On 11/12/2021 7:56 AM, Topi Miettinen wrote:
Describe some easy and more difficult methods to harden SELinux
policies.
Signed-off-by: Topi Miettinen <toiwoton@xxxxxxxxx>
---
src/hardening.md | 127 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
src/implementing_seaware_apps.md | 2 +-
src/reference_policy.md | 2 +-
src/toc.md | 1 +
4 files changed, 130 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
create mode 100644 src/hardening.md
diff --git a/src/hardening.md b/src/hardening.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa39776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hardening.md
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+# Hardening SELinux
+
+- [Reference Policy](#reference-policy)
+- [Custom Policy](#custom-policy)
+
+The Reference Policy sets a good basis for learning how to operate a
+system with SELinux. The policy allows the system administrators and
+users to continue using the working methods learned from time before
+familiarizing with SELinux, because of its "targeted" model and
+reasonable defaults.
There's something slightly awkwardly worded in this sentence. Maybe
"The policy allows system administrators and users to continue using
working methods that they learned before becoming familiar with SELinux"?
+
+However, it's possible to tighten the policy considerably. The
+Reference Policy gives several options for hardening but for maximum
+control over the policy, it's possible to write custom modules or even
+replace the Reference Policy entirely.
+
+## Reference Policy
+
+The hardening suggestions are listed in the rough order of difficulty.
+
+### Booleans
+
+The Reference Policy uses booleans to control optional aspects of the
+policy. Changing the booleans is very easy way to tune the SELinux
+policy. The booleans can be also changed temporarily, without
+committing them yet to the on-disk policy, so changes are
+automatically reverted on next boot.
+
+For example, recent Firefox browsers can work with policy boolean
+`mozilla_execstack` set to `off`. This can reduce the surface to
+vulnerabilities which could use an executable stack.
It might be helpful to include a sample setsebool command here?
+
+### Disabling Modules
+
+By default, the Reference Policy enables most policy modules to
+support any system. But when the system is known well by the
+administrator, it's possible to remove modules which aren't used.
+
+As an example, if Firefox isn't installed, module `mozilla` can be
+removed from the policy. The hardening effect comes from reducing the
+allow rules, some of which may apply to paths which aren't actively
+monitored because the corresponding application isn't installed.
*the* module mozilla
+
+Care should be taken to never remove modules which actually are used,
+since this may weaken the policy instead, because the removed module
+could have contained an application more strictly than what the policy
+allows without the module.
It could also potentially result in system breakage.
+
+### Users and Roles
+
+In the "targeted" model, both unprivileged users and the system
+administrator (`root`) are unconfined and the TE rules are very
+relaxed. However, it's possible to change the SELinux user for these
+accounts to more confined variants.
+
+For the unprivileged users, the confined user in the Reference Policy
+is `user_u` with corresponding role `user_r`. There's also `staff_r`
+to allow transitioning to system administative roles.
administrative
+
+For the system administrator there are several options: `root` SELinux
+user, which is mostly unconfied and `sysadm_u`, which is more
+confined. The role for both is `sysadm_r`.
unconfined
I would also suggest that logging root in as staff_u:staff_r and
escalating to staff_u:sysadm_r or another role for administrative tasks
would be a reasonable hardening step that could be more suitable for
many use cases.
+
+It's also possible to divide the powers of the system administrator to
+several roles, `sysadm_r`, `auditadm_r`, `logadm_r`, `dbadm_r` and
+`secadm_r`. This can be useful when an organization wants to ensure
+that even the system administrators can be held accountable for their
+actions. The roles can be also useful for management of labor, for
+example having dedicated persons for managing databases or SELinux
+policies.
+
+It should be noted that since this isn't the default way of operating
+SELinux, the Reference Policy may need to supplemented and the
+administrators, even users, may need to be more aware of SELinux in
+order to be able to operate the system.
