cis-ubuntu1804-v220-1-5-3

1.5.3 Ensure address space layout randomization (ASLR) is enabled (Automated)

Profile Applicability

• Level 1 - Server
• Level 1 - Workstation

Description

Address space layout randomization (ASLR) is an exploit mitigation technique which randomly arranges the address space of key data areas of a process.

Rationale

Randomly placing virtual memory regions will make it difficult to write memory page exploits as the memory placement will be consistently shifting.

Audit Procedure

Command Line

Run the following script to verify the following kernel parameter is set in the running configuration and correctly loaded from a kernel parameter configuration file:

• kernel.randomize_va_space is set to 2

#!/usr/bin/env bash
{
    l_output="" l_output2=""
    a_parlist=("kernel.randomize_va_space=2")
    l_ufwscf="$([ -f /etc/default/ufw ] && awk -F= '/^\s*IPT_SYSCTL=/ {print $2}' /etc/default/ufw)"
    a_searchpath=("/run/sysctl.d/" "/etc/sysctl.d/" "/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/" "/usr/lib/sysctl.d/" "/lib/sysctl.d/")
    unset A_files
    declare -A A_files
    A_files+=(["sysctl.conf"]="/etc/sysctl.conf")
    for l_searchpath in "${a_searchpath[@]}"; do
        if [ -d "$l_searchpath" ]; then
            while IFS= read -r -d 
#x27;\0' l_filename; do
                if [ -f "$l_filename" ]; then
                    l_basename="$(basename "$l_filename")"
                    if [ -z "${A_files["$l_basename"]}" ]; then
                        A_files+=(["$l_basename"]="$l_filename")
                    fi
                fi
            done < <(find "$l_searchpath" -type f -name '*.conf' -print0)
        fi
    done
    a_sorted=()
    while IFS= read -rd '' l_key; do
        a_sorted+=( "$l_key" )
    done < <(printf '%s\0' "${!A_files[@]}" | sort -rz)
    kernel_parameter_chk()
    {
        l_var="" l_var2=""
        l_krp="$(sysctl "$l_kpname" | awk -F= '{print $2}' | xargs)"
        if [ "$l_krp" = "$l_kpvalue" ]; then
            l_output="$l_output\n - \"$l_kpname\" is correctly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration"
        else
            l_output2="$l_output2\n - \"$l_kpname\" is incorrectly set to \"$l_krp\" in the running configuration and should have a value of: \"$l_kpvalue\""
        fi
    }
    while IFS="=" read -r l_kpname l_kpvalue; do
        l_kpname="${l_kpname// /}"; l_kpvalue="${l_kpvalue// /}"
        kernel_parameter_chk
    done < <(printf '%s\n' "${a_parlist[@]}")
    unset A_files; unset a_sorted
    if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
        echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n  ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
    else
        echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n  ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
        [ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
    fi
}

Expected Result

- Audit Result:
  ** PASS **
 - "kernel.randomize_va_space" is correctly set to "2" in the running configuration

Remediation

Command Line

Set the following parameter in /etc/sysctl.conf or a file in /etc/sysctl.d/ ending in .conf:

• kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

Example:

printf '%s\n' "kernel.randomize_va_space = 2" >> /etc/sysctl.d/60-kernel_sysctl.conf

Run the following command to set the active kernel parameter:

sysctl -w kernel.randomize_va_space=2

Note: If these settings appear in a conically later file, or later in the same file, these settings will be overwritten.

Default Value

kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

References

1. http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/focal/man5/sysctl.d.5.html
2. CCI-000366: The organization implements the security configuration settings
3. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6

CIS Controls

MITRE ATT&CK Mappings