The ESXi host must use multifactor authentication for local access to privileged accounts.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-207641	ESXI-65-000040	SV-207641r378856_rule		Low

Description
To assure accountability and prevent unauthenticated access, privileged users must utilize multifactor authentication to prevent potential misuse and compromise of the system.

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 6.5 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-09-22

Details

Check Text ( C-7896r364322_chk )
From the vSphere Web Client select the ESXi Host and go to Configure >> System >> Authentication Services and view the Smart Card Authentication status. If "Enable Smart Card Authentication" is checked, the system requires smart cards to authentication to an Active Directory Domain. For systems that have no local user accounts, other than root and/or vpxuser, this is not applicable. For environments that do not use vCenter server to manage ESXi, this is not applicable. For systems that do not use smart cards with Active Directory and do have local user accounts, other than root and/or vpxuser, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-7896r364322_chk )

From the vSphere Web Client select the ESXi Host and go to Configure >> System >> Authentication Services and view the Smart Card Authentication status. If "Enable Smart Card Authentication" is checked, the system requires smart cards to authentication to an Active Directory Domain.

For systems that have no local user accounts, other than root and/or vpxuser, this is not applicable.

For environments that do not use vCenter server to manage ESXi, this is not applicable.

For systems that do not use smart cards with Active Directory and do have local user accounts, other than root and/or vpxuser, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-7896r364323_fix)
The following are pre-requisites to configuration smart card authentication for the ESXi DCUI: -Active Directory domain that supports smart card authentication, smart card readers, and smart cards. -ESXi joined to an Active Directory domain. -Trusted certificates for root and intermediary certificate authorities. From the vSphere Web Client select the ESXi Host and go to Configure >> System >> Authentication Services and click Edit and check "Enable Smart Card Authentication" checkbox, at the Certificates tab, click the green plus sign to import trusted certificate authority certificates and click OK.

Fix Text (F-7896r364323_fix)

The following are pre-requisites to configuration smart card authentication for the ESXi DCUI:
-Active Directory domain that supports smart card authentication, smart card readers, and smart cards.
-ESXi joined to an Active Directory domain.
-Trusted certificates for root and intermediary certificate authorities.

From the vSphere Web Client select the ESXi Host and go to Configure >> System >> Authentication Services and click Edit and check "Enable Smart Card Authentication" checkbox, at the Certificates tab, click the green plus sign to import trusted certificate authority certificates and click OK.