Disable named Service
Ensures the BIND DNS server (named.service) is disabled and not running unless the host is an intentional DNS server.
Checked against the resolved running state (e.g. sshd -T, sysctl, systemctl show), catches drop-ins and Includes a file read would miss. Caveat: runtime ≠ persistence; a value correct now may not survive a reboot.
Pavois asserts the effective configuration, the live, resolved state, not a file. File-based scanners (OVAL/SCAP, Lynis) miss Includes, drop-ins and runtime defaults; this check sees what is actually applied.
A mapping is a cross-reference to where each standard places this requirement, anchored and cross-validated, not a claim of equivalence. A passing check is evidence toward these references, how to read it.
Why this rule matters
The BIND named DNS server is a network-facing service that has a long history of remotely exploitable flaws. Unless the host is an intended DNS server, it should be disabled to reduce the attack surface.
What Pavois checks
Pavois queries the resolved unit state with systemctl is-enabled / is-active for named.service. The effective state catches a server enabled via a drop-in or an alias (e.g. bind9.service) that scanning /etc/bind/ or /etc/named.conf would miss.
describe service('named.service') do
it { should_not be_enabled }
it { should_not be_running }
endHow to verify it is applied
Run systemctl is-enabled named.service (expected disabled or not-found) and systemctl is-active named.service (expected inactive).
Inspect & investigate
Check systemctl show named.service (fields UnitFileState, ActiveState) and journalctl -u named.service; query and zone-transfer activity also appears in /var/log/syslog.
Remediation
Pavois's harden plan applies a service resource for named with actions disable and stop, so the DNS server stays off across reboots and is stopped immediately. Apply it with pavois harden apply.
Pavois applies this with its own harden engine, the plan below, not a shell script:
| action | disable, stop |
|---|---|
| name | named |
| resource | service |
pavois harden plan localwhere the target is local, a user@host SSH alias, or a container , Docs
Impact & precautions
On a host that is not a DNS server, disabling named.service has no functional impact. Precaution: if this machine serves authoritative or caching DNS to clients, do not disable it, name resolution would break for its consumers; document the exception instead. On Debian/Ubuntu the unit may be bind9.service, so confirm the intended unit's state.
Standards mapping
| Standard | Reference | Type | Version | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIS | 2.1.4 | direct | per OS, see the benchmark table | high |
| NIST | CM-7(a), CM-7(b), CM-6(a) | supporting | 800-53 Rev 5 · 800-171 Rev 2 (pinned) | medium |
Each reference is a cross-reference anchored in the upstream benchmark and cross-validated against the SCAP Security Guide and ansible-lockdown, not a claim of equivalence. Direct = a prescriptive, line-level requirement; supporting = an abstract control family (NIST) the check provides evidence toward. How to read a mapping.