2.2 Security Considerations for Operating Systems

  • The operating system of the system hosting the eDirectory server should always be up-to-date with the latest updates and security patches.

  • No other services should run on the hosting system except for SSH. Additionally, the SSH server must be configured with strong ciphers to ensure secure communication.

  • If SSH is enabled, it is recommended to regularly audit the SSH server logs to detect any suspicious activity.

  • A non-administrative account should be used for configuring and running eDirectory. There should be no other user accounts besides the non-administrative account and the root user with shell access to the system.

  • An intrusion detection system should be utilized to alert the administrator of any unexpected behavior.

  • It is recommended to set SELinux to Permissive mode on all RHEL machines.

    To do this, navigate to the SELinux configuration file located in /etc.selinux/config location and set SELinux to permissive mode as follows:

    SELINUX=permissive

  • For console access restrictions, it is recommended that the server be placed in secured room and accessed only by authorized users.

  • Non-root users (systems non-admin users) should have non-root password policies. Users should have strong password policies.

  • It is recommended to only have an administrator account on Windows, and no other user accounts.

  • Lastly, Linux operating system can be installed in FIPS mode for added security.