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

RHEL 9 system accounts must not have an interactive login shell.

DISA Rule

SV-258046r991589_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258046

Group Title

SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227

Rule Version

RHEL-09-411035

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

CCI-000366 - Implement the security configuration settings.

Weight

Fix Recommendation

Configure RHEL 9 so that all noninteractive accounts on the system do not have an interactive shell assigned to them.

If the system account needs a shell assigned for mission operations, document the need with the information system security officer (ISSO).

Run the following command to disable the interactive shell for a specific noninteractive user account:

Replace <user> with the user that has a login shell.

$ sudo usermod --shell /sbin/nologin <user>

Do not perform the steps in this section on the root account. Doing so will cause the system to become inaccessible.

Check Contents

Verify that system accounts must not have an interactive login shell with the following command:

$ awk -F: '($3<1000){print $1 ":" $3 ":" $7}' /etc/passwd

root:0:/bin/bash
bin:1:/sbin/nologin
daemon:2:/sbin/nologin
adm:3:/sbin/nologin
lp:4:/sbin/nologin

Identify the system accounts from this listing that do not have a nologin shell.

If any system account (other than the root account) has a login shell and it is not documented with the information system security officer (ISSO), this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-258046

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-411035

Severity Override Guidance

Check Content Reference

Target Key

5551