System administrators must use templates to deploy virtual machines (VMs) whenever possible.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-256468 | VMCH-70-000020 | SV-256468r959010_rule | CCI-000366 | low |
| Description | ||||
| Capture a hardened base operating system image (with no applications installed) in a template to ensure all VMs are created with a known baseline level of security. Use this template to create other, application-specific templates, or use the application template to deploy VMs. Manual installation of the operating system and applications into a VM introduces the risk of misconfiguration due to human or process error. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| VMware vSphere 7.0 Virtual Machine Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2024-12-16 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-256468r959010_chk)
Ask the system administrator if hardened, patched templates are used for VM creation and properly configured operating system deployments, including applications dependent and nondependent on VM-specific configurations.
If hardened, patched templates are not used for VM creation, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-60086r886446_fix)
Create hardened VM templates to use for operating system deployments.