Title

System log files must have mode 0640 or less permissive. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

If the system log files are not protected, unauthorized users could change the logged data, eliminating its forensic value.

Check Content

Check the mode of log files. Procedure: # ls -lL /var/log /var/log/syslog /var/adm If any of the log files have modes more permissive than 0640, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Change the mode of the system log file(s) to 0640 or less permissive. Procedure: # chmod 0640 /path/to/system-log-file NOTE: Do not confuse system log files with audit logs. Any subsystems that require less stringent permissions must be documented.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-787r2_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-787

Group Title: GEN001260

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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