Servers – Restrict Core Dump Generation

Support > Fixing Checks > Server

05 March, 2026

This check ensures that core dumps are restricted to prevent the exposure of sensitive information stored in application memory. A core dump is a snapshot of a program's memory at the time it crashes and is typically used for debugging purposes. However, core dumps may contain confidential data such as passwords, encryption keys, or sensitive application data.

Check Details

Resource: Server
Check: Restrict Core Dump Generation
Risk: If core dumps are not restricted, attackers or unauthorized users may access memory dumps that contain sensitive system or application data, potentially leading to information disclosure or system compromise.

Remediation Steps

Open a terminal session on the target server with root or sudo privileges.
Open the system limits configuration file to restrict core dump generation.
```
sudo nano /etc/security/limits.conf
```
Add the following line at the end of the file to disable core dumps for all users.
```
- hard core 0
```
Set the active kernel parameter to prevent setuid programs from generating core dumps.
```
  sudo sysctl -w fs.suid_dumpable=0
```
If systemd-coredump is installed, open the configuration file.
```
  sudo nano /etc/systemd/coredump.conf
```
Add or update the following settings in the file to disable core dump storage.
```
  Storage=none
  ProcessSizeMax=0
```
Reload the systemd configuration so the changes take effect.
```
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
```

Note: On Container-Optimized OS, the /etc directory is stateless. Configuration changes may not persist after a reboot, so these steps must be performed again after each system restart.

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Servers – Restrict Core Dump Generation

Check Details

Remediation Steps