Amazon Linux 2023 audit logs file must have mode "0600" or less permissive to prevent unauthorized access to the audit log.

Unauthorized disclosure of audit records can reveal system and configuration data to attackers, thus compromising its confidentiality.

Audit information includes all information (e.g., audit records, audit settings, audit reports) needed to successfully audit operating system activity.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000057-GPOS-00027, SRG-OS-000058-GPOS-00028, SRG-OS-000059-GPOS-00029, SRG-OS-000206-GPOS-00084

Verify Amazon Linux 2023 audit logs have a mode of "0600".

First determine where the audit logs are stored with the following command:

$ sudo grep -iw log_file /etc/audit/auditd.conf log_file = /var/log/audit/audit.log

Then using the location of the audit log file, determine if the audit log files as a mode of "0640" with the following command:

$ sudo find /var/log/audit/ -type f -exec stat -c '%a %n' {} \; 600 /var/log/audit/audit.log

If the audit logs have a mode more permissive than "0600", this is a finding.

Configure Amazon Linux 2023 so that the audit logs have a mode of "0600".

Replace "[audit_log_file]" to the correct audit log path, by default this location is "/var/log/audit/audit.log".

$ sudo chmod 0600 /var/log/audit/[audit_log_file]

Check the group that owns the system audit logs:

$ sudo grep -iw log_group /etc/audit/auditd.conf

If the log_group is not defined or it is set to root, configure the permissions as follows:

$ sudo chmod 0640 $log_file
$ sudo chmod 0440 $log_file.*

Otherwise, configure the permissions as follows:

$ sudo chmod 0600 $log_file
$ sudo chmod 0400 $log_file.*