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

RHEL 9 must enable certificate based smart card authentication.

DISA Rule

SV-258122r1045246_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258122

Group Title

SRG-OS-000375-GPOS-00160

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611165

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-000765 - Implement multifactor authentication for network access to privileged accounts.
• CCI-004046 - Implement multi-factor authentication for local; network; and/or remote access to privileged accounts; and/or non-privileged accounts such that one of the factors is provided by a device separate from the system gaining access.
• CCI-004047 - Implement multi-factor authentication for local; network; and/or remote access to privileged accounts; and/or non-privileged accounts such that the device meets organization-defined strength of mechanism requirements.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Edit the file "/etc/sssd/sssd.conf" or a configuration file in "/etc/sssd/conf.d" and add or edit the following line:

pam_cert_auth = True

Check Contents

Note: If the system administrator (SA) demonstrates the use of an approved alternate multifactor authentication method, this requirement is Not Applicable.

To verify that RHEL 9 has smart cards enabled in System Security Services Daemon (SSSD), run the following command:

$ sudo grep -ir pam_cert_auth /etc/sssd/sssd.conf /etc/sssd/conf.d/

pam_cert_auth = True

If "pam_cert_auth" is not set to "True", the line is commented out, or the line is missing, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-258122

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611165

Severity Override Guidance

Note: If the system administrator (SA) demonstrates the use of an approved alternate multifactor authentication method, this requirement is Not Applicable.

To verify that RHEL 9 has smart cards enabled in System Security Services Daemon (SSSD), run the following command:

$ sudo grep -ir pam_cert_auth /etc/sssd/sssd.conf /etc/sssd/conf.d/

pam_cert_auth = True

If "pam_cert_auth" is not set to "True", the line is commented out, or the line is missing, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5551