Title

The Ubuntu operating system must ensure only authorized groups can own the audit log directory and its underlying files. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

If audit information were to become compromised, then forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity is impossible to achieve. To ensure the veracity of audit information, the operating system must protect audit information from unauthorized deletion. This requirement can be achieved through multiple methods, which will depend upon system architecture and design. Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, audit reports) needed to successfully audit information system activity.

Check Content

Verify that the audit log directory is owned by "root" group. First determine where the audit logs are stored with the following command: # sudo grep -iw log_file /etc/audit/auditd.conf log_file = /var/log/audit/audit.log Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, check if the directory is owned by the "root" group by using the following command: # sudo stat -c "%n %G" /var/log/audit /var/log/audit root If the audit log directory is owned by a group other than "root", this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure the audit log directory to be owned by "root" group. First determine where the audit logs are stored with the following command: # sudo grep -iw log_file /etc/audit/auditd.conf log_file = /var/log/audit/audit.log Using the path of the directory containing the audit logs, configure the audit log directory to be owned by "root" group by using the following command: # chown -R :root /var/log/audit

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-219233r610963_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-219233

Group Title: SRG-OS-000059-GPOS-00029

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.