The VMM must notify the system administrator (SA) and information system security officer (ISSO) when accounts are modified.
Overview
Finding ID
Version
Rule ID
IA Controls
Severity
V-207428
SRG-OS-000275-VMM-000970
SV-207428r984225_rule
Medium
Description
Once an attacker establishes access to a system, the attacker often attempts to create a persistent method of reestablishing access. One way to accomplish this is for the attacker to simply modify an existing account. Notification of account modification is one method for mitigating this risk. A comprehensive account management process will ensure an audit trail that documents the creation of VMM user accounts and notifies the system administrator and ISSO that it exists. Such a process greatly reduces the risk that accounts will be surreptitiously created and provides logging that can be used for forensic purposes.
To address access requirements, many VMMs can be integrated with enterprise-level authentication/access/auditing mechanisms that meet or exceed access control policy requirements.