Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.x STIG

Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

The Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.x Security Technical Implementation Guide (V2 R7) has 83 STIG checks. New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist?, CKL vs CKLB, and STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

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Severity

Version

V2 · R7

CurrentPublished Wed Sep 30 2026 What changed in V2R7

Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) must use USBGuard for hosts that include a USB Controller.

Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) must use USBGuard for hosts that include a USB Controller.

Description

Discussion Text

USBGuard adds an extra layer of security to the overall OpenShift infrastructure. It provides an additional control mechanism to prevent potential security threats originating from USB devices. By monitoring and controlling USB access, USBGuard helps mitigate risks associated with unauthorized or malicious devices that may attempt to exploit vulnerabilities within the system.

New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist? and CKL vs CKLB.

Objective

V-257585

Rule

SV-257585r960963_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

CNTR-OS-001030

Documentable

false

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Rev 5

Assessment Procedure

Check Text

1. Determine if the host devices include a USB Controller by executing the following:

for node in $(oc get node -oname); do oc debug $node -- chroot /host /bin/bash -c 'echo -n "$HOSTNAME "; lspci' 2>/dev/null; done

If there is not a USB Controller, then this requirement is Not Applicable.

2. Verify the USBGuard service is installed by executing the following:

for node in $(oc get node -oname); do oc debug $node -- chroot /host /bin/bash -c 'echo -n "$HOSTNAME "; rpm -q usbguard' 2>/dev/null; done

If the output returns "package usbguard is not installed", this is a finding.

3. Verify that USBGuard is set up to log into the Linux audit log.

for node in $(oc get node -oname); do oc debug $node -- chroot /host /bin/bash -c 'echo -n "$HOSTNAME "; grep -r AuditBackend /etc/usbguard/usbguard-daemon.conf' 2>/dev/null; done

The output should return:
"AuditBackend=LinuxAudit". If it does not, this is a finding.

4. Verify the USBGuard has a policy configured with by executing the following:

for node in $(oc get node -oname); do oc debug $node -- chroot /host /bin/bash -c 'echo -n "$HOSTNAME "; usbguard list-rules' 2>/dev/null; done

If USBGuard is not found or the results do not match the organizationally defined rules, this is a finding.

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

If there is not a USB Controller, this requirement is Not Applicable.

1. Install the service by executing the following:

for mcpool in $(oc get mcp -oname | sed "s:.*/::" ); do
echo "apiVersion: machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1
kind: MachineConfig
metadata:
  name: 80-usbguard-extensions-$mcpool
  labels:
    machineconfiguration.openshift.io/role: $mcpool
spec:
  config:
    ignition:
      version: 3.1.0
  extensions:
    - usbguard
" | oc apply -f -
done

2. Wait for the nodes to reboot.
Note: (>oc get mcp) None of the pools should say Updating=true when the update is done.

3. Enable the service by executing the following:

for mcpool in $(oc get mcp -oname | sed "s:.*/::" ); do
echo "apiVersion: machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1
kind: MachineConfig
metadata:
  name: 80-usbguard-service-enable-$mcpool
  labels:
    machineconfiguration.openshift.io/role: $mcpool
spec:
  config:
    ignition:
      version: 3.1.0
    systemd:
      units:
      - name: usbguard.service
        enabled: true
" | oc apply -f -
done

