SV-281315r1208802: RHEL 10 must implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution. | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 STIG SCAP Benchmark

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Assessment Title

Rule Text

RHEL 10 must implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.

Description

Discussion Text

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 techniques.

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

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-002824

References

DPMS Target Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 DISA DPMS Target Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 5733

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.

#!/bin/bash
# Reconstructed from oval:mil.disa.stig.rhel10os:def:281315
# RHEL 10 must implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution.
# Per-module read mechanism curated from static teardown of DISA's SCC tool
# (SCAP Compliance Checker) -- see the SCC Automation Reference above.

# kernel.randomize_va_space setting in kernel is 2
# sysctl_object (sysctl_test)
test_1() {
  [ "$(cat /proc/sys/kernel/randomize_va_space)" -eq 2 ]
}

if test_1; then
  echo "PASS"
else
  echo "FAIL"
fi

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.stig.rhel10os:def:281315


if ! command -v sysctl >/dev/null; then
  echo "FAIL"
  exit 1
fi

if [ ! -f "/etc/sysctl.d/99-kernel_randomize_va_space.conf" ]; then
  echo "FAIL"
  exit 1
fi

if ! grep -q "^kernel.randomize_va_space = 2$" /etc/sysctl.d/99-kernel_randomize_va_space.conf; then
  echo "FAIL"
  exit 1
fi

for conf_dir in /run/sysctl.d /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d /usr/lib/sysctl.d /lib/sysctl.d /etc/sysctl.d; do
  if [ -d "$conf_dir" ]; then
    for conf_file in "$conf_dir"/*.conf; do
      if [ -f "$conf_file" ]; then
        if grep -q "^kernel.randomize_va_space = 2$" "$conf_file"; then
          continue
        fi
        if grep -q "^kernel.randomize_va_space = 1$" "$conf_file"; then
          echo "FAIL"
          exit 1
        fi
        if grep -q "^kernel.randomize_va_space = 0$" "$conf_file"; then
          echo "FAIL"
          exit 1
        fi
      fi
    done
  fi
done

if [ ! -f "/etc/sysctl.conf" ]; then
  echo "PASS"
  exit 0
fi

if ! grep -q "^kernel.randomize_va_space = 2$" /etc/sysctl.conf; then
  echo "FAIL"
  exit 1
fi

echo "PASS"
exit 0

Remediation

Configure RHEL 10 to implement ASLR.

$ 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

Issue the following command to make the changes take effect:

$ sudo sysctl --system