The vCenter PostgreSQL service must provide nonprivileged users with minimal error information.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-259180	SRG-APP-000266-DB-000162	VCPG-80-000060	SV-259180r961167_rule	2025-02-12	2

Description
Any DBMS or associated application providing too much information in error messages on the screen or printout risks compromising the data and security of the system. The structure and content of error messages need to contain the minimal amount of information. Databases can inadvertently provide a wealth of information to an attacker through improperly handled error messages. In addition to sensitive business or personal information, database errors can provide host names, IP addresses, usernames, and other system information not required for troubleshooting but very useful to someone targeting the system. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000266-DB-000162, SRG-APP-000267-DB-000163

Description

Any DBMS or associated application providing too much information in error messages on the screen or printout risks compromising the data and security of the system. The structure and content of error messages need to contain the minimal amount of information. Databases can inadvertently provide a wealth of information to an attacker through improperly handled error messages. In addition to sensitive business or personal information, database errors can provide host names, IP addresses, usernames, and other system information not required for troubleshooting but very useful to someone targeting the system. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000266-DB-000162, SRG-APP-000267-DB-000163

ℹ️ Check
At the command prompt, run the following command: # /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -A -t -c "SHOW client_min_messages;" Expected result: error If the output does not match the expected result, this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
A script is included with vCenter to generate a PostgreSQL STIG configuration. At the command prompt, run the following commands: # chmod +x /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/vmw_vpg_config/vmw_vpg_config.py # /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/vmw_vpg_config/vmw_vpg_config.py --action stig_enable --pg-data-dir /storage/db/vpostgres # chmod -x /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/vmw_vpg_config/vmw_vpg_config.py Restart the PostgreSQL service by running the following command: # vmon-cli --restart vmware-vpostgres

✔️ Fix

A script is included with vCenter to generate a PostgreSQL STIG configuration. At the command prompt, run the following commands: # chmod +x /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/vmw_vpg_config/vmw_vpg_config.py # /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/vmw_vpg_config/vmw_vpg_config.py --action stig_enable --pg-data-dir /storage/db/vpostgres # chmod -x /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/vmw_vpg_config/vmw_vpg_config.py Restart the PostgreSQL service by running the following command: # vmon-cli --restart vmware-vpostgres