The Docker daemon log level should be set to 'info'

docker

Classification:

compliance

Framework:

cis-docker

Control:

2.2

Set up the docker integration.

Description

Set Docker daemon log level to info.

Rationale

Setting up an appropriate log level configures the Docker daemon to log events that you would want to review later. A base log level of info and above captures all logs except debug logs. Unless required, you should not run Docker daemon at debug log level.

Audit

To confirm that the log level setting is info, review both the dockerd startup options, and also the log level settings in /etc/docker/daemon.json. To review the dockerd startup options, run:

ps -ef | grep dockerd 

Ensure that either the --log-level parameter is not present or if present, that it is set to info.

Similarly, review the /etc/docker/daemon.json for the log-level setting.

Remediation

Ensure that the Docker daemon configuration file has the following configuration included:

"log-level": "info" 

Alternatively, run the Docker daemon with the log-level specified:

dockerd --log-level="info"

Impact

None.

Default value

By default, Docker daemon is set to log level of info.

References

  1. https://docs.docker.com/edge/engine/reference/commandline/dockerd/

CIS controls

Version 6.6.2 Ensure Audit Log Settings Support Appropriate Log Entry Formatting - Validate audit log settings for each hardware device and the software installed on it, ensuring that logs include a date, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and various other useful elements of each packet and/or transaction. Systems should record logs in a standardized format such as syslog entries or those outlined by the Common Event Expression initiative. If systems cannot generate logs in a standardized format, log normalization tools can be deployed to convert logs into such a format.

Version 7.6.2 Activate audit logging - Ensure that local logging has been enabled on all systems and networking devices.

Version 6.3 Enable Detailed Logging - Enable system logging to include detailed information such as an event source, date, user, timestamp, source addresses, destination addresses, and other useful elements.