SV-37374r1: The system must prevent the root account from directly logging in except from the system console. | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Loading benchmark…

Assessment Title

Rule Text

The system must prevent the root account from directly logging in except from the system console.

Description

Discussion Text

Limiting the root account direct logins to only system consoles protects the root account from direct unauthorized access from a non-console device.

How this relates to the STIG checklist: STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-000770

Additional Details

Responsibility

System Administrator

References

DPMS Target Red Hat 5 DISA DPMS Target Red Hat 5 2154

SCC Automation Reference

The reconstructed evaluation script behind this rule's OVAL check(s) — every module a compound check combines, with this rule's own concrete values and DISA's SCC tool's real per-module mechanism curated from static teardown of SCC releases.

Assessment Script Powered by AISandbox-executed

A standalone Shell script to assess this control automatically. Review before running it in your environment.

Syntax-checked and actually executed in an isolated sandbox (not the real system this checks) — confirmed to run without errors.

#!/bin/sh
# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.rhel11:def:78
if [ ! -f "/etc/securetty" ]; then echo "PASS"; exit 0; fi
content=$(cat /etc/securetty)
if [ "$(echo "$content" | grep -c "^console$|^tty1$")" -eq 1 ]; then echo "PASS"; exit 0; fi
echo "FAIL"; exit 1

Remediation

Create if needed and set the contents of /etc/securetty to a "console" or "tty" device.
# echo console > /etc/securetty
or
# echo tty1 > /etc/securetty