VMware ESXi
TMA-ESXI9-4.6
Host must enable audit record logging
Description
Enabling audit record logging on ESXi hosts ensures the local storage of audit records, providing a trail of activities performed on the host. This measure is pivotal for accountability, troubleshooting, and security investigations. The parameter governing this behavior is Syslog.global.auditRecord.storageEnable with a recommended setting of TRUE. The audit reads Syslog.global.auditRecord.storageEnable with esxcli and requires true (1). Runs in the ESXi Shell (busybox sh) as root.
How it is checked
Audit method: Shell command
out=$(esxcli system settings advanced list -o /Syslog/global/auditRecord/storageEnable 2>/dev/null) || exit 1
v=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" | awk '$1=="Int" && $2=="Value:" {print $3; exit}')
case "$v" in ''|*[!0-9-]*) echo '/Syslog/global/auditRecord/storageEnable: no integer value'; exit 1 ;; esac
if [ "$v" -eq 1 ]; then echo compliant; else echo "/Syslog/global/auditRecord/storageEnable = $v (expected true/1)"; fi- Expected output
compliant
How it is fixed
Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch
To enable local audit-record logging: 1. Execute command: esxcli system auditrecords local enable 2. Verify remediation with: esxcli system auditrecords get 3. passing results: Audit Record Storage Active: true
Properties
- Operating systems
- Any
- Tags
- vmwareesxilogging
- Reference
- CIS VMware ESXi 9.0 Benchmark v1.0.0 - 4.6 Host must enable audit record logging
Check this host
Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.
tmaegis scan --target vmware