Other Articles
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- Servers – Configure /tmp Partition
- Servers – Configure /home Partition
- Servers – Configure /var Partition
- Servers – Configure Shm Partition
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- Servers – Enforce Authentication for Single User Mode
- Servers – Restrict Core Dump Generation
- Servers – Enable NX Protection
- Servers – Enable Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR)
- Servers – Configure Message of the Day (MOTD)
- Servers – Configure Local Login Banner
- Servers – Configure Remote Login Banner
- Servers – Configure Message of the Day (MOTD) Permissions
- Servers – Configure Issue Permissions
- Servers – Configure Password Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Permissions
- Servers – Configure Gshadow Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Gshadow Permissions
- Servers – Configure Passwd Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Shadow Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Shadow Permissions
- Servers – Ensure All Users' Home Directories Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Users Have .forward Files
- Servers – Ensure No Users Have .netrc Files
- Servers – Ensure No Users Have .rhosts Files
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- Servers – Remove Legacy '+' Entries from Group
- Servers – Remove Legacy '+' Entries from Passwd
- Servers – Remove Legacy '+' Entries from Shadow
- Servers – Restrict Access to .netrc Files
- Servers – Secure System Accounts
- Servers – Ensure Users' Home Directory Permissions are 750 or More Restrictive
- Servers – Ensure Users Own Their Home Directories
- Servers – Verify Security Of Dot Files
- Servers – Verify Existence of passwd Groups
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate UIDs Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate GIDs Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate User Names Exist
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- Servers – Ensure Journald Storage is Configured to Persistent Disk
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- Servers – Ensure Chrony is Configured
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- Servers – Ensure IPv6 Outbound and Established Connections are Configured
- Servers – Verify IPv6 Open Ports Rules
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- Servers – Ensure Loopback Traffic is Configured
- Servers – Ensure Outbound and Established Connections are Configured
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- Servers – Ensure Source Routed Packets are Not Accepted
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- Servers – Ensure Suspicious Packets Logging is Enabled
- Servers – Ensure Broadcast ICMP Requests are Ignored
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- Servers – Ensure SSH SSHD Config Permissions Are Configured
- Servers – Ensure SSH Private Host Key Permissions
- Servers – Ensure SSH Public Host Key Permissions Are Configured
- Servers – Ensure SSH Protocol is Set to 2
- Servers – Ensure SSH LogLevel is Appropriate
- Servers – Ensure SSH X11 Forwarding is Disabled
- Servers – Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is Set to 4 or Less
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- Servers – Ensure SSH HostbasedAuthentication is Disabled
- Servers – Disable SSH Root Login
- Servers – Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is Disabled
- Servers – Verify SSH Strong Ciphers Strength
- Servers – Verify SSH Strong MAC Algorithms
- Servers – Verify SSH Strong Key Exchange Algorithms
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- Servers – Configure SSH Warning Banner
- Servers – Disable SSH AllowTcpForwarding
- Servers – Configure SSH MaxStartups
- Servers – Verify SSH MaxSessions Configuration
- Servers – Ensure Password Creation Requirements are Configured
- Servers – Ensure Password Reuse is Limited
- Servers – Ensure Password Hashing Algorithm is SHA-512
- Servers – Ensure Password Expiration Days is 365 or Less
- Servers – Ensure Minimum Days Between Password Changes is 7 or More
- Servers – Ensure Password Expiration Warning Days is 7 or More
- Servers – Ensure Inactive Password Lock is 30 Days or Less
- Servers – Ensure All Users Last Password Change Date is in the Past
- Servers – Ensure System Accounts Are Secured
- Servers – Ensure Default Group for Root Account is GID 0
- Servers – Verify Default User Umask
- Servers – Ensure Default User Shell Timeout is 900 Seconds or Less
- Servers – Ensure Root Login is Restricted to System Console
- Servers – Ensure Access to su Command is Restricted
Servers – Enable SSH PAM Authentication
Support > Fixing Checks > Server
06 March, 2026
This check ensures that Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) are enabled for SSH on the server.
Enabling PAM allows centralized authentication, account validation, session control, and policy enforcement such as access restrictions based on time, IP, or user roles.
Check Details
- Resource: Server
- Check: Ensure SSH PAM authentication is enabled
- Risk: Disabling PAM may bypass centralized authentication controls and reduce the ability to enforce security policies.
Remediation Steps
- Open a terminal session with root or sudo privileges.
-
Verify if PAM is enabled in SSH configuration:
sshd -T | grep -i usepam
-
Ensure output shows:
usepam yes -
Edit SSH configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
-
Add or modify the following line:
UsePAM yes
- Save the file and exit.
-
Restart SSH service:
sudo systemctl restart sshd
- Re-run the audit command to confirm PAM is enabled.
- Perform regular audits to ensure PAM remains enabled.