The Ubuntu operating system must be configured to permit only authorized users ownership of the audit log files.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-238246	SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027	UBTU-20-010123	SV-238246r958434_rule	2025-03-03	2

Description
Unauthorized disclosure of audit records can reveal system and configuration data to attackers, thus compromising its confidentiality. Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, audit reports) needed to successfully audit operating system activity. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027, SRG-OS-000058-GPOS-00028, SRG-OS-000059-GPOS-00029

ℹ️ Check
Verify the audit log files are owned by "root" account. 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, determine if the audit log files are owned by the "root" user by using the following command: $ sudo stat -c "%n %U" /var/log/audit/* /var/log/audit/audit.log root If the audit log files are owned by an user other than "root", this is a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Verify the audit log files are owned by "root" account. 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, determine if the audit log files are owned by the "root" user by using the following command: $ sudo stat -c "%n %U" /var/log/audit/* /var/log/audit/audit.log root If the audit log files are owned by an user other than "root", this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Configure the audit log directory and its underlying files to be owned by "root" user. 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 files to be owned by "root" user by using the following command: $ sudo chown root /var/log/audit/*

✔️ Fix

Configure the audit log directory and its underlying files to be owned by "root" user. 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 files to be owned by "root" user by using the following command: $ sudo chown root /var/log/audit/*