NixOS journald directory and logs must be group-owned by systemd-journald to prevent unauthorized read access.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-268116 | ANIX-00-000580 | SV-268116r1131031_rule | CCI-000162 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| Only authorized personnel should be aware of errors and the details of the errors. Error messages are an indicator of an organization's operational state or can identify the NixOS system or platform. Additionally, Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and operational information must not be revealed through error messages to unauthorized personnel or their designated representatives. The structure and content of error messages must be carefully considered by the organization and development team. The extent to which the information system is able to identify and handle error conditions is guided by organizational policy and operational requirements. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027, SRG-OS-000206-GPOS-00084 | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Anduril NixOS Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-08-19 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-268116r1131031_chk)
Verify the journald directories and logs are group-owned by "systemd-journald" by executing the following command:
$ sudo find /var/log/journal -not -group systemd-journal
If any directories or files are returned, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-71943r1131030_fix)
The systemd-journald logs are by design stored with root:systemd-journald owner and group respectively.
If any files are found with different ownership, run the following command to correct them:
$ sudo chown -R root:systemd-journald /var/log/journald