The ICS must be configured to generate audit records when successful/unsuccessful attempts to access privileges occur. (V-258621) — Ivanti Connect Secure NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide

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CurrentPublished Wed Oct 01 2025

Objective ID

Severity

Discussion

V-258598

high

If unsecured protocols (lacking cryptographic mechanisms) are used for sessions, the contents of those sessions will be susceptible to eavesdropping, potentially putting sensitive data (including administrator passwords) at risk of compromise and potentially allowing hijacking of maintenance sessions.

When JITC mode is enabled, it also enables FIPS mode is also automatically enabled. However, this requirement focuses only on the use of FIPS validated encryption algorithms and protocols.

V-258599

high

The aggregation of log data kept on a syslog server can be used to detect attacks and trigger an alert to the appropriate security personnel. The stored log data can used to detect weaknesses in security that enable the network IA team to find and address these weaknesses before breaches can occur. Reviewing these logs, whether before or after a security breach, are important in showing whether someone is an internal employee or an outside threat.

Satisfies: SRG-APP-000516-NDM-000350, SRG-APP-000360-NDM-000295, SRG-APP-000515-NDM-000325

V-258600

high

Preventing nonprivileged users from executing privileged functions mitigates the risk that unauthorized individuals or processes may gain unnecessary access to information or privileges.

Privileged functions include, for example, establishing accounts, performing system integrity checks, or administering cryptographic key management activities. Nonprivileged users are individuals that do not possess appropriate authorizations.

Satisfies: SRG-APP-000340-NDM-000288, SRG-APP-000380-NDM-000304, SRG-APP-000378-NDM-000302, SRG-APP-000133-NDM-000244, SRG-APP-000123-NDM-000240, SRG-APP-000121-NDM-000238, SRG-APP-000231-NDM-000271, SRG-APP-000408-NDM-000314, SRG-APP-000329-NDM-000287, SRG-APP-000153-NDM-000249, SRG-APP-000119-NDM-000236, SRG-APP-000120-NDM-000237, SRG-APP-000033-NDM-000212, SRG-APP-000516-NDM-000335, SRG-APP-000516-NDM-000336, SRG-APP-000177-NDM-000263, SRG-APP-000080-NDM-000220

V-258601

medium

Misuse of privileged functions, either intentionally or unintentionally by authorized users, or by unauthorized external entities that have compromised information system accounts, is a serious and ongoing concern and can have significant adverse impacts on organizations. Auditing the use of privileged functions is one way to detect such misuse and identify the risk from insider threats and the advanced persistent threat.

Satisfies: SRG-APP-000343-NDM-000289, SRG-APP-000495-NDM-000318, SRG-APP-000499-NDM-000319, SRG-APP-000503-NDM-000320, SRG-APP-000504-NDM-000321, SRG-APP-000505-NDM-000322, SRG-APP-000506-NDM-000323, SRG-APP-000319-NDM-000283, SRG-APP-000381-NDM-000305, SRG-APP-000100-NDM-000230, SRG-APP-000029-NDM-000211, SRG-APP-000028-NDM-000210, SRG-APP-000027-NDM-000209, SRG-APP-000038-NDM-000213, SRG-APP-000099-NDM-000229, SRG-APP-000098-NDM-000228, SRG-APP-000097-NDM-000227, SRG-APP-000096-NDM-000226, SRG-APP-000095-NDM-000225, SRG-APP-000026-NDM-000208, SRG-APP-000412-NDM-000331, SRG-APP-000411-NDM-000330, SRG-APP-000435-NDM-000315, SRG-APP-000156-NDM-000250, SRG-APP-000224-NDM-000270, SRG-APP-000179-NDM-000265, SRG-APP-000142-NDM-000245

V-258602

medium

Without authenticating devices, unidentified or unknown devices may be introduced, thereby facilitating malicious activity. Bidirectional authentication provides stronger safeguards to validate the identity of other devices for connections that are of greater risk.

A local connection is any connection with a device communicating without the use of a network. A network connection is any connection with a device that communicates through a network (e.g., local area or wide area network, internet). A remote connection is any connection with a device communicating through an external network (e.g., the internet).

Because of the challenges of applying this requirement on a large scale, organizations are encouraged to only apply the requirement to those limited number (and type) of devices that truly need to support this capability.

