Verify Permissions on SSH Server config file
Description
To properly set the permissions of /etc/ssh/sshd_config, run the command:
$ sudo chmod 0600 /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Rationale
Service configuration files enable or disable features of their respective
services that if configured incorrectly can lead to insecure and vulnerable
configurations. Therefore, service configuration files should be owned by the
correct group to prevent unauthorized changes.
Shell script
The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.
#!/bin/bash
# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if [ ! -f /.dockerenv ] && [ ! -f /run/.containerenv ]; then
chmod u-xs,g-xwrs,o-xwrt /etc/ssh/sshd_config
else
>&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
Ansible playbook
The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.
- name: Test for existence /etc/ssh/sshd_config
stat:
path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
register: file_exists
when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
tags:
- NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_permissions_sshd_config
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- name: Ensure permission u-xs,g-xwrs,o-xwrt on /etc/ssh/sshd_config
file:
path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
mode: u-xs,g-xwrs,o-xwrt
when:
- ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
- file_exists.stat is defined and file_exists.stat.exists
tags:
- NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_permissions_sshd_config
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
