Cis Cassandra311 3.7

---
name: cis-cassandra311-3.7
description: "Review Superuser/Admin Roles"
category: cis-cassandra
version: "1.1.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags: [cis, cassandra, access-control, roles, privileges]
cis_id: "3.7"
cis_benchmark: "CIS Apache Cassandra 3.11 Benchmark v1.1.0"
tech_stack: [cassandra]
cwe_ids: []
chains_with: []
prerequisites: []
severity_boost: {}
---

# 3.7 Review Superuser/Admin Roles

## Profile Applicability

- Level 1 - Cassandra
- Level 2 - Cassandra
- Level 1 - Cassandra on Linux
- Level 2 - Cassandra on Linux

## Description

The IS_SUPERUSER privilege found in the system_auth.roles table governs who can control the entire Cassandra database and all of its data contained within.

## Rationale

The IS_SUPERUSER privilege allows whoever has it to do anything to the data and full administrator rights to the database, including changing passwords, creating, dropping roles. Limiting the accounts that have the IS_SUPERUSER role reduces the chances that an attacker can exploit these capabilities.

## Audit

Execute the following SQL statement to audit this setting:

```sql
select role, is_superuser from system_auth.roles;
```

Looking for is_superuser = True

## Remediation

Perform the following steps to remediate this setting:
Looking at those users from the query that have is_superuser = True, decide if that user truly needs that role, if not, for each user, issue the following SQL statement (replace <role> with the role name from the query):

## Default Value

Only the cassandra role has superuser privileges by default.

## References

Not specified in the benchmark.

## CIS Controls

- v8: 5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts
- v7: 4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts

## Profile

- Level 1 | Manual