CIS Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Operating systems
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if CIS Red Hat Enterprise Linux and its alternatives fit your requirements.
$2,400 per year
Free TrialFree version
Small
Medium
Large
- Information technology and software
- Energy and utilities
- Healthcare and life sciences
What is CIS Red Hat Enterprise Linux
CIS Red Hat Enterprise Linux refers to Center for Internet Security (CIS) security benchmarks and hardened configuration guidance applied to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) deployments. It is used by IT operations and security teams to standardize OS configuration, reduce misconfiguration risk, and support audit/compliance requirements on RHEL servers and virtual machines. The product focus is not a separate operating system distribution, but a prescriptive security configuration baseline and assessment approach for RHEL environments.
Standardized hardening baseline
Provides a consistent, documented configuration baseline for securing RHEL systems. This helps teams align server builds across environments and reduce configuration drift. It is commonly used to support internal security standards and external audit evidence. The guidance is specific to RHEL controls and typical enterprise server use cases.
Audit and compliance alignment
Maps OS configuration to measurable settings that can be checked during audits. This can simplify evidence collection compared with ad hoc hardening practices. It supports repeatable reporting when combined with assessment tooling or scripts. The approach is widely recognized in security governance programs.
Works with enterprise RHEL estates
Applies to RHEL, which is widely deployed for enterprise server workloads and supported lifecycle management. This makes the benchmark practical for organizations standardizing on RHEL for production systems. It can be integrated into build pipelines and configuration management processes. It also supports consistent security posture across on-prem and cloud RHEL instances.
Not a standalone OS
Despite the name, this is not an alternative to Red Hat Enterprise Linux; it depends on RHEL as the underlying operating system. Organizations looking for an OS choice must still license and manage RHEL separately. The benchmark primarily addresses configuration, not OS features or application-layer security. This can cause confusion in procurement if treated as a separate platform.
Hardening can impact usability
Some benchmark settings can break application compatibility, administrative workflows, or legacy services if applied without testing. Teams often need to tailor profiles and document exceptions to meet operational requirements. Implementing and maintaining deviations adds ongoing governance work. Rollout typically requires staged validation in non-production environments.
Ongoing maintenance required
Benchmarks and recommended settings evolve as OS versions and security guidance change. Organizations must track RHEL version alignment and update baselines, scripts, and compliance checks over time. Without automation, continuous compliance can become labor-intensive. Coverage may vary by RHEL release and installed components, requiring careful scoping.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| CIS Red Hat Enterprise Linux Benchmark (PDF) | Free (downloadable; non-commercial use) | Official CIS Benchmark PDF for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (versions listed e.g., RHEL 8/9/10). Free to download from CIS for non-commercial use. |
| CIS SecureSuite Membership — End User (example small org: up to 99 employees) | $2,400 per year (1-year list price) | Provides access to CIS-CAT Pro, remediation content, CIS Build Kits, customization, and other member-only resources. Pricing scales by employee count; 2- and 3-year discounts available. |
| CIS SecureSuite Membership — Controls-only | $3,600 per year | Membership focused on CIS Controls resources (listed as $3,600/year on CIS site). |
| CIS SecureSuite Membership — SLTT (U.S. State/Local/Tribal/Territorial) | Free for U.S. SLTT | U.S. SLTT organizations (including public education, healthcare, etc.) are eligible for no-cost CIS SecureSuite Membership. Non-U.S. SLTTs receive discounted pricing. |
| CIS Hardened Images (AWS Marketplace) | Paid via AWS Marketplace (select images offer a 30-day free trial) | CIS Hardened VM images (pre-configured to meet CIS Benchmarks). CIS blog notes 30-day free trials for select AWS Marketplace images; trials convert to paid subscriptions after expiration (AWS infra charges may still apply). |
Seller details
Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS) (benchmark publisher); Red Hat, Inc. (RHEL vendor, an IBM subsidiary)
East Greenbush, NY, USA
2000
Non-profit
https://www.cisecurity.org/
https://x.com/CISecurity
https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-internet-security/
