AlmaLinux OS 9 must require authentication to access emergency mode.

Overview

Finding IDVersionRule IDIA ControlsSeverity
V-269136ALMA-09-006180SV-269136r1050018_ruleCCI-000213medium
Description
This requirement prevents attackers with physical access from easily bypassing security on the machine and gaining root access. Such accesses are further prevented by configuring the bootloader password.
STIGDate
CloudLinux AlmaLinux OS 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide2025-05-22

Details

Check Text (C-269136r1050018_chk)

Verify that AlmaLinux OS 9 requires authentication for emergency mode with the following command: $ grep -E 'ExecStart.*sulogin' /usr/lib/systemd/system/emergency.service ExecStart=-/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sulogin-shell emergency If this line is not returned, or is commented out, this is a finding. If the output is different, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-73068r1049172_fix)

Configure AlmaLinux OS 9 to require authentication for emergency mode. Add or modify the following line in the "/usr/lib/systemd/system/emergency.service" file: ExecStart=-/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sulogin-shell emergency "sudo systemctl edit emergency.service" can also be used to create a "/etc/systemd/system/emergency.service.d/override.conf" file.