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The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that the SSH daemon does not permit Kerberos authentication unless needed.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-72261 RHEL-07-040440 SV-86885r3_rule Medium
Description
Kerberos authentication for SSH is often implemented using Generic Security Service Application Program Interface (GSSAPI). If Kerberos is enabled through SSH, the SSH daemon provides a means of access to the system's Kerberos implementation. Vulnerabilities in the system's Kerberos implementation may then be subject to exploitation. To reduce the attack surface of the system, the Kerberos authentication mechanism within SSH must be disabled for systems not using this capability.
STIG Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2018-11-28

Details

Check Text ( C-72495r1_chk )
Verify the SSH daemon does not permit Kerberos to authenticate passwords unless approved.

Check that the SSH daemon does not permit Kerberos to authenticate passwords with the following command:

# grep -i kerberosauth /etc/ssh/sshd_config
KerberosAuthentication no

If the "KerberosAuthentication" keyword is missing, or is set to "yes" and is not documented with the Information System Security Officer (ISSO), or the returned line is commented out, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-78615r2_fix)
Uncomment the "KerberosAuthentication" keyword in "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" (this file may be named differently or be in a different location if using a version of SSH that is provided by a third-party vendor) and set the value to "no":

KerberosAuthentication no

The SSH service must be restarted for changes to take effect.

If Kerberos authentication is required, it must be documented, to include the location of the configuration file, with the ISSO.