LJK/Security Reference Manual


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The second part (Volume Name) of the (DISK,DISKWRITE,*) exemption specification must be the of the form "DISK$<label>"

Selector

Limits

Constraint Value Default
GRPFORBID FALSE or TRUE FALSE
SYSFORBID FALSE or TRUE FALSE
USERFORBID FALSE or TRUE FALSE

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
GRPFORBID FALSE or TRUE <node>,<device-name>
SYSFORBID FALSE or TRUE <node>,<device-name>
USERFORBID FALSE or TRUE <node>,<device-name>

Practical considerations

These tests can detect use of unauthorized portable media such as CDROMs if they happens to run while they are mounted. To detect other cases, use tests (USAGE, DISKMOUNT, *).

DISKWRITE

Ensure that only authorized disks have been mounted writable.

Violation reports

Constraint Nature of the violation
GRPFORBID Unauthorized disk was mounted /GROUP
SYSFORBID Unauthorized disk was mounted /SYSTEM
USERFORBID Unauthorized disk was mounted privately

Description

These tests ensure than any disks previously mounted write-enabled had authorized names (as indicated by the presence of an exemption).

Default policy

By default (USAGE,DISKWRITE,*) tests are not enabled

Customizing

Exemptions for (DISK,DISKWRITE,*) tests are also honored for (USAGE,DISKWRITE,*) tests.

The second part (Volume Name) of the (DISK,DISKWRITE,*) exemption specification must be the of the form "DISK$<label>"

Selector

Limits

Constraint Value Default
GRPFORBID FALSE or TRUE FALSE
SYSFORBID FALSE or TRUE FALSE
USERFORBID FALSE or TRUE FALSE

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
GRPFORBID FALSE or TRUE <node>,<device-name>
SYSFORBID FALSE or TRUE <node>,<device-name>
USERFORBID FALSE or TRUE <node>,<device-name>

Practical considerations

These tests can detect use of unauthorized portable media such as USB memory sticks if they happens to run while they are mounted. To detect other cases, use tests (USAGE, DISKWRITE, *).

ERASEDELET

Ensure that specification of Erase On Delete for disk volumes conforms to local policy.

Violation reports

Constraint Nature of the violation
PROHIBITED Erase On Delete is enabled in violation of policy
REQUIRED Erase On Delete is disabled in violation of policy

Description

When Erase On Delete is specified for a disk volume, all files deleted from that volume will have their disk space overwritten with a system-specified pattern.

Note that this is different from setting individual files to be erased on deletion.

Default policy

Use of Erase On Delete is neither prohibited nor required

Customizing

Set the limit for DISK_ERASEDELET_REQUIRED to TRUE in order to require all disk volumes to be set for Erase On Delete

Selector

Limits

Constraint Value Default
PROHIBITED FALSE or TRUE FALSE
REQUIRED FALSE or TRUE FALSE

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
PROHIBITED FALSE or TRUE <node>,<volume-name>
REQUIRED FALSE or TRUE <node>,<volume-name>

Practical considerations

Enabling Erase On Delete has a significant performance impact when files are deleted.

FILEPROT

Ensure that protections on files not covered by other file protection elements fall within the restrictions set by policy.

Violation reports

Constraint Nature of the violation
ABSOLUTLO Access is narrower than permitted by policy
ABSOLUTHI Access is wider than permitted by policy
NOSYSOWNER File is owned by a system UIC in violation of policy
PERCENTLO Fewer users can access than permitted by policy
PERCENTHI More users can access than permitted by policy
SYSOWNER File is not owned by a system UIC in violation of policy
VERSIONMAX File version number is higher than allowed by policy

Description

If a file's protection setting is not restrictive enough, unauthorized users will be able to read, write, execute, or delete the file in question. If the setting is too restrictive, users generally find a less acceptable way of sharing information to get their job done. Typically, they share their password or make an unauthorized copy of the file somewhere else.

The purpose of this test is to ensure that file protection settings are within the limits set by the security manager.

