Title

RHEL 9 /var/log/messages file must be group-owned by root. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

Only authorized personnel should be aware of errors and the details of the errors. Error messages are an indicator of an organization's operational state or can identify the RHEL 9 system or platform. Additionally, personally identifiable information (PII) and operational information must not be revealed through error messages to unauthorized personnel or their designated representatives. The structure and content of error messages must be carefully considered by the organization and development team. The extent to which the information system is able to identify and handle error conditions is guided by organizational policy and operational requirements.

Check Content

Verify the "/var/log/messages" file is group-owned by root with the following command: $ stat -c "%G %n" /var/log/messages root /var/log If "/var/log/messages" does not have a group owner of "root", this is a finding.

Fix Text

Change the group owner of the "/var/log/messages" file to "root" by running the following command: $ sudo chgrp root /var/log/messages

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-257917r1044975_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-257917

Group Title: SRG-OS-000206-GPOS-00084

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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