ESXI-65-000013 - The ESXi host SSH daemon must not allow host-based authentication.

Information

SSH trust relationships mean a compromise on one host can allow an attacker to move trivially to other hosts. SSH's cryptographic host-based authentication is more secure than '.rhosts' authentication, since hosts are cryptographically authenticated. However, it is not recommended that hosts unilaterally trust one another, even within an organization.

Solution

From an SSH session connected to the ESXi host, or from the ESXi shell, add or correct the following line in '/etc/ssh/sshd_config':

Add or correct the following line in '/etc/ssh/sshd_config':

HostbasedAuthentication no

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_VMW_vSphere_6-5_Y23M07_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-6b., CAT|II, CCI|CCI-000366, Rule-ID|SV-207614r388482_rule, STIG-ID|ESXI-65-000013, STIG-Legacy|SV-104059, STIG-Legacy|V-93973, Vuln-ID|V-207614

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: ff5e00cab25bf4496cb1b33aa8f474146df8081b02de391923aa5e40dd25b27c