Title

The operating system must implement non-executable data to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

Some adversaries launch attacks with the intent of executing code in non-executable regions of memory or in memory locations that are prohibited. Security safeguards employed to protect memory include, for example, data execution prevention and address space layout randomization. Data execution prevention safeguards can either be hardware-enforced or software-enforced with hardware providing the greater strength of mechanism. Examples of attacks are buffer overflow attacks. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000433-GPOS-00192

Check Content

Verify the operating system implements non-executable data to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution. If it does not, this is a finding. $ sysctl kern | grep nxstack kern.elf32.nxstack: 1 kern.elf64.nxstack: 1 If "1" is not displayed for elf32 and elf64, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure the operating system to implement non-executable data to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID:

Vulnerability ID: V-1920

Group Title:

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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