Audit log directory must be group-owned by root to prevent unauthorized read access.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-215047	UBTU-16-020140	SV-215047r508033_rule		Medium

Description
Unauthorized disclosure of audit records can reveal system and configuration data to attackers, thus compromising its confidentiality. Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, audit reports) needed to successfully audit Ubuntu operating system activity. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027, SRG-OS-000058-GPOS-00028, SRG-OS-000059-GPOS-00029

STIG	Date
Canonical Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-09-03

Details

Check Text ( C-16246r285009_chk )
Verify the audit log directory is group-owned by "root" to prevent unauthorized read access. Determine where the audit logs are stored with the following command: # sudo grep -iw log_file /etc/audit/auditd.conf log_file = /var/log/audit/audit.log Determine the audit log directory by using the output of the above command (ex: "/var/log/audit/"). Run the following command with the correct audit log directory path: # sudo ls -ld /var/log/audit drwxr-x--- 2 root root 8096 Jun 26 11:56 /var/log/audit If the audit log directory is not group-owned by "root", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-16246r285009_chk )

Verify the audit log directory is group-owned by "root" to prevent unauthorized read access.

Determine where the audit logs are stored with the following command:

# sudo grep -iw log_file /etc/audit/auditd.conf
log_file = /var/log/audit/audit.log

Determine the audit log directory by using the output of the above command (ex: "/var/log/audit/"). Run the following command with the correct audit log directory path:

# sudo ls -ld /var/log/audit
drwxr-x--- 2 root root 8096 Jun 26 11:56 /var/log/audit

If the audit log directory is not group-owned by "root", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-16244r285010_fix)
Configure the audit log to be protected from unauthorized read access, by setting the correct group-owner as "root" with the following command: # sudo chgrp root [audit_log_directory] Replace "[audit_log_directory]" with the correct audit log directory path, by default this location is usually "/var/log/audit".