# yaml-language-server: $schema=../../../../schema/control.schema.json
id: CB-UBU-AUDIT-025
title: Audit kernel module loading and unloading
finding:
  title: Kernel modules can be loaded or removed without a record
  description: A malicious kernel module (rootkit) can be loaded without any trace in the audit log.
status: active
profiles: [server-hardened, desktop-hardened]
risk:
  severity: medium
assessment: automated
tags: [auditd, kernel-modules]

description: |
  auditd rules in `/etc/audit/rules.d/60-cirsec-modules.rules`, key `kernel_modules`:
  `init_module`, `finit_module` and `delete_module` called by users who logged in, 64-bit and 32-bit
  programs, and every run of `kmod` (behind `modprobe`, `insmod`, `rmmod`, `lsmod`).
rationale: |
  Code loaded into the kernel runs with full privileges and can hide processes, files and
  connections. Recording module loads is one of the few ways to spot a kernel rootkit after the fact.
impact: |
  Running `lsmod` as a logged-in administrator also produces a record, since it is the same `kmod` program.
notes: |
  Modules loaded automatically by udev at boot have no login user and are not recorded; this matches the intent (actions by people).

setting:
  location: /etc/audit/rules.d/60-cirsec-modules.rules
  default_value: No audit rules
  recommended_value: "Rules loaded (auditctl -l) and present in /etc/audit/rules.d/60-cirsec-modules.rules"

audit:
  manual: |
    1. Run `auditctl -l` as root. It must list the rules shown below (keys `kernel_modules`).
    2. Run `grep -h . /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules`. The same rules must be present, so they load at boot.

    Expected rules, as `auditctl -l` prints them:
    ```
    -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module,delete_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
    -a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module,delete_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
    -a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/kmod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
    ```
  checks:
    - id: rules
      engine: shell
      description: Rules loaded in the kernel and present in /etc/audit/rules.d.
      spec:
        script: |
          command -v auditctl >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "auditctl not found: auditd is not installed"; exit 1; }
          want() {
          cat <<'RULES'
          -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module,delete_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
          -a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module,delete_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
          -a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/kmod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
          RULES
          }
          loaded=$(auditctl -l 2>&1) || { echo "$loaded"; exit 3; }
          disk=$(cat /etc/audit/rules.d/*.rules 2>/dev/null)
          n=0 rc=0
          while IFS= read -r r; do
            [ -n "$r" ] || continue
            n=$((n + 1))
            printf '%s\n' "$loaded" | grep -Fxq -- "$r" || { echo "not loaded: $r"; rc=1; }
            printf '%s\n' "$disk" | grep -Fxq -- "$r" || { echo "not in /etc/audit/rules.d: $r"; rc=1; }
          done <<EOF
          $(want)
          EOF
          [ "$rc" = 1 ] || echo "$n rules loaded and present in /etc/audit/rules.d"
          exit "$rc"

remediation:
  manual: |
    1. Write the expected rules to `/etc/audit/rules.d/60-cirsec-modules.rules` (mode 0640).
    2. Run `augenrules --load`. If `auditctl -s` shows `enabled 2`, the configuration is locked:
       reboot to load the new rules.
  effects:
    restart: none
    disruption: none
    lockout_risk: false
  rollback: |
    Delete `/etc/audit/rules.d/60-cirsec-modules.rules` and run `augenrules --load` (or reboot if the configuration is locked).
  scripts:
    - id: rules-file
      engine: shell
      content: |
        command -v augenrules >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "auditd is not installed" >&2; exit 1; }
        want() {
        cat <<'RULES'
        -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S init_module,delete_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
        -a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S init_module,delete_module,finit_module -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
        -a always,exit -S all -F path=/usr/bin/kmod -F perm=x -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=-1 -F key=kernel_modules
        RULES
        }
        f=/etc/audit/rules.d/60-cirsec-modules.rules
        t=$(mktemp)
        { echo '# Written by CIRSEC Baselines CB-UBU-AUDIT-025'; want; } >"$t"
        if ! cmp -s "$t" "$f"; then
          cb_backup "$f"
          cat "$t" >"$f"
        fi
        rm -f "$t"
        chmod 640 "$f"
        if auditctl -s | grep -q '^enabled 2'; then
          echo "audit rules are locked (-e 2): reboot to load $f"
        else
          augenrules --load >/dev/null
        fi

