TOSS audit logs must be owned by user root to prevent unauthorized read access.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-252979	SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027	TOSS-04-030140	SV-252979r958434_rule	2024-05-30	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 logs are owned by user root. 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 location of the audit log file, check if the audit log is owned by user "root" with the following command: $ sudo ls -l /var/log/audit/audit.log -rw------- 1 root root 908084 Jul 19 23:10 /var/log/audit/audit.log If the audit log is not owned by user "root", this is a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Verify the audit logs are owned by user root. 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 location of the audit log file, check if the audit log is owned by user "root" with the following command: $ sudo ls -l /var/log/audit/audit.log -rw------- 1 root root 908084 Jul 19 23:10 /var/log/audit/audit.log If the audit log is not owned by user "root", this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Configure the audit log and audit log directory to be protected from unauthorized read access, by setting the correct owner as "root" with the following command: $ sudo chown root [audit_log_file] Replace "[audit_log_file]" to the correct audit log path, by default this location is "/var/log/audit/audit.log." Configure the audit log to be owned by root by configuring the log group in the /etc/audit/auditd.conf file: log_group = root

✔️ Fix

Configure the audit log and audit log directory to be protected from unauthorized read access, by setting the correct owner as "root" with the following command: $ sudo chown root [audit_log_file] Replace "[audit_log_file]" to the correct audit log path, by default this location is "/var/log/audit/audit.log." Configure the audit log to be owned by root by configuring the log group in the /etc/audit/auditd.conf file: log_group = root