Require Re-Authentication When Using the sudo Command
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The sudo timestamp_timeout tag sets the amount of time sudo password prompt waits.
The default timestamp_timeout value is 5 minutes.
The timestamp_timeout should be configured by making sure that the
timestamp_timeout tag exists in
/etc/sudoers configuration file or any sudo configuration snippets
in /etc/sudoers.d/.
If the value is set to an integer less than 0, the user’s time stamp will not expire
and the user will not have to re-authenticate for privileged actions until the user’s session is terminated.
Rationale
Without re-authentication, users may access resources or perform tasks for which they
do not have authorization.
When operating systems provide the capability to escalate a functional capability, it
is critical that the user re-authenticate.
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='${db:Status-Status}\n' 'sudo' 2>/dev/null | grep -q installed; then
var_sudo_timestamp_timeout='15'
if grep -Px '^[\s]*Defaults.*timestamp_timeout[\s]*=.*' /etc/sudoers.d/*; then
find /etc/sudoers.d/ -type f -exec sed -Ei "/^[[:blank:]]*Defaults.*timestamp_timeout[[:blank:]]*=.*/d" {} \;
fi
if /usr/sbin/visudo -qcf /etc/sudoers; then
cp /etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.bak
if ! grep -P '^[\s]*Defaults.*timestamp_timeout[\s]*=[\s]*[-]?\w+.*$' /etc/sudoers; then
# sudoers file doesn't define Option timestamp_timeout
echo "Defaults timestamp_timeout=${var_sudo_timestamp_timeout}" >> /etc/sudoers
else
# sudoers file defines Option timestamp_timeout, remediate wrong values if present
if grep -qP "^[\s]*Defaults\s.*\btimestamp_timeout[\s]*=[\s]*(?!${var_sudo_timestamp_timeout}\b)[-]?\w+\b.*$" /etc/sudoers; then
sed -Ei "s/(^[[:blank:]]*Defaults.*timestamp_timeout[[:blank:]]*=)[[:blank:]]*[-]?\w+(.*$)/\1${var_sudo_timestamp_timeout}\2/" /etc/sudoers
fi
fi
# Check validity of sudoers and cleanup bak
if /usr/sbin/visudo -qcf /etc/sudoers; then
rm -f /etc/sudoers.bak
else
echo "Fail to validate remediated /etc/sudoers, reverting to original file."
mv /etc/sudoers.bak /etc/sudoers
false
fi
else
echo "Skipping remediation, /etc/sudoers failed to validate"
false
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:
- NIST-800-53-IA-11
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- sudo_require_reauthentication
- name: XCCDF Value var_sudo_timestamp_timeout # promote to variable
set_fact:
var_sudo_timestamp_timeout: !!str 15
tags:
- always
- name: Require Re-Authentication When Using the sudo Command - Find /etc/sudoers.d/*
files containing 'Defaults timestamp_timeout'
ansible.builtin.find:
path: /etc/sudoers.d
patterns: '*'
contains: ^[\s]*Defaults\s.*\btimestamp_timeout[\s]*=.*
register: sudoers_d_defaults_timestamp_timeout
when: '"sudo" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- NIST-800-53-IA-11
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- sudo_require_reauthentication
- name: Require Re-Authentication When Using the sudo Command - Remove 'Defaults timestamp_timeout'
from /etc/sudoers.d/* files
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: '{{ item.path }}'
regexp: ^[\s]*Defaults\s.*\btimestamp_timeout[\s]*=.*
state: absent
with_items: '{{ sudoers_d_defaults_timestamp_timeout.files }}'
when: '"sudo" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- NIST-800-53-IA-11
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- sudo_require_reauthentication
- name: Require Re-Authentication When Using the sudo Command - Ensure timestamp_timeout
has the appropriate value in /etc/sudoers
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: /etc/sudoers
regexp: ^[\s]*Defaults\s(.*)\btimestamp_timeout[\s]*=[\s]*[-]?\w+\b(.*)$
line: Defaults \1timestamp_timeout={{ var_sudo_timestamp_timeout }}\2
validate: /usr/sbin/visudo -cf %s
backrefs: true
register: edit_sudoers_timestamp_timeout_option
when: '"sudo" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- NIST-800-53-IA-11
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- sudo_require_reauthentication
- name: Require Re-Authentication When Using the sudo Command - Enable timestamp_timeout
option with correct value in /etc/sudoers
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: /etc/sudoers
line: Defaults timestamp_timeout={{ var_sudo_timestamp_timeout }}
validate: /usr/sbin/visudo -cf %s
when:
- '"sudo" in ansible_facts.packages'
- |
edit_sudoers_timestamp_timeout_option is defined and not edit_sudoers_timestamp_timeout_option.changed
tags:
- NIST-800-53-IA-11
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- sudo_require_reauthentication
- name: Require Re-Authentication When Using the sudo Command - Remove timestamp_timeout
wrong values in /etc/sudoers
ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
path: /etc/sudoers
regexp: ^[\s]*Defaults\s.*\btimestamp_timeout[\s]*=[\s]*(?!{{ var_sudo_timestamp_timeout
}}\b)[-]?\w+\b.*$
state: absent
validate: /usr/sbin/visudo -cf %s
when: '"sudo" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- NIST-800-53-IA-11
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- restrict_strategy
- sudo_require_reauthentication
