The Arista MLS switch must have Root Guard enabled on all switch ports connecting to access layer switches and hosts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-255970	ARST-L2-000050	SV-255970r882252_rule		Low

Description
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) does not provide any means for the network administrator to securely enforce the topology of the switched network. Any switch can be the root bridge in a network. However, a more optimal forwarding topology places the root bridge at a specific predetermined location. With the standard STP, any bridge in the network with a lower bridge ID takes the role of the root bridge. The administrator cannot enforce the position of the root bridge but can set the root bridge priority to 0 in an effort to secure the root bridge position.

Description

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) does not provide any means for the network administrator to securely enforce the topology of the switched network. Any switch can be the root bridge in a network. However, a more optimal forwarding topology places the root bridge at a specific predetermined location. With the standard STP, any bridge in the network with a lower bridge ID takes the role of the root bridge. The administrator cannot enforce the position of the root bridge but can set the root bridge priority to 0 in an effort to secure the root bridge position.

STIG	Date
Arista MLS EOS 4.2x L2S Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-01-11

Details

Check Text ( C-59646r882250_chk )
Review the Arista MLS switch topology as well as the configuration to verify that root guard is enabled on switch ports facing switches that are downstream from the root bridge. Example: switch#sh run \| sec guard root interface Ethernet37 spanning-tree guard root If the Arista MLS switch has not enabled guard root on all ports connecting to the access layer where the root bridge must not appear, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-59646r882250_chk )

Review the Arista MLS switch topology as well as the configuration to verify that root guard is enabled on switch ports facing switches that are downstream from the root bridge.

Example:
switch#sh run | sec guard root
interface Ethernet37
spanning-tree guard root

If the Arista MLS switch has not enabled guard root on all ports connecting to the access layer where the root bridge must not appear, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-59589r882251_fix)
The Arista MLS switch must be configured for spanning-tree guard root mode on all ports connecting to the access layer interface. Configure Arista MLS switch Ethernet interface with the following commands: switch#config switch(config)interface Ethernet[X] switch(config-if-Et[X])#spanning-tree guard root switch(config-if-Et[X])#exit !