The Photon operating system must configure sshd to disable X11 forwarding.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V-256549 | PHTN-30-000080 | SV-256549r887321_rule | Medium |
| Description |
|---|
| X11 is an older, insecure graphics forwarding protocol. It is not used by Photon and should be disabled as a general best practice to limit attack surface area and communication channels. |
| STIG | Date |
|---|---|
| VMware vSphere 7.0 vCenter Appliance Photon OS Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2023-12-01 |
Details
| Check Text ( C-60224r887319_chk ) |
|---|
| At the command line, run the following command: # sshd -T|&grep -i X11Forwarding Expected result: X11Forwarding no If the output does not match the expected result, this is a finding. |
| Fix Text (F-60167r887320_fix) |
|---|
| Navigate to and open: /etc/ssh/sshd_config Ensure the "X11Forwarding" line is uncommented and set to the following: X11Forwarding no At the command line, run the following command: # systemctl restart sshd.service |