Super User signs in with a local password
At a glance
Base severity
Area
Platform
Evidence level
Benchmark reference
Reads the export, not the device
ConfigProof reads a configuration export. This control is evaluated against the objects in that file, and it reports what the file says. It does not connect to the device and sees no traffic, so a finding here describes the configuration, not what the firewall is doing right now.
Why it matters
A local password on the most powerful account has no second factor and no central disable. Keep one break-glass account local and move the others to RADIUS, TACACS+ or an identity provider.
How to fix it
Web interface
The steps below are written for the web interface. A finding raised on your own export carries the same steps with your object names filled in.
- In SmartConsole, open the administrator, set Authentication Method to RADIUS, TACACS or Identity Provider, and choose the server.
- Publish the session.
Command line
Check Point mgmt_cli and Gaia clish
mgmt_cli login > id.txtmgmt_cli set administrator name "<administrator>" authentication-method "radius" radius-server "<auth-server>" -s id.txtmgmt_cli publish -s id.txtmgmt_cli logout -s id.txt
An example. Values in angle brackets are yours to supply; a finding on your own export fills in the names it read. Nothing here installs a policy. Publish, review, then install the policy on your gateways yourself; Gaia changes need save config.
Read it back
mgmt_cli show administrator name "<administrator>"Values to fill in2
- <administrator>
- The administrator account to change
- <auth-server>
- The RADIUS server object administrators authenticate against
Before you type it3
- Written from the Check Point Management API reference and Gaia clish syntax, not yet run on a device. Read each line before typing it.
- Run on the management server, or add -m with the server and -u with an administrator to each call; publish makes the change visible to other sessions.
- Keep one local Super User as break-glass, with its password stored offline.
How to confirm the fix
- Confirm the administrator can log in through the new method before closing the session that made the change.
Limits
- No limitation is recorded for this control beyond the one that applies to all of them: it reads a configuration export.
Compliance references
No benchmark recommendation is mapped to this control in this version.
More in Administrators and Access
- CKP-MGT-001SmartConsole trusted clients allow Any
- CKP-MGT-002Management API accepts calls from every address
- CKP-MGT-003Expired administrator account still present
- CKP-MGT-007Internal user passwords may be shorter than 12 characters
- CKP-MGT-005Gaia accepts administration from any host
- CKP-MGT-006Gaia SSH server allows weak settings
- CKP-MGT-017Gaia CLI session never times out or times out after more than 10 minutes
- CKP-MGT-018Gaia Portal session times out after more than 10 minutes
See it on your own firewall
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