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V-271761

CAT II (Medium)

OL 9 must implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.

Rule ID

SV-271761r1208732_rule

STIG

Oracle Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V1R6

CCIs

CCI-002824

Discussion

ASLR makes it more difficult for an attacker to predict the location of attack code they have introduced into a process's address space during an attempt at exploitation. Additionally, ASLR makes it more difficult for an attacker to know the location of existing code to repurpose it using return-oriented programming (ROP) techniques.

Check Content

Verify that OL 9 is implementing ASLR with the following command:

$ sysctl kernel.randomize_va_space
kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

Check that the configuration files are present to enable this kernel parameter:

$ sudo grep -rs kernel.randomize_va_space /run/sysctl.d/*.conf /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /lib/sysctl.d/*.conf /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/99-kernel_randomize_va_space.conf:kernel.randomize_va_space = 2

If "kernel.randomize_va_space" is not set to "2", or is missing, this is a finding.

If conflicting results are returned, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure OL 9 to implement ASLR to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.

Add the configuration item with the following command:

$ echo 'kernel.randomize_va_space = 2' | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-kernel_randomize_va_space.conf

Remove any configurations that conflict with the above from the following locations: 

/run/sysctl.d/*.conf
/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
/usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
/etc/sysctl.conf
/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf

Reload settings from all system configuration files with the following command:

$ sudo sysctl --system