The ABSOLUTLO and ABSOLUTHI tests measure the UIC-based protection mask directly. The PERCENTLO and PERCENTHI tests measure the result of protection (including ACL protection) in terms of the percentage of usernames given access (ignoring usernames that have been disabled).

Violations for protection-related DISK facility elements are not reported regarding only the writeability of CDROM disks since the apparent writeability is just an illusion.

Default policy

The file protection setting must allow at least the system to read, write, access, and delete the file. By default, the weakest acceptable file setting allows the system and owner to read, write, execute, and delete the file, and also allows other users in the owner's UIC group to read and execute the file. By default, other users outside the owner's group are allowed NO access to the file.

By default, a minimum of 0 percent of users must have access and a maximum of 10 percent of users may have access

Customizing

Limits for constraints ABSOLUTLO and ABSOLUTHI take the same form as a standard VMS file protection setting. The syntax for this is explained in some detail in VMS documentation. The default settings shown in the limits table below are good examples of how to specify which class of users are allowed which type of access. These are the codes involved: selector Limits for constraints PERCENTLO and PERCENTHI can take a selector consisting of a VMS file access type: READ, WRITE, EXECUTE, DELETE or CONTROL. If no selector is specified, customization commands apply to all possible selector values.

Limits

Constraint Value Default
ABSOLUTLO Any Protection (S:RWED,O,G,W)
ABSOLUTHI Any Protection (S:RWED,O:RWED,G:RE,W)
NOSYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE FALSE
PERCENTLO 0-100 0
PERCENTHI 0-100 10
SYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE FALSE
VERSIONMAX 0-32767 0

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
ABSOLUTLO Any Protection <node>, <filespec>
ABSOLUTHI Any Protection <node>, <filespec>
NOSYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE <node>,<filespec>
PERCENTLO 0-100 <node>, <filespec>
PERCENTHI 0-100 <node>, <filespec>
SYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE <node>,<filespec>
VERSIONMAX 0-32767 <node>,<filespec>

Practical considerations

File protection is an area which usually cannot be managed at arm's length from individual users and applications. Departments or people who depend on each other for data frequently will need some assistance in working out a protection scheme that allows this to take place without opening the files up to all users. Be sure to consider Access Control Lists (which explicitly name the users who can access a given file) if you find yourself getting painted into a corner with simple file protection settings. See the VMS system manager's documentation for details.

HELPPROT

Ensure that protections on files in SYS$HELP and SYS$LIBRARY fall within the restrictions set by policy.

Violation reports

Constraint Nature of the violation
ABSOLUTLO Access is narrower than permitted by policy
ABSOLUTHI Access is wider than permitted by policy
NOSYSOWNER File is owned by a system UIC in violation of policy
PERCENTLO Fewer users can access than permitted by policy
PERCENTHI More users can access than permitted by policy
SYSOWNER File is not owned by a system UIC in violation of policy
VERSIONMAX File version number is higher than allowed by policy

Description

If a file's protection setting is not restrictive enough, unauthorized users will be able to read, write, execute, or delete the file in question. If the setting is too restrictive, users generally find a less acceptable way of sharing information to get their job done. Typically, they share their password or make an unauthorized copy of the file somewhere else.

The purpose of this test is to ensure that file protection settings are within the limits set by the security manager.

The ABSOLUTLO and ABSOLUTHI tests measure the UIC-based protection mask directly. The PERCENTLO and PERCENTHI tests measure the result of protection (including ACL protection) in terms of the percentage of usernames given access (ignoring usernames that have been disabled).

Violations for protection-related DISK facility elements are not reported regarding only the writeability of CDROM disks since the apparent writeability is just an illusion.

Default policy

Files have a system owner.

The file protection setting must allow at least the system to read, write, access, and delete the file. By default, the weakest acceptable file setting allows the system and owner to read, write, execute, and delete the file, and also allows other users in the owner's UIC group to read and execute the file. By default, other users outside the owner's group are allowed NO access to the file.

