00106, SRG-OS-000277-GPOS-00107

Check

Verify Amazon Linux 2023 generates audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect "/etc/passwd" with the following command:

$ sudo auditctl -l | egrep '(/etc/passwd)'
-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k identity

If the command does not return a line, or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Fix

Configure Amazon Linux 2023 to generate audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect "/etc/passwd".

Add or update the following file system rule to "/etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules":

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

To load the rules to the kernel immediately, use the following command:

$ sudo augenrules --load
This website is not created by, run, approved, or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense. Use at your own risk. This website is created by open-source software.