# 3.2.5 Ensure broadcast ICMP requests are ignored # # Description # =========== # Setting net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts to 1 will cause the # system to ignore all ICMP echo and timestamp requests to broadcast # and multicast addresses. # # Rationale # ========= # Accepting ICMP echo and timestamp requests with broadcast or multicast # destinations for your network could be used to trick your host into starting # (or participating) in a Smurf attack. A Smurf attack relies on an attacker # sending large amounts of ICMP broadcast messages with a spoofed source # address. All hosts receiving this message and responding would send # echo-reply messages back to the spoofed address, which is probably not # routable. If many hosts respond to the packets, the amount of traffic on # the network could be significantly multiplied. # # Audit # ===== # # Run the following commands and verify output matches: # # # sysctl net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts # net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1 # # Remediation # =========== # # Set the following parameter in the /etc/sysctl.conf file: # # net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts = 1 # # Run the following commands to set the active kernel parameters: # # # sysctl -w net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts=1 # # sysctl -w net.ipv4.route.flush=1 parameters: linux: system: kernel: sysctl: net.ipv4.icmp_echo_ignore_broadcasts: 1