---
title: "HOST-LOG-003 Security Logs Readable by All Users"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-LOG-003.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-LOG-003.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-LOG-003 Security Logs Readable by All Users

Checks that authentication and system logs are not world-readable.

- 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
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AC-6

## Why It Matters

Authentication logs contain user names, source addresses and sometimes passwords typed into the user name field. Only administrators should read them.

## How It Detects

Stats every existing file matching /var/log/auth.log, /var/log/secure, /var/log/syslog, /var/log/messages (metadata only, contents are never read) and fails if it is readable or writable by others.

## How to Fix

chmod o-rwx /var/log/auth.log /var/log/secure /var/log/syslog /var/log/messages  and set the matching create mode in /etc/logrotate.d.

## How to Verify

```
stat -c '%a %n' /var/log/auth.log /var/log/secure
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P16 Logging, Auditing and Time](https://openvapt.com/academy/p16.md)

## References

- [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/hardening.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-LOG-003`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-LOG-003`.

---

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