Title

RHEL 8 systems below version 8.2 must configure SELinux context type to allow the use of a non-default faillock tally directory. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-force attacks, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account. From "Pam_Faillock" man pages: Note that the default directory that "pam_faillock" uses is usually cleared on system boot so the access will be reenabled after system reboot. If that is undesirable, a different tally directory must be set with the "dir" option. SELinux, enforcing a targeted policy, will require any non-default tally directory's security context type to match the default directory's security context type. Without updating the security context type, the pam_faillock module will not write failed login attempts to the non-default tally directory.

Check Content

If the system does not have SELinux enabled and enforcing a targeted policy, or if the pam_faillock module is not configured for use, this requirement is not applicable. Note: This check applies to RHEL versions 8.0 and 8.1. If the system is RHEL version 8.2 or newer, this check is not applicable. Verify the location of the non-default tally directory for the pam_faillock module with the following command: $ sudo grep -w dir /etc/pam.d/password-auth auth required pam_faillock.so preauth dir=/var/log/faillock auth required pam_faillock.so authfail dir=/var/log/faillock Check the security context type of the non-default tally directory with the following command: $ sudo ls -Zd /var/log/faillock unconfined_u:object_r:faillog_t:s0 /var/log/faillock If the security context type of the non-default tally directory is not "faillog_t", this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure RHEL 8 to allow the use of a non-default faillock tally directory while SELinux enforces a targeted policy. Update the /etc/selinux/targeted/contexts/files/file_contexts.local with "faillog_t" context type for the non-default faillock tally directory with the following command: $ sudo semanage fcontext -a -t faillog_t "/var/log/faillock(/.*)?" Next, update the context type of the non-default faillock directory/subdirectories and files with the following command: $ sudo restorecon -R -v /var/log/faillock

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-250316r854080_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-250316

Group Title: SRG-OS-000021-GPOS-00005

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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