xinetd_conf resource

Use the xinetd_conf Chef InSpec audit resource to test services under /etc/xinet.d on Linux and Unix platforms. xinetd—the extended Internet service daemon—listens on all ports, and then loads the appropriate program based on a request. The xinetd.conf file is typically located at /etc/xinetd.conf and contains a list of Internet services associated to the ports on which that service will listen. Only enabled services may handle a request; only services that are required by the system should be enabled.

Availability

Installation

This resource is distributed with Chef InSpec and is automatically available for use.

Version

This resource first became available in v1.0.0 of InSpec.

Syntax

An xinetd_conf resource block declares settings found in a xinetd.conf file for the named service:

describe xinetd_conf.services('service_name') do
  it { should be_enabled } # or be_disabled
  its('setting') { should eq 'value' }
end

where

• 'service_name' is a service located under /etc/xinet.d
• ('setting') is a setting in the xinetd.conf file
• should eq 'value' is the value that is expected

Properties

ids

The ids property tests if the named service is located under /etc/xinet.d:

its('ids') { should include 'service_name' }

For example:

its('ids') { should include 'chargen-stream chargen-dgram'}

services

The services property tests if the named service is listed under /etc/xinet.d:

its('services') { should include 'service_name' }

socket_types

The socket_types property tests if a service listed under /etc/xinet.d is configured to use the named socket type.

Use socket if the socket type is dgram, raw, or stream:

its('socket_types') { should eq 'socket' }

For a UDP-based service:

its('socket_types') { should eq 'dgram' }

For a raw socket (such as a service using a non-standard protocol or a service that requires direct access to IP):

its('socket_types') { should eq 'raw' }

For a TCP-based service:

its('socket_types') { should eq 'stream' }

types

The types property tests the service type:

its('type') { should eq 'TYPE' }

where 'TYPE' is INTERNAL (for a service provided by xinetd), RPC (for a service based on remote procedure call), or UNLISTED (for services not under /etc/services or /etc/rpc).

wait

The wait property tests how a service handles incoming connections.

For UDP (dgram) socket types, the wait property should test for yes:

its('socket_types') { should eq 'dgram' }
its('wait') { should eq 'yes' }

For TCP (stream) socket types, the wait property should test for no:

its('socket_types') { should eq 'stream' }
its('wait') { should eq 'no' }

Examples

The following examples show how to use this Chef InSpec audit resource.

Test a socket_type

The network socket type: dgram (a datagram-based service), raw (a service that requires direct access to an IP address), stream (a stream-based service), or seqpacket (a service that requires a sequenced packet).

describe xinetd_conf.services('service_name') do
   its('socket_types') { should include 'dgram' }
end

Test a service type

The type of service: INTERNAL (a service provided by xinetd), RPC (an RPC-based service), TCPMUX (a service that is started on a well-known TCPMUX port), or UNLISTED (a service that is not listed in a standard system file location).

describe xinetd_conf.services('service_name') do
   its('type') { should include 'RPC' }
end

Test the telnet service

For example, a telnet file under /etc/xinet.d contains the following settings:

service telnet
{
  disable         = yes
  flags           = REUSE
  socket_type     = stream
  wait            = no
  user            = root
  server          = /usr/sbin/in.telnetd
  log_on_failure  += USERID
}

Some examples of tests that can be run against that file include:

describe xinetd_conf.services('telnet') do
  it { should be_disabled }
end

and

describe xinetd_conf.services('telnet') do
  its('socket_type') { should include 'stream' }
end

and

describe xinetd_conf.services('telnet') do
  its('wait') { should eq 'no' }
end

All three settings can be tested in the same block as well:

describe xinetd_conf.services('telnet') do
  it { should be_disabled }
  its('socket_type') { should include 'stream' }
  its('wait') { should eq 'no' }
end

Matchers

For a full list of available matchers, please visit our matchers page.

be_enabled

The be_enabled matcher tests if a service listed under /etc/xinet.d is enabled:

it { should be_enabled }