Title

Administrators must be the only users allowed access to the directory tree, the shell, or other operating system functions and utilities. (Cat I impact)

Discussion

As a rule, accounts on a web server are to be kept to a minimum. Only administrators, web managers, developers, auditors, and web authors require accounts on the machine hosting the web server. This is in addition to the anonymous web user account. The resources to which these accounts have access must also be closely monitored and controlled. Only the SA needs access to all the system’s capabilities, while the web administrator and associated staff require access and control of the web content and web server configuration files. The anonymous web user account must not have access to system resources as that account could then control the server.

Check Content

Windows 2008 servers may be impacted by this check. If the SA or the web administrator can demonstrate that this requirement will adversely affect the web server by providing vendor documentation, this check is not applicable. Search all of the system’s hard drives for the command.com and cmd.exe files. The allowed permissions on these files are: System Full Control Administrators Full Control Examine account access and any group membership access to these files. If any non-administrator account, group membership, or service ID has any access to any command.com or cmd.exe files and the access is documented as mission critical, this is not a finding. Examine access to operating system configuration files, scripts, utilities, privileges, and functions. If any non-administrator account, group membership, or service ID has any access to any of these operating system components and the access is documented as mission critical, this is not a finding. If any non-administrator account, group membership, or service ID has undocumented access to any listed file or operating system component, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Ensure non-administrators are not allowed access to the directory tree, the shell, or other operating system functions and utilities.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-36509r1_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-2247

Group Title: WG200

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.