1.3 (L1) Host hardware must enable Intel TXT, if available

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Information

Intel Xeon Scalable Processor platforms have Trusted Execution Technology, or TXT, that help harden systems against malware, rootkits, BIOS & firmware attacks, and more. When enabled, ESXi will take advantage of security benefits offered by this technology.

Enabling Intel TXT (Trusted Execution Technology) on host hardware, when available, provides a hardware-based foundation for security.

NOTE: Nessus has not performed this check. Please review the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

Impact:

In early implementations, operations such as firmware updates and abrupt system shutdowns may activate attestation alarms in vCenter Server or cause boot failures. Typically, a cold system restart offers a temporary fix, while a system firmware update provides a permanent solution. Refer to KB 78243.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/19200