Verify Permissions on SSH Server Public *.pub Key Files
Description
To properly set the permissions of /etc/ssh/*.pub, run the command:
$ sudo chmod 0644 /etc/ssh/*.pub
Rationale
If a public host key file is modified by an unauthorized user, the SSH service
may be compromised.
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
find -H /etc/ssh/ -maxdepth 1 -perm /u+xs,g+xws,o+xwt -type f -regextype posix-extended -regex '^.*\.pub$' -exec chmod u-xs,g-xws,o-xwt {} \;
else
>&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
Ansible playbook
The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.
- name: Find /etc/ssh/ file(s)
command: find -H /etc/ssh/ -maxdepth 1 -perm /u+xs,g+xws,o+xwt -type f -regextype
posix-extended -regex "^.*\.pub$"
register: files_found
changed_when: false
failed_when: false
check_mode: false
when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
tags:
- NIST-800-171-3.1.13
- NIST-800-171-3.13.10
- NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSS-Req-2.2.4
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_permissions_sshd_pub_key
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- name: Set permissions for /etc/ssh/ file(s)
file:
path: '{{ item }}'
mode: u-xs,g-xws,o-xwt
state: file
with_items:
- '{{ files_found.stdout_lines }}'
when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
tags:
- NIST-800-171-3.1.13
- NIST-800-171-3.13.10
- NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSS-Req-2.2.4
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_permissions_sshd_pub_key
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
