4.2.1.3 Ensure logging is configured - 'local0,local1.* -/var/log/localmessages'

Information

The /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files specifies rules for logging and which files are to be used to log certain classes of messages.

Rationale:

A great deal of important security-related information is sent via rsyslog (e.g., successful and failed su attempts, failed login attempts, root login attempts, etc.).

Solution

Edit the following lines in the /etc/rsyslog.conf and /etc/rsyslog.d/*.conf files as appropriate for your environment:

*.emerg :omusrmsg:*
auth,authpriv.* /var/log/auth.log
mail.* -/var/log/mail
mail.info -/var/log/mail.info
mail.warning -/var/log/mail.warn
mail.err /var/log/mail.err
news.crit -/var/log/news/news.crit
news.err -/var/log/news/news.err
news.notice -/var/log/news/news.notice
*.=warning;*.=err -/var/log/warn
*.crit /var/log/warn
*.*;mail.none;news.none -/var/log/messages
local0,local1.* -/var/log/localmessages
local2,local3.* -/var/log/localmessages
local4,local5.* -/var/log/localmessages
local6,local7.* -/var/log/localmessages

Run the following command to reload the rsyslog configuration:

# systemctl reload rsyslog

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/3219