System Audit Logs Must Have Mode 0640 or Less Permissive

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Description

If log_group in /etc/audit/auditd.conf is set to a group other than the root group account, change the mode of the audit log files with the following command:

$ sudo chmod 0640 audit_file

Otherwise, change the mode of the audit log files with the following command:

$ sudo chmod 0600 audit_file

Rationale

If users can write to audit logs, audit trails can be modified or destroyed.

Remediation

Shell script

The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.

#!/bin/bash

# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}
' 'kernel' 2>/dev/null | grep -q installed && dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}\n' 'auditd' 2>/dev/null | grep -q installed; then

if LC_ALL=C grep -iw ^log_file /etc/audit/auditd.conf; then
    FILE=$(awk -F "=" '/^log_file/ {print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf | tr -d ' ')
else
    FILE="/var/log/audit/audit.log"
fi


if LC_ALL=C grep -m 1 -q ^log_group /etc/audit/auditd.conf; then
  GROUP=$(awk -F "=" '/log_group/ {print $2}' /etc/audit/auditd.conf | tr -d ' ')
  if ! [ "${GROUP}" == 'root' ] ; then
    chmod 0640 $FILE
    chmod 0440 $FILE.*
  else
    chmod 0600 $FILE
    chmod 0400 $FILE.*
  fi
else
  chmod 0600 $FILE
  chmod 0400 $FILE.*
fi

else
    >&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi