The vCenter Server Administrators must clean up log files after failed installations.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-243129	VCTR-67-000074	SV-243129r719630_rule		Medium

Description
In certain cases, if the vCenter installation fails, a log file (with a name of the form “hs_err_pidXXXX”) is created that contains the database password in plain text. An attacker who breaks into the vCenter Server could potentially steal this password and access the vCenter Database.

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 6.7 vCenter Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-04-16

Details

Check Text ( C-46404r719628_chk )
Note: For vCenter Server Appliance, this is not applicable. If at any time a vCenter Server installation fails, only the log files of format "hs_err_pid...." should be identified on the Windows host and deleted securely before putting the host into production. Determine if a site policy exists for handling failed installation cleanup of the Windows host prior to deployment. Using the Windows host search function, determine the existence of any log files of format "hs_err_pid". If a file name of the format "hs_err_pid" is found, this is a finding. If a site policy does not exist and/or is not followed, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-46404r719628_chk )

Note: For vCenter Server Appliance, this is not applicable.

If at any time a vCenter Server installation fails, only the log files of format "hs_err_pid...." should be identified on the Windows host and deleted securely before putting the host into production. Determine if a site policy exists for handling failed installation cleanup of the Windows host prior to deployment. Using the Windows host search function, determine the existence of any log files of format "hs_err_pid".

If a file name of the format "hs_err_pid" is found, this is a finding.

If a site policy does not exist and/or is not followed, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-46361r719629_fix)
Develop a site policy for handling failed installation cleanup of the Windows host prior to deployment. Using the Windows host search function, determine the existence of any log files of format "hs_err_pid" and remove them.