V-258603

medium

If Network Time Protocol is not authenticated, an attacker can introduce a rogue NTP server. This rogue server can then be used to send incorrect time information to network devices, which will make log timestamps inaccurate and affect scheduled actions. NTP authentication is used to prevent this tampering by authenticating the time source.

V-258604

medium

If time stamps are not consistently applied and there is no common time reference, it is difficult to perform forensic analysis.

Time stamps generated by the application include date and time. Time is commonly expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a modern continuation of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or local time with an offset from UTC.

V-258605

medium

In order to ensure network devices have a sufficient storage capacity in which to write the audit logs, they need to be able to allocate audit record storage capacity. The task of allocating audit record storage capacity is usually performed during initial device setup if it is modifiable.

The value for the organization-defined audit record storage requirement will depend on the amount of storage available on the network device, the anticipated volume of logs, the frequency of transfer from the network device to centralized log servers, and other factors.

V-258606

medium

Use of a complex password helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.

Password complexity is one factor of several that determine how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is required for all administrative and user accounts on network devices, except for an account of last resort and (where applicable) a root account. Passwords should only be used when MFA using PKI is not available, and for the account of last resort and root account.

V-258607

medium

Authentication for administrative (privileged level) access to the device is required at all times. An account can be created on the device's local database for use when the authentication server is down or connectivity between the device and the authentication server is not operable. This account is referred to as the account of last resort since it is intended to be used as a last resort and when immediate administrative access is absolutely necessary.

The account of last resort logon credentials must be stored in a sealed envelope and kept in a safe. The safe must be periodically audited to verify the envelope remains sealed. The signature of the auditor and the date of the audit should be added to the envelope as a record. Administrators should secure the credentials and disable the root account (if possible) when not needed for system administration functions.

V-258608

high

Terminating an idle session within a short time period reduces the window of opportunity for unauthorized personnel to take control of a management session enabled on the console or console port that has been left unattended. In addition, quickly terminating an idle session will also free up resources committed by the managed network element.

Terminating network connections associated with communications sessions includes, for example, deallocating associated TCP/IP address/port pairs at the operating system level, or deallocating networking assignments at the application level if multiple application sessions are using a single, operating system-level network connection. This does not mean that the device terminates all sessions or network access; it only ends the inactive session and releases the resources associated with that session.

Upon the termination of a session, the Ivanti ICS inherently ends the inactive session and releases the resources associated with that session.

V-258609

high

MFA is when two or more factors are used to confirm the identity of an individual who is requesting access to digital information resources. Valid factors include something the individual knows (e.g., username and password), something the individual has (e.g., a smartcard or token), or something the individual is (e.g., a fingerprint or biometric). Legacy information system environments only use a single factor for authentication, typically a username and password combination. Although two pieces of data are used in a username and password combination, this is still considered single factor because an attacker can obtain access simply by learning what the user knows. Common attacks against single-factor authentication are attacks on user passwords. These attacks include brute force password guessing, password spraying, and password credential stuffing. MFA, along with strong user account hygiene, helps mitigate against the threat of having account passwords discovered by an attacker. Even in the event of a password compromise, with MFA implemented and required for interactive login, the attacker still needs to acquire something the user has or replicate a piece of user's biometric digital presence.

Private industry recognizes and uses a wide variety of MFA solutions. However, DOD public key infrastructure (PKI) is the only prescribed method approved for DOD organizations to implement MFA. For authentication purposes, centralized DOD certificate authorities (CA) issue PKI certificate key pairs (public and private) to individuals using the prescribed x.509 format. The private certificates that have been generated by the issuing CA are downloaded and saved to smartcards which, within DOD, are referred to as common access cards (CAC) or personal identity verification (PIV) cards. This happens at designated DOD badge facilities. The CA maintains a record of the corresponding public keys for use with PKI-enabled environments. Privileged user smartcards, or "alternate tokens", function in the same manner, so this requirement applies to all interactive user sessions (authorized and privileged users).

