STIGQter: STIG Summary: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 9 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

RHEL 9 must restrict usage of ptrace to descendant processes.

DISA Rule

SV-257811r1198253_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-257811

Group Title

SRG-OS-000132-GPOS-00067

Rule Version

RHEL-09-213080

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-001082 - Separate user functionality, including user interface services, from system management functionality.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure RHEL 9 to restrict the usage of ptrace to descendant processes.

Create the drop-in if it doesn't already exist:

$ sudo vi /etc/sysctl.d/99-kernel_yama.ptrace_scope.conf

Add the following line to the file:
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 1

Reload settings from all system configuration files with the following command:

$ sudo sysctl --system

Check Contents

Verify RHEL 9 restricts the usage of ptrace to descendant processes.

Check the status of the "kernel.yama.ptrace_scope" kernel parameter with the following command:

$ sysctl kernel.yama.ptrace_scope
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 1

If the network parameter "kernel.yama.ptrace_scope" is not equal to "1", or nothing is returned, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-257811

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-213080

Severity Override Guidance

Verify RHEL 9 restricts the usage of ptrace to descendant processes.

Check the status of the "kernel.yama.ptrace_scope" kernel parameter with the following command:

$ sysctl kernel.yama.ptrace_scope
kernel.yama.ptrace_scope = 1

If the network parameter "kernel.yama.ptrace_scope" is not equal to "1", or nothing is returned, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5551