3.3.9 Ensure IPv6 router advertisements are not accepted - 'sysctl net.ipv6.conf.all.accept_ra'

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/3219

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

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

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: cf5863471804d7e29460c867ecb1d07e7b7df736444dc4b5e477e82cfc6a1a5d