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

RHEL 9 must require authentication to access emergency mode.

DISA Rule

SV-258128r1155626_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-258128

Group Title

SRG-OS-000080-GPOS-00048

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611195

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-000213 - Enforce approved authorizations for logical access to information and system resources in accordance with applicable access control policies.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure RHEL 9 to require authentication for emergency mode.

Create a directory for supplementary configuration files:
$ sudo mkdir /etc/systemd/system/emergency.service.d/

Copy the original file emergency.service file to the new directory with:
$ sudo cp /usr/lib/systemd/system/emergency.service /etc/systemd/system/emergency.service.d/emergency.service.conf

Open the new file:
$ sudo vi /etc/systemd/system/emergency.service.d/emergency.service.conf

Add or modify the following line in the new file:
ExecStart=-/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sulogin-shell emergency

Comment out or remove the ExecStart and ExecStartPre lines in /usr/lib/systemd/system/emergency.service as they can only exist in one location.

Apply changes to unit files without rebooting the system:
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Check Contents

Verify RHEL 9 requires authentication for emergency mode with the following command:

$ grep sulogin /usr/lib/systemd/system/emergency.service

ExecStart=-/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sulogin-shell emergency

If the line is not returned from the default systemd file, use the following command to look for modifications to the emergency.service:

$ grep sulogin /etc/systemd/system/emergency.service.d/*.conf

If the line is not returned from either location this is a finding.

Note: The configuration setting can only be in either the default location, or in the drop in file, not both locations.

Vulnerability Number

V-258128

Documentable

False

Rule Version

RHEL-09-611195

Severity Override Guidance

Verify RHEL 9 requires authentication for emergency mode with the following command:

$ grep sulogin /usr/lib/systemd/system/emergency.service

ExecStart=-/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-sulogin-shell emergency

If the line is not returned from the default systemd file, use the following command to look for modifications to the emergency.service:

$ grep sulogin /etc/systemd/system/emergency.service.d/*.conf

If the line is not returned from either location this is a finding.

Note: The configuration setting can only be in either the default location, or in the drop in file, not both locations.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5551