Access to the ESXi host must be limited by enabling lockdown mode.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-256375	ESXI-70-000001	SV-256375r885906_rule		Medium

Description
Enabling lockdown mode disables direct access to an ESXi host, requiring the host to be managed remotely from vCenter Server. This is done to ensure the roles and access controls implemented in vCenter are always enforced and users cannot bypass them by logging on to a host directly. By forcing all interaction to occur through vCenter Server, the risk of someone inadvertently attaining elevated privileges or performing tasks that are not properly audited is greatly reduced. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000027-VMM-000080, SRG-OS-000123-VMM-000620

Description

Enabling lockdown mode disables direct access to an ESXi host, requiring the host to be managed remotely from vCenter Server. This is done to ensure the roles and access controls implemented in vCenter are always enforced and users cannot bypass them by logging on to a host directly. By forcing all interaction to occur through vCenter Server, the risk of someone inadvertently attaining elevated privileges or performing tasks that are not properly audited is greatly reduced. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000027-VMM-000080, SRG-OS-000123-VMM-000620

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 7.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-06-21

Details

Check Text ( C-60050r885904_chk )
For environments that do not use vCenter server to manage ESXi, this is not applicable. From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters. Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Security Profile. Scroll down to "Lockdown Mode" and verify it is set to "Enabled" (Normal or Strict). or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command: Get-VMHost \| Select Name,@{N="Lockdown";E={$_.Extensiondata.Config.LockdownMode}} If "Lockdown Mode" is disabled, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-60050r885904_chk )

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

From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Security Profile.

Scroll down to "Lockdown Mode" and verify it is set to "Enabled" (Normal or Strict).

or

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

Get-VMHost | Select Name,@{N="Lockdown";E={$_.Extensiondata.Config.LockdownMode}}

If "Lockdown Mode" is disabled, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-59993r885905_fix)
From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters. Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Security Profile >> Lockdown Mode. Click "Edit...". Select the "Normal" or "Strict" radio buttons. or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following commands: $level = "lockdownNormal" OR "lockdownStrict" $vmhost = Get-VMHost -Name \| Get-View $lockdown = Get-View $vmhost.ConfigManager.HostAccessManager $lockdown.ChangeLockdownMode($level) Note: In strict lockdown mode, the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) service is stopped. If the connection to vCenter Server is lost and the vSphere Client is no longer available, the ESXi host becomes inaccessible.

Fix Text (F-59993r885905_fix)

From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Security Profile >> Lockdown Mode.

Click "Edit...". Select the "Normal" or "Strict" radio buttons.

or

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

$level = "lockdownNormal" OR "lockdownStrict"
$vmhost = Get-VMHost -Name | Get-View
$lockdown = Get-View $vmhost.ConfigManager.HostAccessManager
$lockdown.ChangeLockdownMode($level)

Note: In strict lockdown mode, the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) service is stopped. If the connection to vCenter Server is lost and the vSphere Client is no longer available, the ESXi host becomes inaccessible.