Amazon Linux 2023, for PKI-based authentication, must enforce authorized access to the corresponding private key.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-274064	SRG-OS-000067-GPOS-00035	AZLX-23-001315	SV-274064r1120180_rule	2025-07-15	1

Description
If the private key is discovered, an attacker can use the key to authenticate as an authorized user and gain access to the network infrastructure. The cornerstone of the PKI is the private key used to encrypt or digitally sign information. If the private key is stolen, this will lead to the compromise of the authentication and nonrepudiation gained through PKI because the attacker can use the private key to digitally sign documents and pretend to be the authorized user. Both the holders of a digital certificate and the issuing authority must protect the computers, storage devices, or whatever they use to keep the private keys.

Description

If the private key is discovered, an attacker can use the key to authenticate as an authorized user and gain access to the network infrastructure. The cornerstone of the PKI is the private key used to encrypt or digitally sign information. If the private key is stolen, this will lead to the compromise of the authentication and nonrepudiation gained through PKI because the attacker can use the private key to digitally sign documents and pretend to be the authorized user. Both the holders of a digital certificate and the issuing authority must protect the computers, storage devices, or whatever they use to keep the private keys.

ℹ️ Check
Verify Amazon Linux 2023 SSH private key files have a passcode. For each private key stored on the system, use the following command: $ sudo ssh-keygen -y -f /path/to/file If the contents of the key are displayed, this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Configure Amazon Linux 2023 SSH private key files to have a passcode. Create a new private and public key pair that utilizes a passcode with the following command: $ sudo ssh-keygen -n [passphrase]