Windows has a very well defined audit policy, but when I was trying to find an audit policy for the Linux audit system I found it much more difficult than expected. One excellent resource I found is the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)'s Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, which can be found here, and the STIG Viewer can be found here.
To open the STIG, open the JAR file by double clicking on it (or running java -jar <filename> from the CLI.) Next, go to file --> Import STIG and traverse to the STIG file location. Next, change the file extension box from XML to ZIP:
The RHEL STIG will open with 236 security-based rules that outline how the Department of Defense audits their RHEL systems to ensure that they adhere to their security standards, and I would highly recommend going through it if you manage a RHEL system. But today we will be focusing on the RHEL audit configuration recommendations. Enter the word audit in the Filter window pane of the STIG viewer (I typically don't push enter as I find that this works better.) From there you should filter for rules that contain the word, well, audit
The Linux system uses the auditd service to create and log audit events within the system. The first step is to ensure that the auditd service is enabled:
# systemctl is-active auditd.service
Active: active (running) since Tue 2015-01-27 19:41:23 EST; 22h ago
Next, the auditd service uses the audit.rules configuration file to determine what actions to audit. Details on the CentOS audit configuration file can be found on Digital Ocean's tutorials here and here. As for what to audit, the STIG recommends that we run a search on the file system to find all programs with execution function capabilities and add them to the audit configuration file. To find relevant setuid and setgid programs, use the following command once for each local partition:find / -xdev \( -perm -4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk '{print "-a always,exit -F path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged" }'
This outputs a series of audit configuration parameters that can be placed in the /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules file to ensure that using said commands/binaries is a logged event. An example output for my Linux box shows:
-a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/wall -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chage -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/newgrp -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chfn -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/write -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/chsh -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/mount -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/at -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/su -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/umount -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/passwd -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/sudo -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/gpasswd -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/pkexec -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/crontab -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/locate -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/ssh-agent -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/bin/staprun -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/pam_timestamp_check -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/unix_chkpwd -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/netreport -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/usernetctl -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/userhelper -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/postdrop -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/sbin/postqueue -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/lib/polkit-1/polkit-agent-helper-1 -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/lib64/dbus-1/dbus-daemon-launch-helper -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/libexec/utempter/utempter -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/libexec/openssh/ssh-keysign -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged -a always,exit -F path=/usr/libexec/abrt-action-install-debuginfo-to-abrt-cache -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k privileged
Going through the rest of the STIG shows eight categories of audit logging settings that I have pasted into this very pretty and convenient table:
Log Group
Activity
Audit Trigger
Details
1
System time alteration
settimeofday
-a always,exit
-F arch=b32 -S settimeofday -k audit_time_rules
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S settimeofday -k audit_time_rules
stime
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S stime -k audit_time_rules
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S adjtimex -S settimeofday -S clock_settime -k
audit_time_rules
clock_settime
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S clock_settime -k audit_time_rules
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S clock_settime -k audit_time_rules
localtime
-w /etc/localtime -p
wa -k audit_time_rules
2
Account Changes
group
-w /etc/group -p wa
-k audit_account_changes
passwd
-w /etc/passwd -p wa
-k audit_account_changes
gshadow
-w /etc/gshadow -p wa
-k audit_account_changes
shadow
-w /etc/shadow -p wa
-k audit_account_changes
opasswd
-w
/etc/security/opasswd -p wa -k audit_account_changes
3
Network Modifications
sethostname
-a
always,exit -F arch=B32 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k
audit_network_modifications
-a always,exit -F arch=B64 -S sethostname -S setdomainname -k
audit_network_modifications
issue
-w /etc/issue -p wa
-k audit_network_modifications
issue.net
-w /etc/issue.net -p
wa -k audit_network_modifications
hosts
-w /etc/hosts -p wa
-k audit_network_modifications
network
-w
/etc/sysconfig/network -p wa -k audit_network_modifications
4
Mandatory Access
Control (MAC) configuration (SELinux)
MAC-policy
-w /etc/selinux/ -p
wa -k MAC-policy
5
High Priority Commands
chmod
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
chown
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
fchmod
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchmod -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchmod -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchmod -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchmod -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
fchmodat
