Vulnerability Discussion

Without cryptographic integrity protections, information can be altered by unauthorized users without detection.

Remote access (e.g., RDP) is access to DOD nonpublic information systems by an authorized user (or an information system) communicating through an external, nonorganization-controlled network. Remote access methods include, for example, dial-up, broadband, and wireless.

Cryptographic mechanisms used for protecting the integrity of information include, for example, signed hash functions using asymmetric cryptography enabling distribution of the public key to verify the hash information while maintaining the confidentiality of the secret key used to generate the hash.

Check

Verify if GnuTLS uses defined DOD-approved TLS Crypto Policy with the following command:

$ update-crypto-policies --show
FIPS

If the system wide crypto policy is not set to "FIPS", this is a finding.

Fix

Configure the AlmaLinux OS 9 GnuTLS library to use only NIST-approved encryption with the following steps to enable FIPS mode:

$ fips-mode-setup --enable

A reboot is required for the changes to take effect.