VMware Postgres must provide non-privileged users with minimal error information.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-239211	VCPG-67-000019	SV-239211r717062_rule		Medium

Description
Any DBMS or associated application providing too much information in error messages on the screen or printout risks compromising the data and security of the system. The structure and content of error messages must contain the minimal amount of information. Databases can inadvertently provide a wealth of information to an attacker through improperly handled error messages. In addition to sensitive business or personal information, database errors can provide host names, IP addresses, user names, and other system information not required for troubleshooting but very useful to someone targeting the system. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000266-DB-000162, SRG-APP-000267-DB-000163

Description

Any DBMS or associated application providing too much information in error messages on the screen or printout risks compromising the data and security of the system. The structure and content of error messages must contain the minimal amount of information. Databases can inadvertently provide a wealth of information to an attacker through improperly handled error messages. In addition to sensitive business or personal information, database errors can provide host names, IP addresses, user names, and other system information not required for troubleshooting but very useful to someone targeting the system. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000266-DB-000162, SRG-APP-000267-DB-000163

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 6.7 PostgreSQL Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-04-15

Details

Check Text ( C-42444r679004_chk )
At the command prompt, execute the following command: # /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -c "SHOW client_min_messages;"\|sed -n 3p\|sed -e 's/^[ ]*//' Expected result: notice If the output does not match the expected result, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-42403r679005_fix)
At the command prompt, execute the following commands: # /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -c "ALTER SYSTEM SET client_min_messages TO 'notice';" # /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -c "SELECT pg_reload_conf();"