Check: GEN006000
HP-UX 11.31 STIG:
GEN006000
(in versions v1 r19 through v1 r13)
Title
The system must not have a public Instant Messaging (IM) client installed. (Cat II impact)
Discussion
Public IM systems are not approved for use and may result in the unauthorized distribution of information. IM clients provide a way for a user to send a message to one or more other users in real time. Additional capabilities may include file transfer and support for distributed game playing. Communication between clients and associated directory services are managed through messaging servers. Commercial IM clients include AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. IM clients present a security issue when the clients route messages through public servers. The obvious implication is potentially sensitive information could be intercepted or altered in the course of transmission. This same issue is associated with the use of public e-mail servers. In order to reduce the potential for disclosure of sensitive government information and to ensure the validity of official government information, IM clients connecting to public IM services will not be installed. Clients using access to internal or DoD-controlled IM services are permitted.
Check Content
NOTE: This will virtually always require a manual review. If an IM client is installed, ask the SA if it has access to any public domain IM servers. If it does have access to public servers, this is a finding.
Fix Text
Uninstall the IM client from the system, or configure the client to only connect to DoD-approved IM services.
Additional Identifiers
Rule ID: SV-35205r1_rule
Vulnerability ID: V-12024
Group Title: GEN006000
Expert Comments
CCIs
Number | Definition |
---|---|
CCI-000366 |
The organization implements the security configuration settings. |
CCI-001154 |
The information system or supporting environment blocks both inbound and outbound traffic between instant messaging clients that are independently configured by end users and external service providers. |
Controls
Number | Title |
---|---|
CM-6 |
Configuration Settings |