+
+### Network
+
+With network controls of SELinux, it's possible to enhance firewall
+rules with knowledge of SELinux types. Traditional firewall rules only
+affect the whole system by allowing certain ports and protocols but
+blocking others. With `nftables` and `iptables` it's also possible to
+make this more fine grained: certain users can access network but
+others may not. By using also SELinux controls it's possible to fine
+tune this to application level: `mozilla_t` can connect to the
+Internet but some other applications can't. SELinux packet controls
+can be also used to combine Deep Packet Inspection with SELinux TE
+rules.
+
+In an internal network of an organization, where all entities can
+agree on the same SELinux policy, using IPSec, CIPSO and CALIPSO may
+allow further policy controls. In addition to SELinux domain of the
+source application, even the SELinux domain (or at least MCS/MLS
+category/sensitivity) of the target server can be used in TE rules.
If the goal is escalating order of difficulty, I would say that using
fine grained network labeling is probably more difficult than "Custom
Policy", particularly because implementing it will probably require some
custom policy work.
+
+## Custom Policy
+
+Further hardening can be achieved by replacing policy modules from the
+Reference Policy with custom modules. Typically the modules in the
+Reference Policy are written to allow all possible modes of operation
+for an application or its users, since the writers of the policy don't
+know the specifics of each installation. Thus the SELinux rules may be
+more relaxed than what could be optimal for a specific case. When the
+exact environment and usage patterns are known, it's possible to write
+replacement policy modules to remove excess rules and hence reduce
+attack surface.
+
+As a minimum, it should be ensured that all continously running
+services and main user applications have a dedicated policy module or
+rules, instead of running in for example `init_t`, `initrc_t` or
+`unconfined_t` types which may offer low level of protection.
continuously
+
+It's also possible to write custom SELinux policies for an entire
+system with non-trivial effort.
+
+The rules can also be analyzed with various SELinux tools, such as
+`apol`, `sedta`, `sepolicy` and many more. With the tools it may be
+possible to find hardening opportunities or errors in the policy.
+
+The downside of making the SELinux rules as tight as possible is that
+when the applications (or hardware components or network
+configuration) are updated, there's a possibility that the rules may
+also need updating because of the changes. Less generic rules are also
+less generally useful for different configurations, so the rules may
+need tuning for each installation.
+
+**[[ PREV ]](reference_policy.md)** **[[ TOP ]](#)** **[[ NEXT ]](implementing_seaware_apps.md)**
diff --git a/src/implementing_seaware_apps.md b/src/implementing_seaware_apps.md
index 74833f8..2351421 100644
--- a/src/implementing_seaware_apps.md
+++ b/src/implementing_seaware_apps.md
@@ -297,4 +297,4 @@ applied to their objects as defined by policy.
<!-- %CUTHERE% -->
---
-**[[ PREV ]](reference_policy.md)** **[[ TOP ]](#)** **[[ NEXT ]](embedded_systems.md)**
+**[[ PREV ]](hardening.md)** **[[ TOP ]](#)** **[[ NEXT ]](embedded_systems.md)**
diff --git a/src/reference_policy.md b/src/reference_policy.md
index 45e4145..ebb516f 100644
--- a/src/reference_policy.md
+++ b/src/reference_policy.md
@@ -3060,4 +3060,4 @@ section.
<!-- %CUTHERE% -->
---
-**[[ PREV ]](modular_policy_statements.md)** **[[ TOP ]](#)** **[[ NEXT ]](implementing_seaware_apps.md)**
+**[[ PREV ]](modular_policy_statements.md)** **[[ TOP ]](#)** **[[ NEXT ]](hardening.md)**
diff --git a/src/toc.md b/src/toc.md
index f5778bd..20a87f0 100644
--- a/src/toc.md
+++ b/src/toc.md
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
- [XEN Statements](xen_statements.md#xen-statements)
- [Modular Policy Support Statements](modular_policy_statements.md#modular-policy-support-statements)
- [The Reference Policy](reference_policy.md#the-reference-policy)
+- [Hardening SELinux](hardening.md#hardening-selinux)
- [Implementing SELinux-aware Applications](implementing_seaware_apps.md#implementing-selinux-aware-applications)
- [Embedded Systems](embedded_systems.md#embedded-systems)
- [SE for Android](seandroid.md#security-enhancements-for-android)
-Daniel