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchmodat -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchmodat -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchmodat -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchmodat -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
fchown
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchown -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchown -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchown -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchown -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
fchownat
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchownat -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fchownat -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchownat -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fchownat -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
fremovexattr
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fremovexattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fremovexattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fremovexattr -F auid>=500 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fremovexattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
fsetxattr
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fsetxattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S fsetxattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fsetxattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S fsetxattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
lchown
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lchown -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lchown -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S lchown -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S lchown -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
lremovexattr
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lremovexattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lremovexattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S lremovexattr -F auid>=500 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S lremovexattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
lsetxattr
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lsetxattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S lsetxattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S lsetxattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S lsetxattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
removexattr
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S removexattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S removexattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S removexattr -F auid>=500 -F
auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S removexattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
setxattr
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295
-k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr -F auid=0 -k perm_mod
mount
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S mount -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
export
-a always,exit -F arch=b32-S mount -F auid=0 -k export
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k
export
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S mount -F auid=0 -k export
unlink
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S rmdir -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S renameat
-F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S rmdir -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S
renameat -F auid=0 -k delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S rmdir -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S
renameat -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k delete
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S rmdir -S unlink -S unlinkat -S rename -S
renameat -F auid=0 -k delete
lnsmod
-w
/sbin/insmod -p x -k modules
-w /sbin/rmmod -p x -k modules
-w /sbin/modprobe -p x -k modules
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module -S delete_module -k modules
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module -S delete_module -k modules
6
Unauthorized File
Access Attempt
open
-a
always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S ftruncate
-F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid=0 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid=0 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid>=500 -F auid!=4294967295 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EACCES -F auid=0 -k access
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S creat -S open -S openat -S truncate -S
ftruncate -F exit=-EPERM -F auid=0 -k access
7
Sudoers
Sudoers
-w /etc/sudoers -p wa
-k actions
8
All privileged
Commands
Priv commands
To
audit use of all privileged commands run:
# find PART -xdev \( -perm
-4000 -o -perm -2000 \) -type f | awk '{print \ "-a always,exit -F
path=" $1 " -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 \ -k
privileged" }'
Next, add those lines to the /etc/audit/audit.rules file.
Now when commands are run /var/log/audit/audit.log. Running the command chmod produces the following output:
[epicism@rhel audit]# chmod 777 test
[epicism@rhel audit]# tail-f /var/log/audit/audit.log
type=SYSCALL msg=audit(1469583828.606:21849): arch=c000003e syscall=268 success=yes exit=0 a0=ffffffffffffff9c a1=bd00f0 a2=1ff a3=7fff145eaaf0 items=1 ppid=6170 pid=13606 auid=0 uid=0 gid=0 euid=0 suid=0 fsuid=0 egid=0 sgid=0 fsgid=0 tty=pts0 ses=1 comm="chmod" exe="/usr/bin/chmod" subj=unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023 key="perm_mod"
type=CWD msg=audit(1469583828.606:21849): cwd="/var/log/audit"
type=PATH msg=audit(1469583828.606:21849): item=0 name="test" inode=67225482 dev=fd:00 mode=0100777 ouid=0 ogid=0 rdev=00:00 obj=unconfined_u:object_r:auditd_log_t:s0 objtype=NORMAL
No common SIEM can parse this, but Splunk could probably parse it out pretty easily. In the least I would recommend backing up the audit.log files to a repository for audit purposes. In any case, I hope that the post helps to set a baseline audit configuration file on RHEL.
Update: Our friend Dixie Flatline was kind enough to share the Audisp plugin which converts Linux audit events to CEF (ArcSight's Comment Event Format standard) which can be interpreted by ArcSight directly without a parser.
Update: Our friend Dixie Flatline was kind enough to share the Audisp plugin which converts Linux audit events to CEF (ArcSight's Comment Event Format standard) which can be interpreted by ArcSight directly without a parser.