Computer assisted audit techniques for UNIX (UNIX-CAATS)
Federal and DOE regulations impose specific requirements for internal controls of computer systems. These controls include adequate separation of duties and sufficient controls for access of system and data. The DOE Inspector General's Office has the responsibility to examine internal controls, as well as efficient use of computer system resources. As a result, DOE supported NIST development of computer assisted audit techniques to examine BSD UNIX computers (UNIX-CAATS). These systems were selected due to the increasing number of UNIX workstations in use within DOE. This paper describes the design and development of these techniques, as well as the results of testing at NIST and the first audit at a DOE site. UNIX-CAATS consists of tools which examine security of passwords, file systems, and network access. In addition, a tool was developed to examine efficiency of disk utilization. Test results at NIST indicated inadequate password management, as well as weak network resource controls. File system security was considered adequate. Audit results at a DOE site indicated weak password management and inefficient disk utilization. During the audit, we also found improvements to UNIX-CAATS were needed when applied to large systems. NIST plans to enhance the techniques developed for DOE/IG in future work. This future work would leverage currently available tools, along with needed enhancements. These enhancements would enable DOE/IG to audit large systems, such as supercomputers.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AI01-83IG00049
- OSTI ID:
- 7104664
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9105126-7; ON: DE92019011
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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