# Ensure xinetd services are not in use

Necessity: The 'xinetd' daemon is a super-server that manages internet-based services. It listens for incoming requests on behalf of other daemons and launches them as needed. While useful in some legacy contexts, it increases the system's attack surface by opening listening ports. Unnecessary or misconfigured services managed by xinetd can expose the system to unauthorized access and other vulnerabilities. The principle of least functionality dictates that any software not essential for the system's operation should be removed to minimize potential security risks. Modern systems typically use systemd for service and socket management, making xinetd redundant in most cases.

Auditing and Remediation: The audit script verifies the installation status of the 'xinetd' package. A system is considered compliant if the package is not found. The remediation script automates the complete removal of the 'xinetd' package using the system's package manager, ensuring that the service and its configuration files are purged from the system.

Recommended State Rationale: 
Basic, Moderate, and Strict: All three security levels recommend the state 'Not Installed'. There is no secure configuration for xinetd other than its complete absence, unless it is explicitly required for a critical legacy application. Its presence introduces unnecessary complexity and risk. By removing it, the potential attack surface is reduced, aligning with security best practices for all levels of system hardening. Therefore, the recommendation is consistently to uninstall the package.

## Recommended State Configuration

| Security Level | Value |
|----------------|-------|
| **Basic** | `['Not Installed']` |
| **Moderate** | `['Not Installed']` |
| **Strict** | `['Not Installed']` |
| **Type** | `ENUM` |

## Audit Script Working

Bash script that checks if the 'xinetd' package is installed using the `dpkg-query` command. If the package is installed, the script must output the string 'Installed'. If the package is not installed, it must output 'Not Installed'. The output must only be one of these two strings, with no additional text or formatting.

## Remediation Script Working

Bash script that accepts a single positional command-line argument, which must be the string 'Not Installed'. If the argument is 'Not Installed', the script must use the system's package manager (e.g., `apt-get purge --auto-remove -y xinetd`) to completely remove the 'xinetd' package. The script must output `true` if the package is successfully removed or was already not installed. It must output `false` if the removal process fails or if an invalid argument is provided.

