ESXi hosts using Host Profiles and/or Auto Deploy must use the vSphere Authentication Proxy to protect passwords when adding themselves to Active Directory.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-239293	ESXI-67-000038	SV-239293r816572_rule		Medium

Description
If a host is configured to join an Active Directory domain using Host Profiles and/or Auto Deploy, the Active Directory credentials are saved in the profile and are transmitted over the network. To avoid having to save Active Directory credentials in the Host Profile and to avoid transmitting Active Directory credentials over the network, use the vSphere Authentication Proxy. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000104-VMM-000500, SRG-OS-000109-VMM-000550, SRG-OS-000112-VMM-000560, SRG-OS-000113-VMM-000570

Description

If a host is configured to join an Active Directory domain using Host Profiles and/or Auto Deploy, the Active Directory credentials are saved in the profile and are transmitted over the network. To avoid having to save Active Directory credentials in the Host Profile and to avoid transmitting Active Directory credentials over the network, use the vSphere Authentication Proxy. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000104-VMM-000500, SRG-OS-000109-VMM-000550, SRG-OS-000112-VMM-000560, SRG-OS-000113-VMM-000570

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 6.7 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide	2022-01-05

Details

Check Text ( C-42526r816571_chk )
From the vSphere Client, go to Home >> Host Profiles and select a Host Profile to edit. View the settings under Security and Services >> Security Settings >> Authentication Configuration >> Active Directory Configuration >> Join Domain Method. Verify the method used to join hosts to a domain is set to "Use vSphere Authentication Proxy to add the host to domain". or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command: Get-VMHost \| Select Name, ` @{N="HostProfile";E={$_ \| Get-VMHostProfile}}, ` @{N="JoinADEnabled";E={($_ \| Get-VmHostProfile).ExtensionData.Config.ApplyProfile.Authentication.ActiveDirectory.Enabled}}, ` @{N="JoinDomainMethod";E={(($_ \| Get-VMHostProfile).ExtensionData.Config.ApplyProfile.Authentication.ActiveDirectory \| Select -ExpandProperty Policy \| Where {$_.Id -eq "JoinDomainMethodPolicy"}).Policyoption.Id}} Verify that if "JoinADEnabled" is "True", "JoinDomainMethod" is "FixedCAMConfigOption". If not using Host Profiles to join active directory, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-42526r816571_chk )

From the vSphere Client, go to Home >> Host Profiles and select a Host Profile to edit.

View the settings under Security and Services >> Security Settings >> Authentication Configuration >> Active Directory Configuration >> Join Domain Method.

Verify the method used to join hosts to a domain is set to "Use vSphere Authentication Proxy to add the host to domain".

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Select Name, ` @{N="HostProfile";E={$_ | Get-VMHostProfile}}, ` @{N="JoinADEnabled";E={($_ | Get-VmHostProfile).ExtensionData.Config.ApplyProfile.Authentication.ActiveDirectory.Enabled}}, ` @{N="JoinDomainMethod";E={(($_ | Get-VMHostProfile).ExtensionData.Config.ApplyProfile.Authentication.ActiveDirectory | Select -ExpandProperty Policy | Where {$_.Id -eq "JoinDomainMethodPolicy"}).Policyoption.Id}}

Verify that if "JoinADEnabled" is "True", "JoinDomainMethod" is "FixedCAMConfigOption".

If not using Host Profiles to join active directory, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-42485r674807_fix)
From the vSphere Client, go to Home >> Host Profiles and select a Host Profile to edit. View the settings under Security and Services >> Security Settings >> Authentication Configuration >> Active Directory Configuration >> Join Domain Method. Set the method used to join hosts to a domain to "Use vSphere Authentication Proxy to add the host to domain" and provide the IP address of the vSphere Authentication Proxy server.

Fix Text (F-42485r674807_fix)