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V-271761

CAT II (Medium)

OL 9 must implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.

Rule ID

SV-271761r1091995_rule

STIG

Oracle Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V1R5

CCIs

CCI-002824

Discussion

ASLR makes it more difficult for an attacker to predict the location of attack code they have introduced into a process' address space during an attempt at exploitation. Additionally, ASLR makes it more difficult for an attacker to know the location of existing code to repurpose it using return-oriented programming (ROP) techniques.

Check Content

Verify that OL 9 is implementing ASLR with the following command:

$ sysctl kernel.randomize_va_space
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

If "kernel.randomize_va_space" is not set to "2" or is missing, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure OL 9 to implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.

Add or edit the following line in a system configuration file in the "/etc/sysctl.d/" directory:

kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

Reload settings from all system configuration files with the following command:

$ sudo sysctl --system