The RHEL 8 SSH private host key files must have mode 0640 or less permissive.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-230287 | RHEL-08-010490 | SV-230287r1017098_rule | CCI-000366 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| If an unauthorized user obtains the private SSH host key file, the host could be impersonated. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-14 | |||
Related Frameworks
4 paths across 3 frameworks
Related Frameworks
NIST 800-531 mapping
CM-6
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
NIST 800-1712 mappings
3.4.1
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
- NIST · Rev 2 (Feb 2020, errata Jan 2021) · nist_800_171_app_d · equivalent
3.4.2
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
- NIST · Rev 2 (Feb 2020, errata Jan 2021) · nist_800_171_app_d · equivalent
CCI1 mapping
CCI-000366
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
Details
Check Text (C-230287r1017098_chk)
Verify the SSH private host key files have mode "0640" or less permissive with the following command:
$ sudo ls -l /etc/ssh/ssh_host*key
-rw-r----- 1 root ssh_keys 668 Nov 28 06:43 ssh_host_dsa_key
-rw-r----- 1 root ssh_keys 582 Nov 28 06:43 ssh_host_key
-rw-r----- 1 root ssh_keys 887 Nov 28 06:43 ssh_host_rsa_key
If any private host key file has a mode more permissive than "0640", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-32931r880713_fix)
Configure the mode of SSH private host key files under "/etc/ssh" to "0640" with the following command:
$ sudo chmod 0640 /etc/ssh/ssh_host*key
The SSH daemon must be restarted for the changes to take effect. To restart the SSH daemon, run the following command:
$ sudo systemctl restart sshd.service