# Cis Ubuntu1804 V220 1 8 2

> Ensure GDM login banner is configured

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu1804-v220-1-8-2` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu1804-v220-1-8-2`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu1804-v220-1-8-2/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu1804-v220-1-8-2

---


# 1.8.2 Ensure GDM login banner is configured (Automated)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation

## Description

GDM is the GNOME Display Manager which handles graphical login for GNOME based systems.

## Rationale

Warning messages inform users who are attempting to login to the system of their legal status regarding the system and must include the name of the organization that owns the system and any monitoring policies that are in place.

## Audit Procedure

### Command Line

Run the following script to verify that the text banner on the login screen is enabled and set:

```bash
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
    l_pkgoutput=""
    if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
        l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
    elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
        l_pq="rpm -q"
    fi
    l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space separated list of packages to check
    for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
        $l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n - checking configuration"
    done
    if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then
        l_output="" l_output2=""
        echo -e "$l_pkgoutput"
        # Look for existing settings and set variables if they exist
        l_gdmfile="$(grep -Prils '^\h*banner-message-enable\b' /etc/dconf/db/*.d)"
        if [ -n "$l_gdmfile" ]; then
            # Set profile name based on dconf db directory ({PROFILE_NAME}.d)
            l_gdmprofile="$(awk -F\/ '{split($(NF-1),a,".");print a[1]}' <<< "$l_gdmfile")"
            # Check if banner message is enabled
            if grep -Pisq '^\h*banner-message-enable=true\b' "$l_gdmfile"; then
                l_output="$l_output\n - The \"banner-message-enable\" option is enabled in \"$l_gdmfile\""
            else
                l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"banner-message-enable\" option is not enabled"
            fi
            l_lsbt="$(grep -Pios '^\h*banner-message-text=.*$' "$l_gdmfile")"
            if [ -n "$l_lsbt" ]; then
                l_output="$l_output\n - The \"banner-message-text\" option is set in \"$l_gdmfile\"\n - banner-message-text is set to:\n - \"$l_lsbt\""
            else
                l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"banner-message-text\" option is not set"
            fi
            if grep -Pq "^\h*system-db:$l_gdmprofile" /etc/dconf/profile/"$l_gdmprofile"; then
                l_output="$l_output\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile exists"
            else
                l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile doesn't exist"
            fi
            if [ -f "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile" ]; then
                l_output="$l_output\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile exists in the dconf database"
            else
                l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"$l_gdmprofile\" profile doesn't exist in the dconf database"
            fi
        else
            l_output2="$l_output2\n - The \"banner-message-enable\" option isn't configured"
        fi _
    else
        echo -e "\n\n - GNOME Desktop Manager isn't installed\n - Recommendation is Not Applicable\n- Audit result:\n  *** PASS ***\n"
    fi
    # Report results. If no failures output in l_output2, we pass
    if [ -z "$l_output2" ]; then
        echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n  ** PASS **\n$l_output\n"
    else
        echo -e "\n- Audit Result:\n  ** FAIL **\n - Reason(s) for audit failure:\n$l_output2\n"
        [ -n "$l_output" ] && echo -e "\n- Correctly set:\n$l_output\n"
    fi
}
```

## Remediation

### Command Line

Run the following script to verify that the banner message is enabled and set:

```bash
#!/usr/bin/env bash

{
    l_pkgoutput=""
    if command -v dpkg-query > /dev/null 2>&1; then
        l_pq="dpkg-query -s"
    elif command -v rpm > /dev/null 2>&1; then
        l_pq="rpm -q"
    fi
    l_pcl="gdm gdm3" # Space separated list of packages to check
    for l_pn in $l_pcl; do
        $l_pq "$l_pn" > /dev/null 2>&1 && l_pkgoutput="$l_pkgoutput\n - Package: \"$l_pn\" exists on the system\n - checking configuration"
    done
    if [ -n "$l_pkgoutput" ]; then

        l_gdmprofile="gdm" # Set this to desired profile name IaW Local site policy
        l_bmessage="'Authorized uses only. All activity may be monitored and reported'" # Set to desired banner message
        if [ ! -f "/etc/dconf/profile/$l_gdmprofile" ]; then
            echo "Creating profile \"$l_gdmprofile\""
            echo -e "user-db:user\nsystem-db:$l_gdmprofile\nfile-db:/usr/share/$l_gdmprofile/greeter-dconf-defaults" > /etc/dconf/profile/$l_gdmprofile
        fi
        if [ ! -d "/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/" ]; then
            echo "Creating dconf database directory \"/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/\""
            mkdir /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/
        fi
        if ! grep -Piq '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*true\b' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*; then
            echo "creating gdm keyfile for machine-wide settings"
            if ! grep -Piq -- '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*; then
                l_kfile="/etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/01-banner-message"
                echo -e "\n[org/gnome/login-screen]\nbanner-message-enable=true" >> "$l_kfile"
            else
                l_kfile="$(grep -Pil -- '^\h*banner-message-enable\h*=\h*' /etc/dconf/db/$l_gdmprofile.d/*)"
                ! grep -Pq '^\h*\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]' "$l_kfile" && sed -ri 's/^\s*(banner-message-enable\s*=\s*)(\S+)/\[org\/gnome\/login-screen\]/ a\nbanner-message-enable=true' "$l_kfile"
            fi
        fi
        if ! grep -Piq "^\h*banner-message-text=['\"]+\S+" "$l_kfile"; then
            sed -ri "/^\s*banner-message-enable/ a\banner-message-text=$l_bmessage" "$l_kfile"
        fi
        dconf update
    else
        echo -e "\n\n - GNOME Desktop Manager isn't installed\n - Recommendation is Not Applicable\n - No remediation required\n"
    fi
}
```

Note:

- There is no character limit for the banner message. gnome-shell autodetects longer stretches of text and enters two column mode.
- The banner message cannot be read from an external file.

OR

Run the following command to remove the gdm3 package:

```bash
apt purge gdm3
```

## Default Value

disabled

## References

1. https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-banner.html.en
2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-1, CM-2, CM-6, CM-7, IA-5

## Additional Information

Additional options and sections may appear in the `/etc/dconf/db/gdm.d/01-banner-message` file.

If a different GUI login service is in use, consult your documentation and apply an equivalent banner.

## MITRE ATT&CK Mappings

| Techniques / Sub-techniques                                         | Tactics | Mitigations |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ----------- |
| T1078, T1078.001, T1078.002, T1078.003, T1087, T1087.001, T1087.002 | TA0007  | M1028       |