Note: This requirement is used in conjunction with the use of a centralized authentication server (e.g., AAA, RADIUS, LDAP), a separate but equally important requirement. The MFA configuration of this requirement provides identification and the first phase of authentication (the challenge and validated response, thereby confirming the PKI certificate that was presented by the user). The centralized authentication server will provide the second phase of authentication (the digital presence of the PKI ID as a valid user in the requested security domain) and authorization. The centralized authentication server will map validated PKI identities to valid user accounts and determine access levels for authenticated users based on security group membership and role. In cases where the centralized authentication server is not utilized by the network device for user authorization, the network device must map the authenticated identity to the user account for PKI-based authentication.

V-258610

medium

The loss of connectivity to a particular authoritative time source will result in the loss of time synchronization (free-run mode) and increasingly inaccurate time stamps on audit events and other functions.

Multiple time sources provide redundancy by including a secondary source. Time synchronization is usually a hierarchy; clients synchronize time to a local source while that source synchronizes its time to a more accurate source. The network device must utilize an authoritative time server and/or be configured to use redundant authoritative time sources. This requirement is related to the comparison done in CCI-001891.

DOD-approved solutions consist of a combination of a primary and secondary time source using a combination or multiple instances of the following: a time server designated for the appropriate DOD network (NIPRNet/SIPRNet); United States Naval Observatory (USNO) time servers; and/or the Global Positioning System (GPS). The secondary time source must be located in a different geographic region than the primary time source.

V-258611

medium

For user certificates, each organization obtains certificates from an approved and shared service provider, as required by OMB policy. For federal agencies operating a legacy public key infrastructure cross-certified with the Federal Bridge Certification Authority at medium assurance or higher, this Certification Authority will suffice.

V-258612

medium

Information system backup is a critical step in maintaining data assurance and availability. Information system and security-related documentation contains information pertaining to system configuration and security settings. If this information were not backed up, and a system failure were to occur, the security settings would be difficult to reconfigure quickly and accurately. Maintaining a backup of information system and security-related documentation provides for a quicker recovery time when system outages occur.

This control requires the network device to support the organizational central backup process for user account information associated with the network device. This function may be provided by the network device itself; however, the preferred best practice is a centralized backup rather than each network device performing discrete backups.

V-258613

high

Network devices running an unsupported operating system lack current security fixes required to mitigate the risks associated with recent vulnerabilities.

V-258614

medium

Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks. Password length is one factor of several that helps to determine strength and how long it takes to crack a password.

The shorter the password, the lower the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised. Use of more characters in a password helps to exponentially increase the time and/or resources required to compromise the password.

V-258615

high

Passwords need to be protected at all times, and encryption is the standard method for protecting passwords. If passwords are not encrypted, they can be plainly read (i.e., clear text) and easily compromised.

This is applicable to the account of last resort which uses a password. Secure password while in transit for admin access.

V-258616

medium

If the application allows the user to consecutively reuse extensive portions of passwords, this increases the chances of password compromise by increasing the window of opportunity for attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.

The number of changed characters refers to the number of changes required with respect to the total number of positions in the current password. In other words, characters may be the same within the two passwords; however, the positions of the like characters must be different.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is required for all administrative and user accounts on network devices, except for an account of last resort and (where applicable) a root account. Passwords should only be used when MFA using PKI is not available, and for the account of last resort and root account.

V-258617

medium

V-258618

medium

V-258619

medium

Use of a complex passwords helps to increase the time and resources required to compromise the password. Password complexity, or strength, is a measure of the effectiveness of a password in resisting attempts at guessing and brute-force attacks.

Password complexity is one factor of several that determine how long it takes to crack a password. The more complex the password is, the greater the number of possible combinations that need to be tested before the password is compromised.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is required for all administrative and user accounts on network devices, except for an account of last resort and (where applicable) a root account. Passwords should only be used when MFA using PKI is not available, and for the account of last resort and root account.

V-258620

high

Once issued by a DOD certificate authority (CA), public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates are typically valid for three years or shorter within the DOD. However, there are many reasons a certificate may become invalid before the prescribed expiration date. For example, an employee may leave or be terminated and still possess the smartcard on which the PKI certificates were stored. Another example is that a smartcard containing PKI certificates may become lost or stolen. A more serious issue could be that the CA or server which issued the PKI certificates has become compromised, thereby jeopardizing every certificate keypair that was issued by the CA. These examples of revocation use cases and many more can be researched further using internet cybersecurity resources.

