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V-261956

CAT II (Medium)

PostgreSQL must generate audit records when successful logons or connections occur.

Rule ID

SV-261956r1000975_rule

STIG

Crunchy Data Postgres 16 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V1R2

CCIs

CCI-000172

Discussion

For completeness of forensic analysis, it is necessary to track who/what (a user or other principal) logs on to PostgreSQL.

Check Content

Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA and PGLOG environment variables. Refer to APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA and APPENDIX-I for PGLOG.

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), check if log_connections is enabled by running the following SQL:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "SHOW log_connections"

If log_connections is off, this is a finding.

Verify the logs that the previous connection to the database was logged:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-02-16 15:54:03.934 UTC postgres postgres 56c64b8b.aeb: >LOG: connection authorized: user=postgres database=postgres

If an audit record is not generated each time a user (or other principal) logs on or connects to PostgreSQL, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA and PGVER environment variables. Refer to APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA and APPENDIX-H for PGVER.

To ensure logging is enabled, see the instructions in the supplementary content APPENDIX-C.

If logging is enabled the following configurations must be made to log connections, date/time, username, and session identifier.

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), edit postgresql.conf:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf

Edit the following parameters as such:

log_connections = on
log_line_prefix = '< %m %u %d %c: >'

Where:
* %m is the time and date
* %u is the username
* %d is the database
* %c is the session ID for the connection

As the system administrator, reload the server with the new configuration:

$ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?}