3.3.9 Ensure IPv6 router advertisements are not accepted - files net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0

Information

This setting disables the system's ability to accept IPv6 router advertisements.

Rationale:

It is recommended that systems do not accept router advertisements as they could be tricked into routing traffic to compromised machines. Setting hard routes within the system (usually a single default route to a trusted router) protects the system from bad routes.

Solution

IF IPv6 is enabled:
Set the following parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf or a /etc/sysctl.d/* file:

net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra = 0
net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra = 0

Run the following commands to set the active kernel parameters:

# sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra=0
# sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.default.accept_ra=0
# sysctl -w net.ipv6.route.flush=1

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/2920

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-6, CSCv6|9.2, CSCv7|5.1

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 5c1d4e9d838db5cd9cdd57f058bb985b8881b66cd7b69770aeba291fdb14f00c