cis-cassandra41-1-5

name	cis-cassandra41-1.5
description	Ensure the Cassandra service is run as a non-root user
category	cis-cassandra
version	1.0.0
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["cis","cassandra","installation","privilege-management","least-privilege"]
cis_id	1.5
cis_benchmark	CIS Apache Cassandra 4.1 Benchmark v1.0.0
tech_stack	["cassandra"]
cwe_ids	[]
chains_with	[]
prerequisites	[]
severity_boost	{}

1.5 Ensure the Cassandra service is run as a non-root user

Profile Applicability

• Level 1 - Cassandra on Linux

Description

Though Cassandra database may be run as root, it should run as another non-root user.

Rationale

One of the best ways to reduce your exposure to attack is to create a unique, unprivileged user and group for the server application. A best practice is to follow is ensuring processes run with a user with least privilege.

Audit

Logon to the server where Cassandra is running and run the following command

ps -ef | grep cassandra | grep java | cut -d' ' -f1

This will show who is running the Cassandra binary. If the user is root or has excessive privileges then this is a finding.

Remediation

Create a group for cassandra (if it does not already exist)

sudo groupadd cassandra

Create a user which is only used for running Cassandra and its related processes.

Replacing <DIRECTORY_WHERE_CASSANDRA_INSTALLED> with the full path of where Cassandra binaries are installed. Replacing <USERID_NUMBER> with a number not already used on the server

Default Value

No default - depends on how Cassandra was installed and configured.

References

Not specified in the benchmark.

CIS Controls

v8:

• 3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists
  • Configure data access control lists based on a user's need to know. Apply data access control lists, also known as access permissions, to local and remote file systems, databases, and applications.

v7:

• 5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts
  • Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user's primary, non-privileged account.
• 4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts
  • Ensure that all users with administrative account access use a dedicated or secondary account for elevated activities. This account should only be used for administrative activities and not internet browsing, email, or similar activities.
• 14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists