VMware ESXi
TMA-ESXI9-6.5.1
Host SSH daemon, if enabled, must use FIPS 140-2/140-3 validated ciphers
Description
For enhanced security, if the SSH daemon is enabled on the host, it must utilize FIPS 140-2/140-3 validated ciphers. This requirement ensures the encryption standards are robust and compliant with regulatory mandates. The audit reads the Ciphers directive of /etc/ssh/sshd_config and requires only AES-based (FIPS-approved) ciphers. Runs in the ESXi Shell (busybox sh) as root.
How it is checked
Audit method: Shell command
f=/etc/ssh/sshd_config; [ -r "$f" ] || exit 1
c=$(awk 'tolower($1)=="ciphers" {print tolower($2); exit}' "$f")
[ -n "$c" ] || { echo 'Ciphers not set explicitly'; exit 1; }
bad=$(printf '%s\n' "$c" | tr ',' '\n' | grep -v '^aes' | tr '\n' ' ')
[ -z "$bad" ] && echo compliant || echo "non-FIPS ciphers: $bad"- Expected output
compliant
How it is fixed
Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch
To remediate this recommendation, configure the SSH daemon to use only the approved FIPS-capable cipher list supported by the installed ESXi build. Validate access from approved administration clients before deploying broadly.
Properties
- Operating systems
- Any
- Tags
- vmwareesxiservices
- Reference
- CIS VMware ESXi 9.0 Benchmark v1.0.0 - 6.5.1 Host SSH daemon, if enabled, must use FIPS 140-2/140-3 validated ciphers
Check this host
Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.
tmaegis scan --target vmware