The BIND 9.x server signature generation using the key signing key (KSK) must be done offline, using the KSK-private key stored offline.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-272373 | BIND-9X-001150 | SV-272373r1192864_rule | CCI-000186 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| The private key in the KSK key pair must be protected from unauthorized access. The private key must be stored offline (with respect to the internet-facing, DNSSEC-aware name server) in a physically secure, nonnetwork-accessible machine along with the zone file primary copy. Failure to protect the private KSK may have significant effects on the overall security of the DNS infrastructure. A compromised KSK could lead to an inability to detect unauthorized DNS zone data resulting in network traffic being redirected to a rogue site. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| BIND 9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2026-02-25 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-272373r1192864_chk)
Verify that no private KSKs are stored on the name server.
With the assistance of the DNS administrator, obtain a list of all DNSSEC private keys that are stored on the name server.
Inspect the signed zone files(s) and if there are local zones, look for the KSK key ID:
DNSKEY 257 3 8 ( <hash_algorithm) ; KSK ; alg = ECDSAP256SHA256; key id = 52807
Verify that none of the identified private keys are KSKs.
An example private KSK would look like the following:
Kexample.com.+008+52807.private
If private KSKs are stored on the name server, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-76330r1123980_fix)
Remove all private KSKs from the name server and ensure they are stored offline in a secure location.