4. Configure USBGuard to log to the audit log:

for mcpool in $(oc get mcp -oname | sed "s:.*/::" ); do
echo "apiVersion: machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1
kind: MachineConfig
metadata:
   name: 80-usbguard-daemon-conf-$mcpool
   labels:
     machineconfiguration.openshift.io/role: $mcpool
spec:
   config:
     ignition:
       version: 3.1.0
     storage:
       files:
       - contents:
           source: data:,%23%0A%23%20Rule%20set%20file%20path.%0A%23%0A%23%20The%20USBGuard%20daemon%20will%20use%20this%20file%20to%20load%20the%20policy%0A%23%20rule%20set%20from%20it%20and%20to%20write%20new%20rules%20received%20via%20the%0A%23%20IPC%20interface.%0A%23%0A%23%20RuleFile%3D%2Fpath%2Fto%2Frules.conf%0A%23%0ARuleFile%3D%2Fetc%2Fusbguard%2Frules.conf%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Rule%20set%20folder%20path.%0A%23%0A%23%20The%20USBGuard%20daemon%20will%20use%20this%20folder%20to%20load%20the%20policy%0A%23%20rule%20set%20from%20it%20and%20to%20write%20new%20rules%20received%20via%20the%0A%23%20IPC%20interface.%20Usually%2C%20we%20set%20the%20option%20to%0A%23%20%2Fetc%2Fusbguard%2Frules.d%2F.%20The%20USBGuard%20daemon%20is%20supposed%20to%0A%23%20behave%20like%20any%20other%20standard%20Linux%20daemon%20therefore%20it%0A%23%20loads%20rule%20files%20in%20alpha-numeric%20order.%20File%20names%20inside%0A%23%20RuleFolder%20directory%20should%20start%20with%20a%20two-digit%20number%0A%23%20prefix%20indicating%20the%20position%2C%20in%20which%20the%20rules%20are%0A%23%20scanned%20by%20the%20daemon.%0A%23%0A%23%20RuleFolder%3D%2Fpath%2Fto%2Frulesfolder%2F%0A%23%0ARuleFolder%3D%2Fetc%2Fusbguard%2Frules.d%2F%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Implicit%20policy%20target.%0A%23%0A%23%20How%20to%20treat%20devices%20that%20don%27t%20match%20any%20rule%20in%20the%0A%23%20policy.%20One%20of%3A%0A%23%0A%23%20%2A%20allow%20%20-%20authorize%20the%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20block%20%20-%20block%20the%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20reject%20-%20remove%20the%20device%0A%23%0AImplicitPolicyTarget%3Dblock%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Present%20device%20policy.%0A%23%0A%23%20How%20to%20treat%20devices%20that%20are%20already%20connected%20when%20the%0A%23%20daemon%20starts.%20One%20of%3A%0A%23%0A%23%20%2A%20allow%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20authorize%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20block%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20deauthorize%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20reject%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20remove%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20keep%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20just%20sync%20the%20internal%20state%20and%20leave%20it%0A%23%20%2A%20apply-policy%20-%20evaluate%20the%20ruleset%20for%20every%20present%0A%23%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20device%0A%23%0APresentDevicePolicy%3Dapply-policy%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Present%20controller%20policy.%0A%23%0A%23%20How%20to%20treat%20USB%20controllers%20that%20are%20already%20connected%0A%23%20when%20the%20daemon%20starts.%20One%20of%3A%0A%23%0A%23%20%2A%20allow%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20authorize%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20block%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20deauthorize%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20reject%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20remove%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20keep%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20just%20sync%20the%20internal%20state%20and%20leave%20it%0A%23%20%2A%20apply-policy%20-%20evaluate%20the%20ruleset%20for%20every%20present%0A%23%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20device%0A%23%0APresentControllerPolicy%3Dkeep%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Inserted%20device%20policy.%0A%23%0A%23%20How%20to%20treat%20USB%20devices%20that%20are%20already%20connected%0A%23%20%2Aafter%2A%20the%20daemon%20starts.%20One%20of%3A%0A%23%0A%23%20%2A%20block%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20deauthorize%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20reject%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20remove%20every%20present%20device%0A%23%20%2A%20apply-policy%20-%20evaluate%20the%20ruleset%20for%20every%20present%0A%23%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20device%0A%23%0AInsertedDevicePolicy%3Dapply-policy%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Control%20which%20devices%20are%20authorized%20by%20default.%0A%23%0A%23%20The%20USBGuard%20daemon%20modifies%20some%20the%20default%20authorization%20state%20attributes%0A%23%20of%20controller%20devices.%20This%20setting%2C%20enables%20you%20to%20define%20what%20value%20the%0A%23%20default%20authorization%20is%20set%20to.%0A%23%0A%23%20%2A%20keep%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20do%20not%20change%20the%20authorization%20state%0A%23%20%2A%20none%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20every%20new%20device%20starts%20out%20deauthorized%0A%23%20%2A%20all%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20every%20new%20device%20starts%20out%20authorized%0A%23%20%2A%20internal%20%20%20%20%20-%20internal%20devices%20start%20out%20authorized%2C%20external%20devices%20start%0A%23%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20out%20deauthorized%20%28this%20requires%20the%20ACPI%20tables%20to%20properly%0A%23%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20label%20internal%20devices%2C%20and%20kernel%20support%29%0A%23%0A%23AuthorizedDefault%3Dnone%0A%0A%23%0A%23%20Restore%20controller%20device%20state.%0A%23%0A%23%20The%20USBGuard%20daemon%20modifies%20some%20attributes%20of%20controller%0A%23%20devices%20like%20the%20default%20authorization%20state%20of%20new%20child%20device%0A%23%20instances.%20Using%20this%20setting%2C%20you%20can%20control%20whether%20the%0A%23%20daemon%20will%20try%20to%20restore%20the%20attribut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         mode: 0600
         path: /etc/usbguard/usbguard-daemon.conf
         overwrite: true 
" | oc apply -f - 
done 

5. Create a USBGuard policy:

Below is an example policy. Replace the string in files.contents.source.data with an organizationally approved policy:

for mcpool in $(oc get mcp -oname | sed "s:.*/::" ); do
echo "apiVersion: machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1
kind: MachineConfig
metadata:
   name: 80-usbguard-rules-conf-$mcpool
   labels:
     machineconfiguration.openshift.io/role: $mcpool
spec:
   config:
     ignition:
       version: 3.1.0
     storage:
       files:
       - contents:
           source: data:,allow%20with-interface%20one-of%20%7B%2003%3A00%3A01%2003%3A01%3A01%20%7D%20if%20%21allowed-matches%28with-interface%20one-of%20%7B%2003%3A00%3A01%2003%3A01%3A01%20%7D%29
         mode: 0600
         path: /etc/usbguard/rules.conf
         overwrite: true 
" | oc apply -f - 
done

STIG check 81 of 83 in the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.x STIG checklist

← Previous · V-257584Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) must disable USB Storage kernel module.Next · V-257586 →OpenShift must continuously scan components, containers, and images for vulnerabilities.