4.2.2.4 Ensure syslog-ng is configured to send logs to a remote log host (Scored)
Profile Applicability
Level 1 - Server Level 1 - Workstation
Description
The syslog-ng
utility supports the ability to send logs it gathers to a remote log host or to receive messages from remote hosts, reducing administrative overhead.
Rationale
Storing log data on a remote host protects log integrity from local attacks. If an attacker gains root access on the local system, they could tamper with or remove log data that is stored on the local system
Audit
Review the /etc/syslog-ng/syslog-ng.conf
file and verify that logs are sent to a central host (where logfile.example.com is the name of your central log host):
destination logserver { tcp("logfile.example.com" port(514)); }; log { source(src); destination(logserver); };
Remediation
Edit the /etc/syslog-ng/syslog-ng.conf
file and add the following lines (where logfile.example.com is the name of your central log host).
destination logserver { tcp("logfile.example.com" port(514)); }; log { source(src); destination(logserver); };
Run the following command to restart syslog-ng
:
# pkill -HUP syslog-ng
References
See the rsyslog.conf(5)
man page for more information.