The system must not send host information to guests.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-64115	VMCH-06-000039	SV-78605r1_rule		Medium

Description
If enabled, a VM can obtain detailed information about the physical host. The default value for the parameter is FALSE. This setting should not be TRUE unless a particular VM requires this information for performance monitoring. An adversary potentially can use this information to inform further attacks on the host.

STIG	Date
VMware vSphere Virtual Machine Version 6 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2015-12-09

Details

Check Text ( C-64865r1_chk )
From the vSphere Client select the Virtual Machine right click and go to Edit Settings >> VM Options Tab >> Advanced >> Configuration Parameters. Find the tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo value and verify it is set to false. Note: The VM must be powered off to view the advanced settings through the vSphere Client so it is recommended to view these settings with PowerCLI as it can be done while the VM is powered on. or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host or vCenter server run the following command: Get-VM "VM Name" \| Get-AdvancedSetting -Name tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo If the virtual machine advanced setting tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo does not exist or is not set to false, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-64865r1_chk )

From the vSphere Client select the Virtual Machine right click and go to Edit Settings >> VM Options Tab >> Advanced >> Configuration Parameters. Find the tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo value and verify it is set to false.

Note: The VM must be powered off to view the advanced settings through the vSphere Client so it is recommended to view these settings with PowerCLI as it can be done while the VM is powered on.

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host or vCenter server run the following command:

Get-VM "VM Name" | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo

If the virtual machine advanced setting tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo does not exist or is not set to false, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-70043r1_fix)
From the vSphere Client select the Virtual Machine right click and go to Edit Settings >> VM Options Tab >> Advanced >> Configuration Parameters. Find the tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo value and set it to false. If the setting does not exist click "Add Row" to add the setting to the virtual machine. Note: The VM must be powered off to configure the advanced settings through the vSphere Client so it is recommended to configure these settings with PowerCLI as it can be done while the VM is powered on. or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host or vCenter server run the following command: If the setting does not exist run: Get-VM "VM Name" \| New-AdvancedSetting -Name tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo -Value false If the setting exists run: Get-VM "VM Name" \| Get-AdvancedSetting -Name tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo \| Set-AdvancedSetting -Value false

Fix Text (F-70043r1_fix)

From the vSphere Client select the Virtual Machine right click and go to Edit Settings >> VM Options Tab >> Advanced >> Configuration Parameters. Find the tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo value and set it to false. If the setting does not exist click "Add Row" to add the setting to the virtual machine.

Note: The VM must be powered off to configure the advanced settings through the vSphere Client so it is recommended to configure these settings with PowerCLI as it can be done while the VM is powered on.

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host or vCenter server run the following command:

If the setting does not exist run:

Get-VM "VM Name" | New-AdvancedSetting -Name tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo -Value false

If the setting exists run:

Get-VM "VM Name" | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name tools.guestlib.enableHostInfo | Set-AdvancedSetting -Value false