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Permissions for the System event log must prevent access by non-privileged accounts.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-73409 WN16-AU-000050 SV-88061r1_rule Medium
Description
Maintaining an audit trail of system activity logs can help identify configuration errors, troubleshoot service disruptions, and analyze compromises that have occurred, as well as detect attacks. Audit logs are necessary to provide a trail of evidence in case the system or network is compromised. The System event log may be susceptible to tampering if proper permissions are not applied. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027, SRG-OS-000058-GPOS-00028, SRG-OS-000059-GPOS-00029
STIG Date
Windows Server 2016 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2020-06-16

Details

Check Text ( C-73483r1_chk )
Navigate to the System event log file.

The default location is the "%SystemRoot%\System32\winevt\Logs" folder. However, the logs may have been moved to another folder.

If the permissions for the "System.evtx" file are not as restrictive as the default permissions listed below, this is a finding.

Eventlog - Full Control
SYSTEM - Full Control
Administrators - Full Control
Fix Text (F-79851r1_fix)
Configure the permissions on the System event log file (System.evtx) to prevent access by non-privileged accounts. The default permissions listed below satisfy this requirement:

Eventlog - Full Control
SYSTEM - Full Control
Administrators - Full Control

The default location is the "%SystemRoot%\ System32\winevt\Logs" folder.

If the location of the logs has been changed, when adding Eventlog to the permissions, it must be entered as "NT Service\Eventlog".