cyberstrikeus 7.4.2 Create /etc/hosts.allow (Not Scored)
Profile Applicability
- Level 1
Description
The /etc/hosts.allow file specifies which IP addresses are permitted to connect to the host. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the /etc/hosts.deny file.
Rationale
The /etc/hosts.allow file supports access control by IP and helps ensure that only authorized systems can connect to the server.
Audit Procedure
Using Command Line
Run the following command to verify the contents of the /etc/hosts.allow file.
cat /etc/hosts.allow
Expected Result
Contents will vary, depending on your network configuration.
Remediation
Using Command Line
Create /etc/hosts.allow:
echo "ALL: <net>/<mask>, <net>/<mask>, ..." >/etc/hosts.allow
where each <net>/<mask> combination (for example, "192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0") represents one network block in use by your organization that requires access to this system.
Default Value
The /etc/hosts.allow file may or may not exist by default.
References
- CIS Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server Benchmark v1.1.0
Profile
Level 1 - Not Scored