PKI user certificates presented as part of the identification and authentication criteria (e.g., DOD PKI as multifactor authentication [MFA]) must be checked for validity by network devices. For example, valid PKI certificates are digitally signed by a trusted DOD CA. Additionally, valid PKI certificates are not expired, and valid certificates have not been revoked by a DOD CA.

Network devices can verify the validity of PKI certificates by checking with an authoritative CA. One method of checking the status of PKI certificates is to query databases referred to as certificate revocation lists (CRL). These are lists which are published, updated, and maintained by authoritative DOD CAs. For example, once certificates are expired or revoked, issuing CAs place the certificates on a certificate revocation list (CRL). Organizations can download these lists periodically (i.e. daily or weekly) and store them locally on the devices themselves or even onto another nearby local enclave resource. Storing them locally ensures revocation status can be checked even if internet connectivity is severed at the enclave's point of presence (PoP). However, CRLs can be rather large in storage size and further, the use of CRLs can be rather taxing on some computing resources.

Another method of validating certificate status is to use the online certificate status protocol (OCSP). Using OCSP, a requestor (i.e. the network device which the user is trying to authenticate to) sends a request to an authoritative CA challenging the validity of a certificate that has been presented for identification and authentication. The CA receives the request and sends a digitally signed response indicating the status of the user's certificate as valid, revoked, or unknown. Network devices should only allow access for responses that indicate the certificates presented by the user were considered valid by an approved DOD CA. OCSP is the preferred method because it is fast, provides the most current status, and is lightweight.

V-258621

medium

Without generating audit records that are specific to the security and mission needs of the organization, it would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident or identify those responsible for one.

Audit records can be generated from various components within the information system (e.g., module or policy filter).

V-258622

medium

Device management includes the ability to control the number of administrators and management sessions that manage a device. Limiting the number of allowed administrators and sessions per administrator based on account type, role, or access type is helpful in limiting risks related to DoS attacks.

This requirement addresses concurrent sessions for administrative accounts and does not address concurrent sessions by a single administrator via multiple administrative accounts. The maximum number of concurrent sessions should be defined based upon mission needs and the operational environment for each system. At a minimum, limits must be set for SSH, HTTPS, account of last resort, and root account sessions.

V-258623

medium

Display of the DOD-approved use notification before granting access to the network device ensures privacy and security notification verbiage used is consistent with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, standards, and guidance.

System use notifications are required only for access via logon interfaces with human users.

The banner is retained until acknowledgement by default when the banner is selected in the sign-in policy.

Satisfies: SRG-APP-000068-NDM-000215, SRG-APP-000069-NDM-000216

V-258624

medium

By limiting the number of failed login attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute-forcing, is reduced.

V-258625

medium

System-level information includes default and customized settings and security attributes, including ACLs that relate to the network device configuration, as well as software required for the execution and operation of the device. Information system backup is a critical step in ensuring system integrity and availability. If the system fails and there is no backup of the system-level information, a denial of service condition is possible for all who utilize this critical network component.

This control requires the network device to support the organizational central backup process for system-level information associated with the network device. This function may be provided by the network device itself; however, the preferred best practice is a centralized backup rather than each network device performing discrete backups.

V-268324

high

This configuration protects the confidentiality of Web UI sessions and guards against DoS attacks. If JITC Mode is enabled, the following protections are enforced:
- Log support for detection and prevention of SMURF/SYN Flood/SSL Replay Attack.
- Disable ICMPv6 echo response for multicast echo request.
- Disable ICMPv6 destination unreachable response.
- Password Strengthening.
- Notification for unsuccessful admin login attempts.
- Reauthentication of admin users.
- Notification on admin status change.
- Disable Roaming Sessions.
- Disable Split Tunneling.
- IP Lockout restrictions.
- Disable Allowing Saving Login Information.
- Disable Persistent Sessions.
- Remove Browser Session Cookie.
- Enable Server Certificate Trust Enforcement.

When JITC and FIPS mode are enabled, this enables DoS attacks such as flooding and replay attack audit logs inherently. JITC and FIPS mode are required for ICS use in DOD. When the NDcPP option is enabled, only NDcPP approved crypto algorithms are allowed.

Ivanti Connect Secure NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide

Ivanti Connect Secure NDM Security Technical Implementation Guide

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