The ESXi host Secure Shell (SSH) daemon must use FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules to protect the confidentiality of remote access sessions.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-256384 | ESXI-70-000010 | SV-256384r958408_rule | Medium |
| Description |
| OpenSSH on the ESXi host ships with a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic module that is enabled by default. For backward compatibility reasons, this can be disabled so this setting can be audited and corrected if necessary. |
| STIG | Date |
| VMware vSphere 7.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2024-12-16 |
Details
| Check Text (C-60059r885931_chk) |
| From an ESXi shell, run the following command: # esxcli system security fips140 ssh get or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following commands: $esxcli = Get-EsxCli -v2 $esxcli.system.security.fips140.ssh.get.invoke() Expected result: Enabled: true If the output does not match the expected result, this is a finding. |
| Fix Text (F-60002r885932_fix) |
| From an ESXi shell, run the following command: # esxcli system security fips140 ssh set -e true or From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following commands: $esxcli = Get-EsxCli -v2 $arguments = $esxcli.system.security.fips140.ssh.set.CreateArgs() $arguments.enable = $true $esxcli.system.security.fips140.ssh.set.Invoke($arguments) |