VMware vSphere 8.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide
Rules, Groups, and Values defined within the XCCDF Benchmark
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SRG-OS-000021-VMM-000050
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The ESXi host must enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts by a user.
By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute forcing, is reduced. Once the configured number of attempts is ...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000023-VMM-000060
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SRG-OS-000027-VMM-000080
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The ESXi host must enable lockdown mode.
Enabling Lockdown Mode disables direct access to an ESXi host, requiring the host to be managed remotely from vCenter Server. This is done to ensure the roles and access controls implemented in vCe...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000029-VMM-000100
Group -
The ESXi host client must be configured with an idle session timeout.
The ESXi host client is the UI served up by the host itself, outside of vCenter. It is accessed at https://<ESX FQDN>/ui. ESXi is not usually administered via this interface for long periods, and a...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000033-VMM-000140
Group -
The ESXi host Secure Shell (SSH) daemon must use FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules to protect the confidentiality of remote access sessions.
Without confidentiality protection mechanisms, unauthorized individuals may gain access to sensitive information via a remote access session. OpenSSH on the ESXi host ships with a FIPS 140-2 valid...Rule High Severity -
SRG-OS-000037-VMM-000150
Group -
The ESXi must produce audit records containing information to establish what type of events occurred.
Without establishing what types of events occurred, it would be difficult to establish, correlate, and investigate the events leading up to an outage or attack. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000037-VMM-00015...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000069-VMM-000360
Group -
SRG-OS-000077-VMM-000440
Group -
The ESXi host must prohibit password reuse for a minimum of five generations.
If a user or root used the same password continuously or was allowed to change it back shortly after being forced to change it to something else, it would provide a potential intruder with the oppo...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000095-VMM-000480
Group -
The ESXi host must be configured to disable nonessential capabilities by disabling the Managed Object Browser (MOB).
The MOB provides a way to explore the object model used by the VMkernel to manage the host and enables configurations to be changed. This interface is meant to be used primarily for debugging the v...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000104-VMM-000500
Group -
SRG-OS-000107-VMM-000530
Group -
The ESXi host Secure Shell (SSH) daemon must ignore .rhosts files.
SSH trust relationships mean a compromise on one host can allow an attacker to move trivially to other hosts. SSH can emulate the behavior of the obsolete "rsh" command in allowing users to enable ...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000163-VMM-000700
Group -
The ESXi host must set a timeout to automatically end idle shell sessions after fifteen minutes.
If a user forgets to log out of their local or remote ESXi Shell session, the idle connection will remain open indefinitely and increase the likelihood of inappropriate host access via session hija...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000257-VMM-000910
Group -
SRG-OS-000278-VMM-001000
Group -
The ESXi host must enable Secure Boot.
Secure Boot is part of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware standard. With UEFI Secure Boot enabled, a host refuses to load any UEFI driver or app unless the operating system b...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000329-VMM-001180
Group -
The ESXi host must enforce an unlock timeout of 15 minutes after a user account is locked out.
By enforcing a reasonable unlock timeout after multiple failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute forcing, is reduced. Users must w...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000341-VMM-001220
Group -
The ESXi host must allocate audit record storage capacity to store at least one week's worth of audit records.
In order to ensure ESXi has sufficient storage capacity in which to write the audit logs, audit record storage capacity should be configured. If a central audit record storage facility is availab...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000342-VMM-001230
Group -
The ESXi host must offload logs via syslog.
Remote logging to a central log host provides a secure, centralized store for ESXi logs. By gathering host log files onto a central host, it can more easily monitor all hosts with a single tool. It...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000355-VMM-001330
Group -
SRG-OS-000366-VMM-001430
Group -
The ESXi Image Profile and vSphere Installation Bundle (VIB) acceptance level must be verified.
Verify the ESXi Image Profile to only allow signed VIBs. An unsigned VIB represents untested code installed on an ESXi host. The ESXi Image profile supports four acceptance levels: 1. VMwareCertif...Rule High Severity -
SRG-OS-000379-VMM-001550
Group -
The ESXi host must enable bidirectional Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) authentication for Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) traffic.
When enabled, vSphere performs bidirectional authentication of both the iSCSI target and host. When not authenticating both the iSCSI target and host, there is potential for a man-in-the-middle att...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000423-VMM-001700
Group -
SRG-OS-000478-VMM-001980
Group -
The ESXi host Secure Shell (SSH) daemon must be configured to only use FIPS 140-2 validated ciphers.
Use of weak or untested encryption algorithms undermines the purposes of utilizing encryption to protect data. ESXi must implement cryptographic modules adhering to the higher standards approved by...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000480-VMM-002000
Group -
SRG-OS-000023-VMM-000060
Group -
The ESXi host must display the Standard Mandatory DOD Notice and Consent Banner before granting access to the system via Secure Shell (SSH).
Display of a standardized and approved use notification before granting access to the host ensures privacy and security notification verbiage used is consistent with applicable federal laws, Execut...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000023-VMM-000060
Group -
The ESXi host Secure Shell (SSH) daemon must display the Standard Mandatory DOD Notice and Consent Banner before granting access to the system.
Display of a standardized and approved use notification before granting access to the host ensures privacy and security notification verbiage used is consistent with applicable federal laws, Execut...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000095-VMM-000480
Group -
The ESXi host must be configured to disable nonessential capabilities by disabling Secure Shell (SSH).
The ESXi Shell is an interactive command line interface (CLI) available at the ESXi server console. The ESXi shell provides temporary access to commands essential for server maintenance. Intended p...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000095-VMM-000480
Group -
SRG-OS-000163-VMM-000700
Group -
The ESXi host must automatically stop shell services after 10 minutes.
When the ESXi Shell or Secure Shell (SSH) services are enabled on a host, they will run indefinitely. To avoid having these services left running, set the "ESXiShellTimeOut". The "ESXiShellTimeOut"...Rule Medium Severity -
SRG-OS-000163-VMM-000700
Group -
The ESXi host must set a timeout to automatically end idle DCUI sessions after 10 minutes.
When the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) is enabled and logged in, it should be automatically logged out if left logged on to avoid access by unauthorized persons. The "DcuiTimeOut" setting de...Rule Medium Severity
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