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V-214088

CAT II (Medium)

PostgreSQL must generate audit records showing starting and ending time for user access to the database(s).

Rule ID

SV-214088r961830_rule

STIG

PostgreSQL 9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V2R5

CCIs

CCI-000172

Discussion

For completeness of forensic analysis, it is necessary to know how long a user's (or other principal's) connection to PostgreSQL lasts. This can be achieved by recording disconnections, in addition to logons/connections, in the audit logs. Disconnection may be initiated by the user or forced by the system (as in a timeout) or result from a system or network failure. To the greatest extent possible, all disconnections must be logged.

Check Content

Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA environment variable. See supplementary content APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA.

First, log into the database with the postgres user by running the following commands:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -U postgres

Next, as the database administrator, verify the log for a connection audit trail:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/pg_log/postgresql-Tue.log
< 2016-02-23 20:25:39.931 EST postgres 56cfa993.7a72 postgres: >LOG: connection authorized: user=postgres database=postgres
< 2016-02-23 20:27:45.428 EST postgres 56cfa993.7a72 postgres: >LOG: AUDIT: SESSION,1,1,READ,SELECT,,,SELECT current_user;,<none>
< 2016-02-23 20:27:47.988 EST postgres 56cfa993.7a72 postgres: >LOG: disconnection: session time: 0:00:08.057 user=postgres database=postgres host=[local]

If connections are not logged, this is a finding.

Fix Text

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

To ensure that logging is enabled, review supplementary content APPENDIX-C for instructions on enabling logging. 

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

First, as the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), edit postgresql.conf by running the following: 

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

Edit the following parameters: 

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

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

Now, as the system administrator, reload the server with the new configuration: 

# SYSTEMD SERVER ONLY 
$ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?} 

# INITD SERVER ONLY 
$ sudo service postgresql-${PGVER?} reload