Title

Any X Windows host must write .Xauthority files. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

.Xauthority files ensure the user is authorized to access the specific X Windows host. If .Xauthority files are not used, it may be possible to obtain unauthorized access to the X Windows host.

Check Content

Check for .Xauthority files being utilized by looking for such files in the home directory of a user using X. Get a list of (non-system account) users and the associated home directories. # cat /etc/passwd | cut -f 1,6 -d ":" Inspect individual user home directories for the .Xauthority file. # find <f6 from the above command> -type f -name "\.Xauthority" -exec ls -lLa {} \; If the .Xauthority file does not exist, ask the SA if the user is using X Windows. If the user is utilizing X Windows and the .Xauthority file does not exist, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Ensure the X Windows host is configured to write .Xauthority files into user home directories. Edit the file. Ensure the line writing the .Xauthority file is uncommented.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-35160r1_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-850

Group Title: GEN005160

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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