Detections
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7.15 (L2) Virtual machines must remove unnecessary CD/DVD devices

Warning! Audit Deprecated

This audit has been deprecated and will be removed in a future update.

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Information

Removing unnecessary devices from virtual machines minimizes the attack surface and reduces potential pathways for data exfiltration or unauthorized data capture. This practice aligns with the principle of least functionality, ensuring that VMs have only the essential components required to perform their designated functions.

Eliminating unnecessary devices reduces attack surface and streamlines the virtual machine configuration, promoting a cleaner, more manageable, and less vulnerable setup.

Solution

To disconnect all CD/DVD drives from VMs, run the following PowerCLI command:

# Remove all CD/DVD Drives attached to VMs
Get-VM | Get-CDDrive | Remove-CDDrive

The VM will need to be powered off for this change to take effect.

Impact:

Careful analysis and understanding of the virtual machine's requirements and dependencies are crucial before implementing this security control to avoid unintended disruptions or degradation of service.

See Also

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

Item Details

References: CSCv7|9.2

Plugin: VMware

Control ID: d14a3aecc0c98e8b5667b2f750d23d8ce9dd42534ad5d522f0b02ed34a1b0308