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 the use of the "su" command.

DISA Rule

SV-258088r1155643_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258088

Group Title

SRG-OS-000373-GPOS-00156

Rule Version

RHEL-09-432035

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-004895 - Permit users to invoke the trusted communications path for communications between the user and the organization-defined security functions, including at a minimum, authentication and re-authentication.
• CCI-002165 - Enforce organization-defined discretionary access control policies over defined subjects and objects.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure RHEL 9 to require users to be in the "wheel" group to run "su" command.

In file "/etc/pam.d/su", uncomment the following line:

"#auth required pam_wheel.so use_uid"

$ sed '/^[[:space:]]*#[[:space:]]*auth[[:space:]]\+required[[:space:]]\+pam_wheel\.so[[:space:]]\+use_uid$/s/^[[:space:]]*#//' -i /etc/pam.d/su

If necessary, create a "wheel" group and add administrative users to the group.

Check Contents

Verify RHEL 9 includes users who require privilege escalation to be members of the "wheel" group with the following command:

$ sudo grep pam_wheel /etc/pam.d/su

auth required pam_wheel.so use_uid

If a line for "pam_wheel.so" does not exist, or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-258088

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-432035

Severity Override Guidance

Verify RHEL 9 includes users who require privilege escalation to be members of the "wheel" group with the following command:

$ sudo grep pam_wheel /etc/pam.d/su

auth required pam_wheel.so use_uid

If a line for "pam_wheel.so" does not exist, or the line is commented out, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5551