VirtualCenter communications to the ESX Server are unencrypted.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-15857	ESX0580	SV-16798r1_rule		Medium

Description
User sessions with the ESX Server should be encrypted since transmitting data in plaintext may be viewed as it travels through the network. User sessions may be initiated from the VI client, Web Access, or through VirtualCenter. To encrypt session data, the sending component, such as a gateway or redirector, applies ciphers to alter the data before transmitting it. The receiving component uses a key to decrypt the data, returning it to its original form. To ensure the protection of the data transmitted to and from external network connections, ESX Server uses the 256-bit AES block encryption. ESX Server also uses 1024-bit RSA for key exchange. These encryption algorithms are the default for VI Client, VI Web Access, VirtualCenter sessions.

Description

User sessions with the ESX Server should be encrypted since transmitting data in plaintext may be viewed as it travels through the network. User sessions may be initiated from the VI client, Web Access, or through VirtualCenter. To encrypt session data, the sending component, such as a gateway or redirector, applies ciphers to alter the data before transmitting it. The receiving component uses a key to decrypt the data, returning it to its original form. To ensure the protection of the data transmitted to and from external network connections, ESX Server uses the 256-bit AES block encryption. ESX Server also uses 1024-bit RSA for key exchange. These encryption algorithms are the default for VI Client, VI Web Access, VirtualCenter sessions.

STIG	Date
VMware ESX 3 Server	2016-05-13

Details

Check Text ( C-16214r1_chk )
On the ESX Server service console perform the following: # grep ssl /etc/vmware/hostd/config.xml (ssl) (privatekey)/etc/vmware/ssl/DoD Key(/privatekey) (certificate)/etc/vmware/ssl/DoD Cert(/certificate) (/ssl) If you do not see the DoD key and certificate listed between the SSL tags or the lines are commented out, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-15817r1_fix)
Encrypt all VirtualCenter sessions with ESX Servers.