Configure Periodic Execution of AIDE
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At a minimum, AIDE should be configured to run a weekly scan.
To implement a daily execution of AIDE at 4:05am using cron, add the following line to /etc/crontab
:
05 4 * * * root /usr/bin/aide.wrapper --config /etc/aide/aide.conf --check
To implement a weekly execution of AIDE at 4:05am using cron, add the following line to /etc/crontab
:
05 4 * * 0 root /usr/bin/aide.wrapper --config /etc/aide/aide.conf --check
AIDE can be executed periodically through other means; this is merely one example.
The usage of cron’s special time codes, such as @daily
and
@weekly
is acceptable.
Rationale
By default, AIDE does not install itself for periodic execution. Periodically
running AIDE is necessary to reveal unexpected changes in installed files.
Unauthorized changes to the baseline configuration could make the system vulnerable
to various attacks or allow unauthorized access to the operating system. Changes to
operating system configurations can have unintended side effects, some of which may
be relevant to security.
Detecting such changes and providing an automated response can help avoid unintended,
negative consequences that could ultimately affect the security state of the operating
system. The operating system’s Information Management Officer (IMO)/Information System
Security Officer (ISSO) and System Administrators (SAs) must be notified via email and/or
monitoring system trap when there is an unauthorized modification of a configuration item.
Shell script
The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.
#!/bin/bash
# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}
' 'kernel' 2>/dev/null | grep -q installed; then
DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y "aide"
# AiDE usually adds its own cron jobs to /etc/cron.daily. If script is there, this rule is
# compliant. Otherwise, we copy the script to the /etc/cron.weekly
if ! grep -Eq '^(\/usr\/bin\/)?aide(\.wrapper)?\s+' /etc/cron.*/*; then
cp -f /usr/share/aide/config/cron.daily/aide /etc/cron.weekly/
fi
else
>&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
Ansible playbook
The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.
- name: Gather the package facts
package_facts:
manager: auto
tags:
- CJIS-5.10.1.3
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-20-010074
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-SI-7
- NIST-800-53-SI-7(1)
- PCI-DSS-Req-11.5
- PCI-DSSv4-11.5.2
- aide_periodic_cron_checking
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Ensure AIDE is installed
package:
name: '{{ item }}'
state: present
with_items:
- aide
when: '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- CJIS-5.10.1.3
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-20-010074
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-SI-7
- NIST-800-53-SI-7(1)
- PCI-DSS-Req-11.5
- PCI-DSSv4-11.5.2
- aide_periodic_cron_checking
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Set cron package name - RedHat
set_fact:
cron_pkg_name: cronie
when:
- '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
- ansible_os_family == "RedHat" or ansible_os_family == "Suse"
tags:
- CJIS-5.10.1.3
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-20-010074
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-SI-7
- NIST-800-53-SI-7(1)
- PCI-DSS-Req-11.5
- PCI-DSSv4-11.5.2
- aide_periodic_cron_checking
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Set cron package name - Debian
set_fact:
cron_pkg_name: cron
when:
- '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
- ansible_os_family == "Debian"
tags:
- CJIS-5.10.1.3
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-20-010074
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-SI-7
- NIST-800-53-SI-7(1)
- PCI-DSS-Req-11.5
- PCI-DSSv4-11.5.2
- aide_periodic_cron_checking
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Install cron
package:
name: '{{ cron_pkg_name }}'
state: present
when: '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- CJIS-5.10.1.3
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-20-010074
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-SI-7
- NIST-800-53-SI-7(1)
- PCI-DSS-Req-11.5
- PCI-DSSv4-11.5.2
- aide_periodic_cron_checking
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- name: Configure Periodic Execution of AIDE
cron:
name: run AIDE check
minute: 5
hour: 4
weekday: 0
user: root
job: /usr/bin/aide.wrapper --check
when: '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- CJIS-5.10.1.3
- DISA-STIG-UBTU-20-010074
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- NIST-800-53-SI-7
- NIST-800-53-SI-7(1)
- PCI-DSS-Req-11.5
- PCI-DSSv4-11.5.2
- aide_periodic_cron_checking
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy