Detections
Analytics

MD8X-00-002000 - The audit information produced by MongoDB must be protected from unauthorized access, modification, and deletion.

Information

If audit data were to become compromised, competent forensic analysis and discovery of the true source of potentially malicious system activity is impossible to achieve.

To ensure the veracity of audit data, the information system and/or the application must protect audit information from unauthorized deletion. This requirement can be achieved through multiple methods, which depend upon system architecture and design.

Some commonly employed methods include ensuring log files enjoy the proper file system permissions using file system protections; restricting access; and backing up log data to ensure log data is retained.

Applications providing a user interface to audit data will leverage user permissions and roles identifying the user accessing the data and the corresponding rights the user enjoys in order to make access decisions regarding the deletion of audit data.

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

Deletion of database audit data could mask the theft of, or the unauthorized modification of, sensitive data stored in the database.

Satisfies: SRG-APP-000120-DB-000061, SRG-APP-000118-DB-000059, SRG-APP-000119-DB-000060

Solution

It is recommended to use the official installation packages provided by MongoDB. In the event the software was installed manually and permissions need to be restricted, consider a clean reinstallation.

To correct a finding where auditLog.destination is set to "file", run these commands:

$ chown mongod <MongoDB auditLog directory>
$ chgrp mongod <MongoDB auditLog directory>
$ chmod 600 <MongoDB auditLog directory>

The path for the MongoDB auditLog directory will vary according to local circumstances. The auditLog directory will be found in the MongoDB configuration file, whose default location is /etc/mongod.conf.

To find the auditLog directory name, view and search for the entry in the MongoDB configuration file for the auditLog.path:

Example:

auditLog:
 destination: file
 format: BSON
 path: /var/log/mongodb/audit/auditLog.bson

Given the example above, the "MongoDB auditLog directory" is "/var/log/mongodb/audit".

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_MDB_Enterprise_Advanced_8-x_V1R1_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

References: 800-53|AU-9, CAT|II, CCI|CCI-000162, CCI|CCI-000163, CCI|CCI-000164, Rule-ID|SV-279336r1179505_rule, STIG-ID|MD8X-00-002000, Vuln-ID|V-279336

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: a919435cb6cf9140aef30aaaab205e486e0ede5385462ab7e68b0222aa3917b0