# Ensure Latest Version of PAM Is Installed

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000235522-ensure-latest-version-of-pam-is-installed
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [CIS Amazon Linux 2 Benchmark v3.0.0](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/62000112696) › [CIS Amazon Linux 2 Benchmarks](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/62000169265)
- Last updated: 2026-05-29
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

**Profile Applicability:** • Level 1

**Description:** Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) provide a flexible authentication framework for Linux systems. Installing the latest PAM version ensures all security patches, features, and bug fixes are applied, enhancing system authentication security.

**Rationale:** Keeping PAM up to date reduces vulnerabilities and ensures compatibility with modern authentication mechanisms and security standards.

**Impact:** Pros:

-   Improves authentication security and stability.  
    
-   Provides access to new features and security enhancements.  
    

Cons:

-   Upgrading PAM may require system restarts or service reloads.  
    
-   In rare cases, new versions may introduce compatibility issues.  
    

**Default Value:** PAM is usually installed by default, but the version may not be the latest without updates.

**Pre-requisites:**

-   Root or sudo privileges to update system packages.  
    
-   Network access to package repositories.  
    

**Remediation:**

### **Test Plan:**

**Using Linux command line:**

1.  Check the current installed version of PAM:  
    

On RPM-based systems:  

rpm -q pam

2.  Compare with the latest available version from official repositories or vendor advisories.  
    

### **Implementation Plan:**

**Using Linux command line:**

1.  Update PAM packages to the latest version:  
    

On RPM-based systems:  

yum update pam -y

  

2.  Verify the update:
3.  rpm -q pam  # or dpkg -l | grep libpam
    

### **  
Backout Plan:**

**Using Linux command line:**

1.  Roll back to previous PAM versions if necessary using package management tools.  
    
2.  Test authentication functionality after rollback.  
    

**References:**

-   CIS Amazon Linux 2 Benchmark v3.0.0  
    
-   [PAM Documentation  
    ](https://linux-pam.org/)
    
-   [NIST SP 800-53 Revision 5 - AC-2  
      
    ](https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-53/rev-5/final#ac-2)

## Related compliance guidance

- [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them.
- [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.