PostgreSQL must produce audit records containing sufficient information to establish the sources (origins) of the events.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-214125	PGS9-00-008800	SV-214125r879566_rule		Medium

Description
Information system auditing capability is critical for accurate forensic analysis. Without establishing the source of the event, it is impossible to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident. In order to compile an accurate risk assessment and provide forensic analysis, it is essential for security personnel to know where events occurred, such as application components, modules, session identifiers, filenames, host names, and functionality. In addition to logging where events occur within the application, the application must also produce audit records that identify the application itself as the source of the event. Associating information about the source of the event within the application provides a means of investigating an attack; recognizing resource utilization or capacity thresholds; or identifying an improperly configured application.

Description

Information system auditing capability is critical for accurate forensic analysis. Without establishing the source of the event, it is impossible to establish, correlate, and investigate the events relating to an incident. In order to compile an accurate risk assessment and provide forensic analysis, it is essential for security personnel to know where events occurred, such as application components, modules, session identifiers, filenames, host names, and functionality. In addition to logging where events occur within the application, the application must also produce audit records that identify the application itself as the source of the event. Associating information about the source of the event within the application provides a means of investigating an attack; recognizing resource utilization or capacity thresholds; or identifying an improperly configured application.

STIG	Date
PostgreSQL 9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-12-18

Details

Check Text ( C-15341r361006_chk )
Check PostgreSQL settings and existing audit records to verify information specific to the source (origin) of the event is being captured and stored with audit records. As the database administrator (usually postgres, check the current log_line_prefix and log_hostname setting by running the following SQL: $ sudo su - postgres $ psql -c "SHOW log_line_prefix" $ psql -c "SHOW log_hostname" For a complete list of extra information that can be added to log_line_prefix, see the official documentation: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/runtime-config-logging.html#GUC-LOG-LINE-PREFIX If the current settings do not provide enough information regarding the source of the event, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-15341r361006_chk )

Check PostgreSQL settings and existing audit records to verify information specific to the source (origin) of the event is being captured and stored with audit records.

As the database administrator (usually postgres, check the current log_line_prefix and log_hostname setting by running the following SQL:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "SHOW log_line_prefix"
$ psql -c "SHOW log_hostname"

For a complete list of extra information that can be added to log_line_prefix, see the official documentation: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/runtime-config-logging.html#GUC-LOG-LINE-PREFIX

If the current settings do not provide enough information regarding the source of the event, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-15339r744321_fix)
Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA and PGVER environment variables. See supplementary content APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA and APPENDIX-H for PGVER. To ensure that logging is enabled, review supplementary content APPENDIX-C for instructions on enabling logging. If logging is enabled the following configurations can be made to log the source of an event. First, as the database administrator, edit postgresql.conf: $ sudo su - postgres $ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf ###### Log Line Prefix Extra parameters can be added to the setting log_line_prefix to log source of event: # %a = application name # %u = user name # %d = database name # %r = remote host and port # %p = process ID # %m = timestamp with milliseconds For example: log_line_prefix = '< %m %a %u %d %r %p >' ###### Log Hostname By default only IP address is logged. To also log the hostname the following parameter can also be set in postgresql.conf: log_hostname = on Now, as the system administrator, reload the server with the new configuration: # SYSTEMD SERVER ONLY $ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?} # INITD SERVER ONLY $ sudo service postgresql-${PGVER?} reload

Fix Text (F-15339r744321_fix)

Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA and PGVER environment variables. See supplementary content APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA and APPENDIX-H for PGVER.

To ensure that logging is enabled, review supplementary content APPENDIX-C for instructions on enabling logging.

If logging is enabled the following configurations can be made to log the source of an event.

First, as the database administrator, edit postgresql.conf:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf

###### Log Line Prefix

Extra parameters can be added to the setting log_line_prefix to log source of event:

# %a = application name
# %u = user name
# %d = database name
# %r = remote host and port
# %p = process ID
# %m = timestamp with milliseconds

For example:
log_line_prefix = '< %m %a %u %d %r %p >'

###### Log Hostname

By default only IP address is logged. To also log the hostname the following parameter can also be set in postgresql.conf:

log_hostname = on

Now, as the system administrator, reload the server with the new configuration:

# SYSTEMD SERVER ONLY
$ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?}

# INITD SERVER ONLY
$ sudo service postgresql-${PGVER?} reload