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V-258737

CAT III (Low)

The ESXi host must uniquely identify and must authenticate organizational users by using Active Directory.

Rule ID

SV-258737r933272_rule

STIG

VMware vSphere 8.0 ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V1R1

CCIs

CCI-000764, CCI-000770, CCI-001682, CCI-001941, CCI-001942

Discussion

Join ESXi hosts to an Active Directory domain to eliminate the need to create and maintain multiple local user accounts. Using Active Directory for user authentication simplifies the ESXi host configuration, ensures password complexity and reuse policies are enforced, and reduces the risk of security breaches and unauthorized access. Note: If the Active Directory group "ESX Admins" (default) exists, all users and groups assigned as members to this group will have full administrative access to all ESXi hosts in the domain. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000104-VMM-000500, SRG-OS-000109-VMM-000550, SRG-OS-000112-VMM-000560, SRG-OS-000113-VMM-000570, SRG-OS-000123-VMM-000620

Check Content

For systems that do not use Active Directory and have no local user accounts other than root and/or service accounts, this is not applicable.

From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Authentication Services.

Verify the "Directory Services Type" is set to "Active Directory".

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostAuthentication

For systems that do not use Active Directory and do have local user accounts, other than root and/or service accounts, this is a finding.

If the "Directory Services Type" is not set to "Active Directory", this is a finding.

Fix Text

From the vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.

Select the ESXi Host >> Configure >> System >> Authentication Services.

Click "Join Domain..." and enter the AD domain to join.

Select the "Using credentials" radio button and enter the credentials of an account with permissions to join machines to AD (use UPN naming "user@domain"). Click "OK".

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host, run the following command:

Get-VMHost | Get-VMHostAuthentication | Set-VMHostAuthentication -JoinDomain -Domain "domain name" -User "username" -Password "password"

If any local user accounts are present besides root and service accounts, delete them by going to Host UI >> Manage >> Security & Users >> Users.