vSphere UI log files must only be accessible by privileged users.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-256784	VCUI-70-000007	SV-256784r889351_rule		Medium

Description
Log data is essential in the investigation of events. If log data were to become compromised, competent forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. In addition, access to log records provides information an attacker could use to their advantage since each event record might contain communication ports, protocols, services, trust relationships, usernames, etc. The vSphere UI restricts all access to log files by default, but this configuration must be verified. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000118-WSR-000068, SRG-APP-000119-WSR-000069, SRG-APP-000120-WSR-000070

Description

Log data is essential in the investigation of events. If log data were to become compromised, competent forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. In addition, access to log records provides information an attacker could use to their advantage since each event record might contain communication ports, protocols, services, trust relationships, usernames, etc. The vSphere UI restricts all access to log files by default, but this configuration must be verified. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000118-WSR-000068, SRG-APP-000119-WSR-000069, SRG-APP-000120-WSR-000070

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 7.0 vCenter Appliance UI Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-02-21

Details

Check Text ( C-60459r889349_chk )
At the command prompt, run the following command: # find /var/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/ -xdev -type f -a '(' -perm -o+w -o -not -user vsphere-ui -o -not -group users -a -not -group root ')' -exec ls -ld {} \; If any files are returned, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-60402r889350_fix)
At the command prompt, run the following commands: # chmod 644 /storage/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/logs/ # chown vsphere-ui:users /storage/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/logs/ Note: Substitute with the listed file.