The Ubuntu operating system must be configured so that the audit log directory is not write-accessible by unauthorized users.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-238248	UBTU-20-010128	SV-238248r653919_rule		Medium

Description
If audit information were to become compromised, then forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity is impossible to achieve. To ensure the veracity of audit information, the operating system must protect audit information from unauthorized deletion. This requirement can be achieved through multiple methods, which will depend upon system architecture and design. Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, audit reports) needed to successfully audit information system activity.

Description

If audit information were to become compromised, then forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity is impossible to achieve. To ensure the veracity of audit information, the operating system must protect audit information from unauthorized deletion. This requirement can be achieved through multiple methods, which will depend upon system architecture and design. Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, audit reports) needed to successfully audit information system activity.

STIG	Date
Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-12-01

Details

Check Text ( C-41458r653917_chk )
Verify that the audit log directory has a mode of "0750" or less permissive. 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 Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, determine if the directory has a mode of "0750" or less by using the following command: $ sudo stat -c "%n %a" /var/log/audit /var/log/audit/* /var/log/audit 750 /var/log/audit/audit.log 600 If the audit log directory has a mode more permissive than "0750", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-41458r653917_chk )

Verify that the audit log directory has a mode of "0750" or less permissive.

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

Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, determine if the directory has a mode of "0750" or less by using the following command:

$ sudo stat -c "%n %a" /var/log/audit /var/log/audit/*
/var/log/audit 750
/var/log/audit/audit.log 600

If the audit log directory has a mode more permissive than "0750", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-41417r653918_fix)
Configure the audit log directory to have a mode of "0750" or less permissive. 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 Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, configure the audit log directory to have a mode of "0750" or less permissive by using the following command: $ sudo chmod -R g-w,o-rwx /var/log/audit

Fix Text (F-41417r653918_fix)

Configure the audit log directory to have a mode of "0750" or less permissive.

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

Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, configure the audit log directory to have a mode of "0750" or less permissive by
using the following command:

$ sudo chmod -R g-w,o-rwx /var/log/audit