RHEL 9 must generate audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect /etc/passwd.

In addition to auditing new user and group accounts, these watches will alert the system administrator(s) to any modifications. Any unexpected users, groups, or modifications should be investigated for legitimacy.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000004-GPOS-00004, SRG-OS-000037-GPOS-00015, SRG-OS-000042-GPOS-00020, SRG-OS-000062-GPOS-00031, SRG-OS-000304-GPOS-00121, SRG-OS-000392-GPOS-00172, SRG-OS-000462-GPOS-00206, SRG-OS-000470-GPOS-00214, SRG-OS-000471-GPOS-00215, SRG-OS-000239-GPOS-00089, SRG-OS-000240-GPOS-00090, SRG-OS-000241-GPOS-00091, SRG-OS-000303-GPOS-00120, SRG-OS-000466-GPOS-00210, SRG-OS-000476-GPOS-00221, SRG-OS-000274-GPOS-00104, SRG-OS-000275-GPOS-00105, SRG-OS-000276-GPOS-00106, SRG-OS-000277-GPOS-00107

Verify RHEL 9 generates audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect "/etc/passwd" with the following command:

$ sudo auditctl -l | egrep '(/etc/passwd)' -a always,exit -F arch=b32 -F path=/etc/passwd -F perm=wa -k identity -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -F path=/etc/passwd -F perm=wa -k identity

If the command does not return a line, or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Configure RHEL 9 to generate audit records for all account creations, modifications, disabling, and termination events that affect "/etc/passwd".

Add or update the following file system rule to "/etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules":

-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -F path=/etc/passwd -F perm=wa -k identity -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -F path=/etc/passwd -F perm=wa -k identity

To load the rules to the kernel immediately, use the following command:

$ sudo augenrules --load