diff --git a/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/content_rule_configure_usbguard_auditbackend.sls b/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/content_rule_configure_usbguard_auditbackend.sls
deleted file mode 100644
index 7b969fc85..000000000
--- a/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/content_rule_configure_usbguard_auditbackend.sls
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-# Rule ID:              content_rule_configure_usbguard_auditbackend
-# Finding Level:        low
-#
-# Rule Summary:
-#       Configure USBGuard daemon to log via Linux Audit service by setting the
-#       `AuditBackend` option in the `/etc/usbguard/usbguard-daemon.conf`
-#       file to `LinuxAudit`
-#
-# Identifiers:
-#   - content_rule_configure_usbguard_auditbackend
-#
-# References:
-#   - DISA
-#     - CCI-000169
-#     - CCI-000172
-#   - NIST
-#     - AU-2
-#     - CM-8(3)
-#     - IA-3
-#   - OSPP
-#     - FMT_SMF_EXT.1
-#   - OS-SRG
-#     - SRG-OS-000062-GPOS-00031
-#     - SRG-OS-000471-GPOS-00215
-#   - APP-SRG
-#     - SRG-APP-000141-CTR-000315
-#
-#################################################################
-{%- set stig_id = 'configure_usbguard_auditbackend' %}
-{%- set helperLoc = tpldir ~ '/files' %}
-{%- set skipIt = salt.pillar.get('ash-linux:lookup:skip-stigs', []) %}
-{%- set cfgFile = '/etc/usbguard/usbguard-daemon.conf' %}
-
-{{ stig_id }}-description:
-  test.show_notification:
-    - text: |
-        --------------------------------------
-        STIG Finding ID: {{ stig_id }}:
-          Configure USBGuard daemon to log via
-          Linux Audit service
-        --------------------------------------
-
-{%- if stig_id in skipIt %}
-notify_{{ stig_id }}-skipSet:
-  test.show_notification:
-    - text: |
-        Handler for {{ stig_id }} has been selected for skip.
-{%- else %}
-# Ensure file-protections
-{{ cfgFile }} - Exists:
-  file.managed:
-    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
-    - mode: '0600'
-    - user: 'root'
-    - group: 'root'
-    - selinux:
-        serange: 's0'
-        serole: 'object_r'
-        setype: 'usbguard_conf_t'
-        seuser: 'system_u'
-
-# Make config-change
-{{ cfgFile }} - Update content:
-  file.replace:
-    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
-    - append_if_not_found: True
-    - not_found_content: |-
-        # Set per rule '{{ stig_id }}'
-        AuditBackend=LinuxAudit
-    - pattern: '^(|\s*)(AuditBackend)=.*$'
-    - repl: '# Set per rule "{{ stig_id }}"\n\2=LinuxAudit'
-    - require:
-      - file: {{ cfgFile }} - Exists
-    - unless:
-      - '[[ $( grep AuditBackend=LinuxAudit {{ cfgFile }} ) ]]'
-
-{%- endif %}
diff --git a/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/init.sls b/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/init.sls
index cd5d1dfe3..ca72b49a4 100644
--- a/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/init.sls
+++ b/ash-linux/el9/RuleById/low/init.sls
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 include:
-  - ash-linux.el9.RuleById.low.content_rule_configure_usbguard_auditbackend
   - ash-linux.el9.RuleById.low.content_rule_no_tmux_in_shells
diff --git a/ash-linux/el9/STIGbyID/cat2/RHEL-09-291025.sls b/ash-linux/el9/STIGbyID/cat2/RHEL-09-291025.sls
index 29709c3d0..38aa3609c 100644
--- a/ash-linux/el9/STIGbyID/cat2/RHEL-09-291025.sls
+++ b/ash-linux/el9/STIGbyID/cat2/RHEL-09-291025.sls
