← Back to IBM AIX 7.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-215255

CAT II (Medium)

AIX must record time stamps for audit records that can be mapped to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Rule ID

SV-215255r958788_rule

STIG

IBM AIX 7.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V3R2

CCIs

CCI-001890

Discussion

If time stamps are not consistently applied and there is no common time reference, it is difficult to perform forensic analysis. Time stamps generated by AIX include date and time. Time is commonly expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a modern continuation of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or local time with an offset from UTC.

Check Content

Check the time zone setting by the following command:
# echo $TZ
UTC

If the result is not UTC, GMT, or an offset from UTC, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Change time zone setting to UTC, GMT, or an offset from UTC and then reboot the system for the setting to take effect. 

# chtz UTC
Or change time zone to GMT or an offset of UTC.

The system must be rebooted for the change to take effect:
# reboot