references:
  - title: audit.rules(7), Ubuntu manual pages
    url: https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/noble/man7/audit.rules.7.html
    publisher: Canonical
    kind: vendor-doc
    accessed: 2026-10-19
  - title: auditctl(8), Ubuntu manual pages
    url: https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/noble/man8/auditctl.8.html
    publisher: Canonical
    kind: vendor-doc
    accessed: 2026-10-19
  - title: ANSSI-BP-028 v2.0 - Recommandations de configuration d'un système GNU/Linux (R73)
    url: https://messervices.cyber.gouv.fr/documents-guides/fr_np_linux_configuration-v2.0.pdf
    publisher: ANSSI
    kind: guide
    accessed: 2026-10-19
mappings:
  - framework: anssi-linux
    framework_version: "2.0"
    id: "R73"
    relation: partial
  - framework: nist-800-53r5
    framework_version: "5.1.1"
    id: "AU-12"
    relation: related
  - framework: cis-ubuntu-2004
    framework_version: "3.0.0"
    id: "6.3.3.19"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: cis-ubuntu-2204
    framework_version: "3.0.0"
    id: "6.2.3.19"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: cis-ubuntu-2404
    framework_version: "2.0.0"
    id: "6.2.3.28"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: cis-ubuntu-2604
    framework_version: "1.0.0"
    id: "6.2.3.31"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: cis-ubuntu-2604
    framework_version: "1.0.0"
    id: "6.2.3.32"
    relation: equivalent
  - framework: cis-ubuntu-2604
    framework_version: "1.0.0"
    id: "6.2.3.33"
    relation: equivalent
threats:
  - framework: mitre-attack
    id: T1547.006
  - framework: mitre-attack
    id: T1014
related_controls:
  - id: CB-UBU-AUDIT-011
    type: requires
  - id: CB-UBU-AUDIT-029
    type: related

authors:
  - name: Alice
    github: Sn0wAlice
verified:
  - date: 2026-10-19
    by: Sn0wAlice
    versions: ["20.04"]
    environment: Proxmox VM, Ubuntu 20.04 cloud image, kernel 5.4.0-216-generic
    notes: "Fails after auditd install; rules written and loaded (augenrules), all present in auditctl -l with auditd 2.8.5; passes after reboot with enabled 2."
  - date: 2026-10-19
    by: Sn0wAlice
    versions: ["22.04"]
    environment: Proxmox VM, Ubuntu 22.04 cloud image, kernel 5.15.0-198-generic
    notes: "Fails after auditd install; rules written and loaded (augenrules), all present in auditctl -l with auditd 3.0.7; passes after reboot with enabled 2."
  - date: 2026-10-19
    by: Sn0wAlice
    versions: ["24.04"]
    environment: Proxmox VM, Ubuntu 24.04 cloud image, kernel 6.8.0-147-generic
    notes: "Fails after auditd install; rules written and loaded (augenrules), all present in auditctl -l with auditd 3.1.2; passes after reboot with enabled 2."
  - date: 2026-10-19
    by: Sn0wAlice
    versions: ["26.04"]
    environment: Proxmox VM, Ubuntu 26.04 cloud image, kernel 7.0.0-38-generic
    notes: "Fails after auditd install; rules written and loaded (augenrules), all present in auditctl -l with auditd 4.1.2; passes after reboot with enabled 2."
introduced_in: 0.1.0
created: 2026-10-19
updated: 2026-10-19