The syslog daemon must not accept remote messages unless it is a syslog server documented using site-defined procedures.

From Oracle Linux 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Associated with: CCI-000366

SV-63531r1_rule The syslog daemon must not accept remote messages unless it is a syslog server documented using site-defined procedures.

Vulnerability discussion

Unintentionally running a syslog server accepting remote messages puts the system at increased risk. Malicious syslog messages sent to the server could exploit vulnerabilities in the server software itself, could introduce misleading information in to the system's logs, or could fill the system's storage leading to a Denial of Service.

Check content

Ask the SA if the system is an authorized syslog server. If the system is an authorized syslog server, this is not applicable. Determine if the system's syslog service is configured to accept remote messages. # ps -ef | grep syslogd If the '-r' option is present, the system is configured to accept remote syslog messages, and this is a finding.

Fix text

Edit /etc/sysconfig/syslog to removing the '-r' in SYSLOGD_OPTIONS. Restart the syslogd service.

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