By default, a minimum of 0 percent of users must have access and a maximum of 10 percent of users may have access

Customizing

Limits for constraints ABSOLUTLO and ABSOLUTHI take the same form as a standard VMS file protection setting. The syntax for this is explained in some detail in VMS documentation. The default settings shown in the limits table below are good examples of how to specify which class of users are allowed which type of access. These are the codes involved: selector Limits for constraints PERCENTLO and PERCENTHI can take a selector consisting of a VMS file access type: READ, WRITE, EXECUTE, DELETE or CONTROL. If no selector is specified, customization commands apply to all possible selector values.

Limits

Constraint Value Default
ABSOLUTLO Any Protection (S:RWED,O,G,W)
ABSOLUTHI Any Protection (S:RWED,O:RWED,G:RE,W:RE)
NOSYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE FALSE
PERCENTLO 0-100 0
PERCENTHI 0-100 100
SYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE TRUE
VERSIONMAX 0-32767 0

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
ABSOLUTLO Any Protection <node>, <filespec>
ABSOLUTHI Any Protection <node>, <filespec>
NOSYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE <node>, <filespec>
PERCENTLO 0-100 <node>, <filespec>
PERCENTHI 0-100 <node>, <filespec>
SYSOWNER FALSE or TRUE <node>, <filespec>
VERSIONMAX 0-32767 <node>,<filespec>

Practical considerations

File protection is an area which usually cannot be managed at arm's length from individual users and applications. Departments or people who depend on each other for data frequently will need some assistance in working out a protection scheme that allows this to take place without opening the files up to all users. Be sure to consider Access Control Lists (which explicitly name the users who can access a given file) if you find yourself getting painted into a corner with simple file protection settings. See the VMS system manager's documentation for details.

HIGHWATER

Ensure that specification of File Highwater Marking for disk volumes conforms to local policy.

Violation reports

Constraint Nature of the violation
PROHIBITED File Highwater Marking is enabled in violation of policy
REQUIRED File Highwater Marking is disabled in violation of policy

Description

When File Highwater Marking is specified for a disk volume, users are prevented from reading the previous contents of space now allocated to their files.

Default policy

Use of File Highwater Marking is required

Customizing

Change the DISK_HIGHWATER_REQUIRED limit to FALSE or add exemptions if File Highwater Marking causes severe performance problems because systems are still running VMS V4. selector

Limits

Constraint Value Default
PROHIBITED FALSE or TRUE FALSE
REQUIRED FALSE or TRUE TRUE

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
PROHIBITED FALSE or TRUE <node>,<volume-name>
REQUIRED FALSE or TRUE <node>,<volume-name>

Practical considerations

Under VMS V4, enabling File Highwater Marking could cause performance problems when files were created or extended. Effective with VMS V5.0, that problem was eliminated for sequential files as DEC implemented their original plan for File Highwater Marking, rather than the "erase on extend" temporary method they had used under VMS V4.

Under VMS V5 "erase on extend" implementation is still used for relative and indexed files, but the overhead introduced is not usually noticed because of the overhead already present in creation or extending relative and indexed files.


INSTALLED

Ensure that unauthorized images are not installed.

Violation reports

Constraint Nature of the violation
CHECKSUM Installed image not checksummed in violation of policy
PROHIBITED Image Installation in violation of policy

Description

Installation of a shareable image declares it "trusted" and accessible by privileged programs. This test can be used to ensure that only authorized programs are installed.

Exemptions within the (DISK, CHECKSUM) element specify checksum values for particular files on disk. The test for the CHECKSUM constraint within this facility determines whether such an exemption has been established for all installed images on the system.

Default policy

Image installation is not prohibited

Customizing

Setting the DISK_INSTALLED_PROHIBITED limit TRUE should be accompanied by establishment of corresponding exemptions for images whose installation is acceptable (many of which are supplied by VMS and layered products)

Selector

Limits

Constraint Value Default
CHECKSUM FALSE or TRUE FALSE
PROHIBITED FALSE or TRUE FALSE

Exemptions

Constraint Value Parameters
CHECKSUM FALSE or TRUE <node>,<filespec>
PROHIBITED FALSE or TRUE <node>,<filespec>

Practical considerations

Tracking all images allowed to be installed can be a considerable effort.


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