Install the cron service

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Description

The Cron service should be installed.

Rationale

The cron service allow periodic job execution, needed for almost all administrative tasks and services (software update, log rotating, etc.). Access to cron service should be restricted to administrative accounts only.

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; then

if ! rpm -q --quiet "cronie" ; then
    dnf install -y "cronie"
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:
  - DISA-STIG-RHEL-09-232040
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - enable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - package_cron_installed

- name: Ensure cronie is installed
  package:
    name: cronie
    state: present
  when: '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - DISA-STIG-RHEL-09-232040
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - enable_strategy
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - package_cron_installed