The vCenter Server must restrict access to the cryptographic role.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-256364	VCSA-70-000284	SV-256364r885703_rule		Medium

Description
In vSphere, the built-in "Administrator" role contains permission to perform cryptographic operations such as Key Management Server (KMS) functions and encrypting and decrypting virtual machine disks. This role must be reserved for cryptographic administrators where virtual machine encryption and/or vSAN encryption is in use. A new built-in role called "No Cryptography Administrator" exists to provide all administrative permissions except cryptographic operations. Permissions must be restricted such that normal vSphere administrators are assigned the "No Cryptography Administrator" role or more restrictive. The "Administrator" role must be tightly controlled and must not be applied to administrators who will not be doing cryptographic work. Catastrophic data loss can result from poorly administered cryptography.

Description

In vSphere, the built-in "Administrator" role contains permission to perform cryptographic operations such as Key Management Server (KMS) functions and encrypting and decrypting virtual machine disks. This role must be reserved for cryptographic administrators where virtual machine encryption and/or vSAN encryption is in use. A new built-in role called "No Cryptography Administrator" exists to provide all administrative permissions except cryptographic operations. Permissions must be restricted such that normal vSphere administrators are assigned the "No Cryptography Administrator" role or more restrictive. The "Administrator" role must be tightly controlled and must not be applied to administrators who will not be doing cryptographic work. Catastrophic data loss can result from poorly administered cryptography.

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere 7.0 vCenter Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-03-01

Details

Check Text ( C-60039r885701_chk )
From the vSphere Client, go to Administration >> Access Control >> Roles. or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the vCenter server, run the following command: Get-VIPermission \| Where {$_.Role -eq "Admin"} \| Select Role,Principal,Entity,Propagate,IsGroup \| FT -Auto If there are any users other than Solution Users with the "Administrator" role that are not explicitly designated for cryptographic operations, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-60039r885701_chk )

From the vSphere Client, go to Administration >> Access Control >> Roles.

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the vCenter server, run the following command:

Get-VIPermission | Where {$_.Role -eq "Admin"} | Select Role,Principal,Entity,Propagate,IsGroup | FT -Auto

If there are any users other than Solution Users with the "Administrator" role that are not explicitly designated for cryptographic operations, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-59982r885702_fix)
From the vSphere Client, go to Administration >> Access Control >> Roles. Move any accounts not explicitly designated for cryptographic operations, other than Solution Users, to other roles such as "No Cryptography Administrator".