---
title: "HOST-AUD-008 Audit Log Files Readable by Others"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-AUD-008.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-AUD-008.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# HOST-AUD-008 Audit Log Files Readable by Others

Checks that the audit log directory and files can be read only by root.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: Low
- Control category: Logging and Monitoring
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 8.2
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-04
- CWE: CWE-532, CWE-732
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A09:2021
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AU-9, AC-6
- Benchmark topic: Audit log files and directory are protected (CIS Controls v8 8.2) (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

Audit logs record which user ran which command with which arguments, including file names and sometimes secrets passed on a command line. They are also the record an intruder most wants to edit. Both reasons call for root-only access.

## How It Detects

Stats /var/log/audit (metadata only) and every file in it. The directory must not grant group write or any access to others (0750 or stricter); files must be owned by root with mode 0640 or stricter. Log contents are never read. If the directory does not exist the check is skipped; if it cannot be inspected the result is Incomplete.

## How to Fix

chmod 0750 /var/log/audit && chmod 0600 /var/log/audit/* && chown -R root:root /var/log/audit , and set log_group = root in /etc/audit/auditd.conf so new files keep these modes.

## How to Verify

```
stat -c '%a %U %n' /var/log/audit /var/log/audit/*
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P21 Audit Logging and Monitoring Depth](https://openvapt.com/academy/p21.md)

## References

- [auditd.conf(5), Linux man-pages](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/auditd.conf.5.html)
- [NIST SP 800-92, Guide to Computer Security Log Management](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/92/final)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/host/audit_journal.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-AUD-008`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-AUD-008`.

---

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