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The ESXi host must be configured to disable nonessential capabilities by disabling the ESXi shell.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-258755 ESXI-80-000194 SV-258755r958478_rule Medium
Description
The ESXi Shell is an interactive command line environment available locally from the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) or remotely via SSH. Activities performed from the ESXi Shell bypass vCenter role-based access control (RBAC) and audit controls. The ESXi shell must only be turned on when needed to troubleshoot/resolve problems that cannot be fixed through the vSphere client.
STIG Date
VMware vSphere 8.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide 2024-07-11

Details

Check Text ( C-62495r933324_chk )
From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Services.

Under Services, locate the "ESXi Shell" service and verify it is "Stopped".

or

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

Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.Label -eq "ESXi Shell"}

If the ESXi Shell service is "Running", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-62404r933325_fix)
From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Services.

Under "Services", select the "ESXi Shell" service and click the "Stop" button.

Click the "Edit Startup policy..." button.

Select the "Start and stop manually" radio button.

Click "OK".

or

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

Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.Label -eq "ESXi Shell"} | Set-VMHostService -Policy Off
Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.Label -eq "ESXi Shell"} | Stop-VMHostService