The echo daemon must be disabled on AIX.

Overview

Finding IDVersionRule IDIA ControlsSeverity
V-215391AIX7-00-003086SV-215391r958478_ruleCCI-000381medium
Description
The echo service can be used in Denial of Service or SMURF attacks. It can also be used by someone else to get through a firewall or start a data storm. The echo service is unnecessary and it increases the attack vector of the system.
STIGDate
IBM AIX 7.x Security Technical Implementation Guide2024-08-16

Details

Check Text (C-215391r958478_chk)

Check the /etc/inetd.conf for TCP and UDP echo service entries using command: # grep echo /etc/inetd.conf | grep -v \# If there is any output from the command, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-16587r294625_fix)

In "/etc/inetd.conf", comment out the "echo" entries by running commands: # chsubserver -r inetd -C /etc/inetd.conf -d -v 'echo' -p 'tcp' # chsubserver -r inetd -C /etc/inetd.conf -d -v 'echo' -p 'udp' Restart inetd: # refresh -s inetd