The system must use templates to deploy VMs whenever possible.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
ESXI5-VM-000050	ESXI5-VM-000050	ESXI5-VM-000050_rule		Low

Description
By capturing a hardened base operating system image (with no applications installed) in a template, ensure all virtual machines are created with a known baseline level of security. Then use this template to create other, application-specific templates, or use the application template to deploy virtual machines. Manual installation of the OS and applications into a VM introduces the risk of misconfiguration due to human or process error.

Description

By capturing a hardened base operating system image (with no applications installed) in a template, ensure all virtual machines are created with a known baseline level of security. Then use this template to create other, application-specific templates, or use the application template to deploy virtual machines. Manual installation of the OS and applications into a VM introduces the risk of misconfiguration due to human or process error.

STIG	Date
VMware ESXi v5 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2013-01-15

Details

Check Text ( C-ESXI5-VM-000050_chk )
Ask the SA if hardened, patched templates are used for VM creation, properly configured OS deployments, including applications both dependent and non-dependent on VM-specific configurations. If hardened, patched templates are not used for VM creation, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-ESXI5-VM-000050_fix)
Hardened, patched templates must be used for VM creation, properly configured OS deployments and applications. Applications dependent on VM-specific information must also use hardened, patched templates.