The OpenSC smart card tool can auto-detect smart card drivers; however, setting the smart card drivers in use by your organization helps to prevent users from using unauthorized smart cards. The default smart card driver for this profile is $var_smartcard_drivers. To configure the OpenSC driver, edit the /etc/opensc.conf and add the following line into the file in the app default block, so it will look like:
app default { ... card_drivers = $var_smartcard_drivers; }
Smart card login provides two-factor authentication stronger than that provided by a username and password combination. Smart cards leverage PKI (public key infrastructure) in order to provide and verify credentials. Configuring the smart card driver in use by your organization helps to prevent users from using unauthorized smart cards.
The opensc module should be configured for use over the Coolkey PKCS#11 module in the NSS database. To configure the NSS database to use the opensc module, run the following command:
$ sudo pkcs11-switch opensc
Smart card login provides two-factor authentication stronger than that provided by a username and password combination. Smart cards leverage PKI (public key infrastructure) in order to provide and verify credentials.
The OpenSC smart card middleware can auto-detect smart card drivers; however by forcing the smart card driver in use by your organization, opensc will no longer autodetect or use other drivers unless specified. This helps to prevent users from using unauthorized smart cards. The default smart card driver for this profile is $var_smartcard_drivers. To force the OpenSC driver, edit the /etc/opensc.conf. Look for a line similar to:
# force_card_driver = customcos;and change it to:
force_card_driver = $var_smartcard_drivers;
Smart card login provides two-factor authentication stronger than that provided by a username and password combination. Smart cards leverage PKI (public key infrastructure) in order to provide and verify credentials. Forcing the smart card driver in use by your organization helps to prevent users from using unauthorized smart cards.
Configure the operating system to implement multifactor authentication by
installing the required package with the following command:
The openssl-pkcs11
package can be installed with the following command:
$ sudo yum install openssl-pkcs11
Using an authentication device, such as a CAC or token that is separate from
the information system, ensures that even if the information system is
compromised, that compromise will not affect credentials stored on the
authentication device.
Multifactor solutions that require devices separate from
information systems gaining access include, for example, hardware tokens
providing time-based or challenge-response authenticators and smart cards such
as the U.S. Government Personal Identity Verification card and the DoD Common
Access Card.
The opensc
package can be installed with the following command:
$ sudo yum install opensc
Using an authentication device, such as a CAC or token that is separate from
the information system, ensures that even if the information system is
compromised, that compromise will not affect credentials stored on the
authentication device.
Multifactor solutions that require devices separate from
information systems gaining access include, for example, hardware tokens
providing time-based or challenge-response authenticators and smart cards such
as the U.S. Government Personal Identity Verification card and the DoD Common
Access Card.
The pcsc-lite
package can be installed with the following command:
$ sudo yum install pcsc-lite
The pcsc-lite package must be installed if it is to be available for multifactor authentication using smartcards.
The pcscd
service can be enabled with the following command:
$ sudo systemctl enable pcscd.service
Using an authentication device, such as a CAC or token that is separate from
the information system, ensures that even if the information system is
compromised, that compromise will not affect credentials stored on the
authentication device.
Multifactor solutions that require devices separate from
information systems gaining access include, for example, hardware tokens
providing time-based or challenge-response authenticators and smart cards such
as the U.S. Government Personal Identity Verification card and the DoD Common
Access Card.
To enable smart card authentication, consult the documentation at:
Smart card login provides two-factor authentication stronger than that provided by a username and password combination. Smart cards leverage PKI (public key infrastructure) in order to provide and verify credentials.
Configure the operating system to do certificate status checking for PKI authentication. Modify all of the cert_policy lines in /etc/pam_pkcs11/pam_pkcs11.conf to include ca like so:
cert_policy = ca, ocsp_on, signature;
Using an authentication device, such as a CAC or token that is separate from
the information system, ensures that even if the information system is
compromised, that compromise will not affect credentials stored on the
authentication device.
Multifactor solutions that require devices separate from
information systems gaining access include, for example, hardware tokens
providing time-based or challenge-response authenticators and smart cards such
as the U.S. Government Personal Identity Verification card and the DoD Common
Access Card.
Configure the operating system to do certificate status checking for PKI authentication. Modify all of the cert_policy lines in /etc/pam_pkcs11/pam_pkcs11.conf to include ocsp_on like so:
cert_policy = ca, ocsp_on, signature;
Using an authentication device, such as a CAC or token that is separate from
the information system, ensures that even if the information system is
compromised, that compromise will not affect credentials stored on the
authentication device.
Multifactor solutions that require devices separate from
information systems gaining access include, for example, hardware tokens
providing time-based or challenge-response authenticators and smart cards such
as the U.S. Government Personal Identity Verification card and the DoD Common
Access Card.
Configure the operating system for PKI-based authentication to use local revocation data when unable to access the network to obtain it remotely. Modify all of the cert_policy lines in /etc/pam_pkcs11/pam_pkcs11.conf to include crl_auto or crl_offline like so:
cert_policy = ca,signature,ocsp_on,crl_auto;
Without configuring a local cache of revocation data, there is the potential to allow access to users who are no longer authorized (users with revoked certificates).
This requirement only applies to components where this is specific to the function of the device or has the concept of an organizational user (e.g., VPN, proxy capability). This does not apply to authentication for the purpose of configuring the device itself (management). Check that the pam_pkcs11.so option is configured in the etc/pam.d/common-auth file with the following command:
# grep pam_pkcs11.so /etc/pam.d/common-auth auth sufficient pam_pkcs11.soFor general information about enabling smart card authentication, consult the documentation at:
Smart card login provides two-factor authentication stronger than that provided by a username and password combination. Smart cards leverage PKI (public key infrastructure) in order to provide and verify credentials. Using an authentication device, such as a CAC or token that is separate from the information system, ensures that even if the information system is compromised, that compromise will not affect credentials stored on the authentication device. Multifactor solutions that require devices separate from information systems gaining access include, for example, hardware tokens providing time-based or challenge-response authenticators and smart cards such as the U.S. Government Personal Identity Verification card and the DoD Common Access Card.
The operating system must map the authenticated identity to the user or group account for PKI-based authentication. Verify that use_mappers is set to pwent in /etc/pam_pkcs11/pam_pkcs11.conf file with the following command:
$ grep ^use_mappers /etc/pam_pkcs11/pam_pkcs11.conf use_mappers = pwent
Without mapping the certificate used to authenticate to the user account, the ability to determine the identity of the individual user or group will not be available for forensic analysis.