cyberstrikeus Ensure separate partition exists for /var/log
Profile
Level 2 - Server / Level 2 - Workstation, Assessment: Automated
Description
The /var/log directory is used by system services to store log data.
Rationale
There are two important reasons to ensure that system logs are stored on a separate partition: protection against resource exhaustion (since logs can grow quite large) and protection of audit data.
Impact
Resizing filesystems is a common activity in cloud-hosted servers. Separate filesystem partitions may prevent tying the overall disk management to one large volume. It may be necessary to use Logical Volume Management (LVM) or similar tools to create a flexible partitioning scheme for /var/log.
Audit Procedure
Command Line
Run the following command and verify the output shows that /var/log is mounted:
# findmnt -kn /var/log
Expected Result
/var/log /dev/sda4 ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime
Remediation
Command Line
For specific configuration requirements of the /var/log mount for your environment, modify /etc/fstab:
# Configure /etc/fstab as appropriate:
# Example:
# <device> /var/log <fstype> defaults,rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime 0 0
Creating a new partition is a destructive operation that typically requires a reinstallation or use of LVM.
Default Value
By default /var/log is not a separate partition.
References
- http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LVM-HOWTO/
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-8
CIS Controls
v8 - 8.3 Ensure Adequate Audit Log Storage (IG 1, IG 2, IG 3) v7 - 6.4 Ensure adequate storage for logs (IG 2, IG 3)
MITRE ATT&CK Mappings: T1499, T1499.001 (TA0005) - M1022