Add noexec Option to /var/log/audit

Description

The noexec mount option can be used to prevent binaries from being executed out of /var/log/audit. Add the noexec option to the fourth column of /etc/fstab for the line which controls mounting of /var/log/audit.

Rationale

Allowing users to execute binaries from directories containing audit log files such as /var/log/audit should never be necessary in normal operation and can expose the system to potential compromise.

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 ( [ ! -f /.dockerenv ] && [ ! -f /run/.containerenv ] && findmnt --kernel "/var/log/audit" > /dev/null || findmnt --fstab "/var/log/audit" > /dev/null ); then

function perform_remediation {
    
        # the mount point /var/log/audit 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/audit")"

    grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" -q /etc/fstab \
        || { echo "The mount point '/var/log/audit' 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/audit in /etc/fstab" >&2; return 1; }
    


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

    # 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 $4}' \
                    | sed -E "s/(rw|defaults|seclabel|noexec)(,|$)//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=/' <<< "$previous_mount_opts")
        fi
        echo " /var/log/audit  defaults,${previous_mount_opts}noexec 0 0" >> /etc/fstab
    # If the mount_opt option is not already in the mount point's /etc/fstab entry, add it
    elif ! grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" /etc/fstab | grep -q "noexec"; then
        previous_mount_opts=$(grep "$mount_point_match_regexp" /etc/fstab | awk '{print $4}')
        sed -i "s|\(${mount_point_match_regexp}.*${previous_mount_opts}\)|\1,noexec|" /etc/fstab
    fi


    if mkdir -p "/var/log/audit"; then
        if mountpoint -q "/var/log/audit"; then
            mount -o remount --target "/var/log/audit"
        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: 'Add noexec Option to /var/log/audit: Check information associated to mountpoint'
  command: findmnt --fstab '/var/log/audit'
  register: device_name
  failed_when: device_name.rc > 1
  changed_when: false
  when: ( ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman",
    "container"] and "/var/log/audit" 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_audit_noexec
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add noexec Option to /var/log/audit: 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:
  - ( ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
    and "/var/log/audit" 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_audit_noexec
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add noexec Option to /var/log/audit: If /var/log/audit 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/audit
    - ''
    - ''
    - defaults
  when:
  - ( ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
    and "/var/log/audit" 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_audit_noexec
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add noexec Option to /var/log/audit: Make sure noexec option is part of the
    to /var/log/audit options'
  set_fact:
    mount_info: '{{ mount_info | combine( {''options'':''''~mount_info.options~'',noexec''
      }) }}'
  when:
  - ( ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
    and "/var/log/audit" in ansible_mounts | map(attribute="mount") | list )
  - mount_info is defined and "noexec" 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_audit_noexec
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: 'Add noexec Option to /var/log/audit: Ensure /var/log/audit is mounted with
    noexec option'
  mount:
    path: /var/log/audit
    src: '{{ mount_info.source }}'
    opts: '{{ mount_info.options }}'
    state: mounted
    fstype: '{{ mount_info.fstype }}'
  when:
  - ( ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
    and "/var/log/audit" 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_audit_noexec
  - no_reboot_needed