Description

The telnet client allows users to start connections to other systems via the telnet protocol.

Rationale

The telnet protocol is insecure and unencrypted. The use of an unencrypted transmission medium could allow an unauthorized user to steal credentials. The ssh package provides an encrypted session and stronger security and is included in Ubuntu 20.04.

Remediation

Shell script

The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.

#!/bin/bash

# CAUTION: This remediation script will remove telnet
#	   from the system, and may remove any packages
#	   that depend on telnet. Execute this
#	   remediation AFTER testing on a non-production
#	   system!

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get remove -y "telnet"

Ansible playbook

The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.

- name: Ensure telnet is removed
  package:
    name: telnet
    state: absent
  tags:
  - NIST-800-171-3.1.13
  - PCI-DSSv4-2.2.4
  - disable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - low_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - package_telnet_removed