RHEL 8 audit log directory must be group-owned by root to prevent unauthorized read access.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-230400	RHEL-08-030110	SV-230400r627750_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 RHEL 8 activity. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027, SRG-OS-000058-GPOS-00028, SRG-OS-000059-GPOS-00029

STIG	Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-02-19

Details

Check Text ( C-33069r567946_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 group owner of 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 drw------- 2 root root 23 Jun 11 11:56 /var/log/audit If the audit log directory is not group-owned by "root", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-33069r567946_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 group owner of 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

drw------- 2 root root 23 Jun 11 11:56 /var/log/audit

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

Fix Text (F-33044r567947_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".