V-238304

Discussion

In certain situations, software applications/programs need to execute with elevated privileges to perform required functions. However, if the privileges required for execution are at a higher level than the privileges assigned to organizational users invoking such applications/programs, those users are indirectly provided with greater privileges than assigned by the organizations. Some programs and processes are required to operate at a higher privilege level and therefore should be excluded from the organization-defined software list after review. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000326-GPOS-00126, SRG-OS-000327-GPOS-00127

Check Content

Verify the Ubuntu operating system audits the execution of privilege functions by auditing the "execve" system call. 
 
Check the currently configured audit rules with the following command: 
 
$ sudo auditctl -l | grep execve 
 
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F euid=0 -F key=execpriv  
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -C gid!=egid -F egid=0 -F key=execpriv  
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S execve -C uid!=euid -F euid=0 -F key=execpriv  
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S execve -C gid!=egid -F egid=0 -F key=execpriv 
 
If the command does not return lines that match the example or the lines are commented out, this is a finding. 
 
Notes: 
- For 32-bit architectures, only the 32-bit specific output lines from the commands are required. 
- The "-k" allows for specifying an arbitrary identifier, and the string after it does not need to match the example output above.