Ensure journald is configured to write log files to persistent disk

Description

The journald system may store log files in volatile memory or locally on disk. If the logs are only stored in volatile memory they will we lost upon reboot.

Rationale

Log files contain valuable data and need to be persistent to aid in possible investigations.

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; then

if [ -e "/etc/systemd/journald.conf" ] ; then
    
    LC_ALL=C sed -i "/^\s*Storage\s*=\s*/d" "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"
else
    touch "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"
fi
# make sure file has newline at the end
sed -i -e '$a\' "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"

cp "/etc/systemd/journald.conf" "/etc/systemd/journald.conf.bak"
# Insert before the line matching the regex '^#\s*Storage'.
line_number="$(LC_ALL=C grep -n "^#\s*Storage" "/etc/systemd/journald.conf.bak" | LC_ALL=C sed 's/:.*//g')"
if [ -z "$line_number" ]; then
    # There was no match of '^#\s*Storage', insert at
    # the end of the file.
    printf '%s\n' "Storage=persistent" >> "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"
else
    head -n "$(( line_number - 1 ))" "/etc/systemd/journald.conf.bak" > "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"
    printf '%s\n' "Storage=persistent" >> "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"
    tail -n "+$(( line_number ))" "/etc/systemd/journald.conf.bak" >> "/etc/systemd/journald.conf"
fi
# Clean up after ourselves.
rm "/etc/systemd/journald.conf.bak"

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

Ansible playbook

The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.

- name: Gather the package facts
  package_facts:
    manager: auto
  tags:
  - journald_storage
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Setting unquoted shell-style assignment of 'Storage' to 'persistent' in '/etc/systemd/journald.conf'
  block:

  - name: Check for duplicate values
    lineinfile:
      path: /etc/systemd/journald.conf
      create: true
      regexp: (?i)^\s*Storage=
      state: absent
    check_mode: true
    changed_when: false
    register: dupes

  - name: Deduplicate values from /etc/systemd/journald.conf
    lineinfile:
      path: /etc/systemd/journald.conf
      create: true
      regexp: (?i)^\s*Storage=
      state: absent
    when: dupes.found is defined and dupes.found > 1

  - name: Insert correct line to /etc/systemd/journald.conf
    lineinfile:
      path: /etc/systemd/journald.conf
      create: true
      regexp: (?i)^\s*Storage=
      line: Storage=persistent
      state: present
      insertbefore: ^# Storage
      validate: /usr/bin/bash -n %s
  when: '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - journald_storage
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy