Add nodev Option to /var/log

Documentos > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Add nodev Option to /var/log

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Description

The nodev mount option can be used to prevent device files from being created in /var/log. Legitimate character and block devices should exist only in the /dev directory on the root partition or within chroot jails built for system services. Add the nodev option to the fourth column of /etc/fstab for the line which controls mounting of /var/log.

Rationale

The only legitimate location for device files is the /dev directory located on the root partition. The only exception to this is chroot jails.

Remediation

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 ( ! ( { rpm --quiet -q kernel ;} && { rpm --quiet -q rpm-ostree ;} && { rpm --quiet -q bootc ;} ) && ! ( [ -f /.dockerenv ] || [ -f /run/.containerenv ] ) ) && { findmnt --kernel "/var/log" > /dev/null || findmnt --fstab "/var/log" > /dev/null; }; then

function perform_remediation {
    
        # the mount point /var/log has to be defined in /etc/fstab
        # before this remediation can be executed. In case it is not defined, the
        # remediation aborts and no changes regarding the mount point are done.
        mount_point_match_regexp="$(printf "^[[:space:]]*[^#].*[[:space:]]%s[[:space:]]" "/var/log")"

    grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" -q /etc/fstab \
        || { echo "The mount point '/var/log' is not even in /etc/fstab, so we can't set up mount options" >&2;
                echo "Not remediating, because there is no record of /var/log in /etc/fstab" >&2; return 1; }
    


    mount_point_match_regexp="$(printf "^[[:space:]]*[^#].*[[:space:]]%s[[:space:]]" /var/log)"

    # If the mount point is not in /etc/fstab, get previous mount options from /etc/mtab
    if ! grep -q "$mount_point_match_regexp" /etc/fstab; then
        # runtime opts without some automatic kernel/userspace-added defaults
        previous_mount_opts=$(grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" /etc/mtab | head -1 |  awk '{print $4}' \
                    | sed -E "s/(rw|defaults|seclabel|nodev)(,|$)//g;s/,$//")
        [ "$previous_mount_opts" ] && previous_mount_opts+=","
        # In iso9660 filesystems mtab could describe a "blocksize" value, this should be reflected in
        # fstab as "block".  The next variable is to satisfy shellcheck SC2050.
        fs_type=""
        if [  "$fs_type" == "iso9660" ] ; then
            previous_mount_opts=$(sed 's/blocksize=/block=/' <<< "$previous_mount_opts")
        fi
        echo " /var/log  defaults,${previous_mount_opts}nodev 0 0" >> /etc/fstab
    # If the mount_opt option is not already in the mount point's /etc/fstab entry, add it
    elif ! grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" /etc/fstab | grep -q "nodev"; then
        previous_mount_opts=$(grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" /etc/fstab | awk '{print $4}')
        sed -i "s|\(${mount_point_match_regexp}.*${previous_mount_opts}\)|\1,nodev|" /etc/fstab
    fi


    if mkdir -p "/var/log"; then
        if mountpoint -q "/var/log"; then
            mount -o remount --target "/var/log"
        fi
    fi
}

perform_remediation

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:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - NIST-800-53-MP-7
  - configure_strategy
  - high_disruption
  - low_complexity
  - medium_severity
  - mount_option_var_log_nodev
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add nodev Option to /var/log: Check information associated to mountpoint'
  command: findmnt --fstab '/var/log'
  register: device_name
  failed_when: device_name.rc > 1
  changed_when: false
  when:
  - ( not ( "kernel" in ansible_facts.packages and "rpm-ostree" in ansible_facts.packages
    and "bootc" in ansible_facts.packages ) and not ( ansible_virtualization_type
    in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"] ) )
  - '"/var/log" in ansible_mounts | map(attribute="mount") | list'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - NIST-800-53-MP-7
  - configure_strategy
  - high_disruption
  - low_complexity
  - medium_severity
  - mount_option_var_log_nodev
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add nodev Option to /var/log: Create mount_info dictionary variable'
  set_fact:
    mount_info: '{{ mount_info|default({})|combine({item.0: item.1}) }}'
  with_together:
  - '{{ device_name.stdout_lines[0].split() | list | lower }}'
  - '{{ device_name.stdout_lines[1].split() | list }}'
  when:
  - ( not ( "kernel" in ansible_facts.packages and "rpm-ostree" in ansible_facts.packages
    and "bootc" in ansible_facts.packages ) and not ( ansible_virtualization_type
    in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"] ) )
  - '"/var/log" in ansible_mounts | map(attribute="mount") | list'
  - device_name.stdout is defined and device_name.stdout_lines is defined
  - (device_name.stdout | length > 0)
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - NIST-800-53-MP-7
  - configure_strategy
  - high_disruption
  - low_complexity
  - medium_severity
  - mount_option_var_log_nodev
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add nodev Option to /var/log: If /var/log not mounted, craft mount_info manually'
  set_fact:
    mount_info: '{{ mount_info|default({})|combine({item.0: item.1}) }}'
  with_together:
  - - target
    - source
    - fstype
    - options
  - - /var/log
    - ''
    - ''
    - defaults
  when:
  - ( not ( "kernel" in ansible_facts.packages and "rpm-ostree" in ansible_facts.packages
    and "bootc" in ansible_facts.packages ) and not ( ansible_virtualization_type
    in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"] ) )
  - '"/var/log" in ansible_mounts | map(attribute="mount") | list'
  - ("--fstab" | length == 0)
  - device_name.stdout is defined and device_name.stdout_lines is defined
  - (device_name.stdout | length == 0)
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - NIST-800-53-MP-7
  - configure_strategy
  - high_disruption
  - low_complexity
  - medium_severity
  - mount_option_var_log_nodev
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add nodev Option to /var/log: Make sure nodev option is part of the to /var/log
    options'
  set_fact:
    mount_info: '{{ mount_info | combine( {''options'':''''~mount_info.options~'',nodev''
      }) }}'
  when:
  - ( not ( "kernel" in ansible_facts.packages and "rpm-ostree" in ansible_facts.packages
    and "bootc" in ansible_facts.packages ) and not ( ansible_virtualization_type
    in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"] ) )
  - '"/var/log" in ansible_mounts | map(attribute="mount") | list'
  - mount_info is defined and "nodev" not in mount_info.options
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - NIST-800-53-MP-7
  - configure_strategy
  - high_disruption
  - low_complexity
  - medium_severity
  - mount_option_var_log_nodev
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add nodev Option to /var/log: Ensure /var/log is mounted with nodev option'
  mount:
    path: /var/log
    src: '{{ mount_info.source }}'
    opts: '{{ mount_info.options }}'
    state: mounted
    fstype: '{{ mount_info.fstype }}'
  when:
  - ( not ( "kernel" in ansible_facts.packages and "rpm-ostree" in ansible_facts.packages
    and "bootc" in ansible_facts.packages ) and not ( ansible_virtualization_type
    in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"] ) )
  - '"/var/log" in ansible_mounts | map(attribute="mount") | list'
  - mount_info is defined
  - (device_name.stdout is defined and (device_name.stdout | length > 0)) or ("--fstab"
    | length == 0)
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(a)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-7(b)
  - NIST-800-53-MP-7
  - configure_strategy
  - high_disruption
  - low_complexity
  - medium_severity
  - mount_option_var_log_nodev
  - no_reboot_needed