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 # Ref Doc:
 #   - STIG - RHEL 9 v2r6      (01 Oct 2025)
 #   - STIG - OEL 9 vXrY       (01 Oct 2025)
-#   - STIG - AlmaLinux 9 vXrY (01 Oct 2025)
+#   - STIG - AlmaLinux 9 v1r4 (01 Oct 2025)
 # Finding ID:
 #   - RHEL: V-258037
 #   - OEL:  V-271700
-#   - Alma: V-NNNNNN
+#   - Alma: V-269465
 # Rule ID:
 #   - RHEL: SV-258037r1014863_rule
 #   - OEL:  SV-271700r1091812_rule
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@
 {%- set stig_id = stigIdByVendor[salt.grains.get('os')] %}
 {%- set helperLoc = tpldir ~ '/files' %}
 {%- set skipIt = salt.pillar.get('ash-linux:lookup:skip-stigs', []) %}
-{%- set cfgFile ='/etc/usbguard/usbguard-daemon.conf' %}
+{%- set cfgFile = '/etc/usbguard/usbguard-daemon.conf' %}
 {%- set cfgParm = 'AuditBackend' %}
-{%- set cfgValu =  salt.pillar.get('ash-linux:lookup:usb_guard:audit_backend', 'LinuxAudit') %}
+{%- set cfgValu = salt.pillar.get('ash-linux:lookup:usb_guard:audit_backend', 'LinuxAudit') %}
 
 {{ stig_id }}-description:
   test.show_notification:
@@ -63,37 +63,37 @@ notify_{{ stig_id }}-skipSet:
     - text: |
         Handler for {{ stig_id }} has been selected for skip.
 {%- else %}
-Create USBguard config-file ({{ stig_id }}):
-  file.touch:
-    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
-    - makedirs: True
-    - unless:
-      - 'stat {{ cfgFile }}'
-
-Set permission-bits on {{ cfgFile }} ({{ stig_id }}):
+# Establish correct mode and user/group ownership
+# -   Create a null-file if no file already exists
+# -   Ensures correct mode & user/group ownership on file (irrespective of
+#     file's previous existence)
+Ensure {{ cfgFile }} exists with strict permissions ({{ stig_id }}):
   file.managed:
-    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
     - group: 'root'
+    - makedirs: True
     - mode: '0600'
+    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
     - replace: False
-    - selinux:
-        serange: 's0'
-        serole: 'object_r'
-        setype: 'etc_t'
-        seuser: 'system_u'
     - user: 'root'
-    - watch:
-       - file: 'Create USBguard config-file ({{ stig_id }})'
 
+# Ensurse STIG-prescribed config-directive exists in file
 Enable USBguard audit-logging ({{ stig_id }}):
   file.replace:
-    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
     - append_if_not_found: True
+    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
     - not_found_content: |
         # Set per rule {{ stig_id }}
         {{ cfgParm }}={{ cfgValu }}
     - pattern: '(^(|\s\s*)){{ cfgParm }}.*$'
     - repl: '{{ cfgParm }}={{ cfgValu }}'
-    - watch:
-       - file: 'Set permission-bits on {{ cfgFile }} ({{ stig_id }})'
+    - require:
+      - file: 'Ensure {{ cfgFile }} exists with strict permissions ({{ stig_id }})'
+
+# Bypasses the broken file.managed SELinux parameter on RHEL 9/10 and ensures
+# that label matches the rule from `matchpathcon`
+Apply SELinux context to {{ cfgFile }} ({{ stig_id }}):
+  selinux.fcontext_policy_applied:
+    - name: '{{ cfgFile }}'
+    - require:
+      - file: 'Enable USBguard audit-logging ({{ stig_id }})'
 {%- endif %}
diff --git a/tests/requirements.txt b/tests/requirements.txt
index 3b697c705..43e50a8d8 100644
--- a/tests/requirements.txt
+++ b/tests/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 audit
+firewalld
 openssh-server
+policycoreutils
+policycoreutils-python-utils
 rsyslog
 salt-minion
-firewalld