Cis Ocp Vm V100 1 2

---
name: cis-ocp-vm-v100-1-2
description: "Enable nonRoot feature gate in OCPvirt prior to 4.18 (Automated)"
category: cis-openshift-virtualization
version: "1.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags:
  [
    cis,
    openshift,
    kubernetes,
    openshift-virtualization,
    kubevirt,
    vm,
    platform-configuration,
    feature-gate,
    nonroot,
    privilege,
  ]
cis_id: "1.2"
cis_benchmark: "CIS Redhat OpenShift Virtual Machine Extension Benchmark v1.0.0"
tech_stack: [kubernetes, openshift, openshift-virtualization, kubevirt]
cwe_ids: []
chains_with: []
prerequisites: []
severity_boost: {}
---

# CIS 1.2 — Enable nonRoot feature gate in OCPvirt prior to 4.18

## Profile Applicability

- Level 1

## Description

Root is a default account with elevated privileges, including full administrative access to both security and non-security related functions. The "nonRoot" feature gate in OpenShift environments ensures virtual machine access is restricted to resources and functionality required to operate.

## Rationale

Unauthorized access to a root account without restrictions implemented by the nonRoot feature introduces the risk of unintended or unauthorized access to privilege elevation and the ability to perform administrative tasks. This feature is a foundational mechanism in implementing role and attribute based access controls.

## Impact

Disabling root introduces the need to implement alternate identification and authentication methods to access administrative functions.

## Audit Procedure

Use the following command to list nonRoot settings for hyper converged resources:

```bash
$ oc get hyperconverged kubevirt-hyperconverged -n openshift-cnv -ojsonpath='{.spec.featureGates.nonRoot}'
```

Verify the output is `true`. nonRoot is deprecated in Openshift Virtualization from 4.18, and the secure default is enforced.

## Remediation

Enable `nonRoot` and set its value to `True`.

```bash
$ oc patch hyperconverged kubevirt-hyperconverged -n openshift-cnv --type='json' -p='[
    {"op": "replace", "path": "/spec/featureGates/nonRoot", "value": true },
]'
```

## Default Value

By default, KubeVirt workloads run in nonRoot mode and it sets to `false`. From 4.18, this field will be ignored, and always be enabled.

## References

- CIS Redhat OpenShift Virtual Machine Extension Benchmark v1.0.0, Section 1.2

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                                   | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 4.1 Establish and Maintain a Secure Configuration Process | Y    | Y    | Y    |
| v7               | 5.1 Establish Secure Configurations                       | Y    | Y    | Y    |

## MITRE ATT&CK Mappings

| Tactic               | Technique                                   |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Privilege Escalation | T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation |
| Defense Evasion      | T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism     |

## Profile

- Level 1 - OpenShift Virtualization