Details

The VM console enables you to connect to the console of a virtual machine, in effect seeing what a monitor on a physical server would show. This console is also available via the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) protocol and should be disabled.

Solution

From the vSphere Client select the Virtual Machine right click and go to Edit Settings >> VM Options Tab >> Advanced >> Configuration Parameters. Find the RemoteDisplay.vnc.enabled value and set it to false. If the setting does not exist click ‘Add Row’ to add the setting to the virtual machine.

Note: The VM must be powered off to configure the advanced settings through the vSphere Client so it is recommended to configure these settings with PowerCLI as it can be done while the VM is powered on.

or

From a PowerCLI command prompt while connected to the ESXi host or vCenter server run the following command:

If the setting does not exist run:

Get-VM ‘VM Name’ | New-AdvancedSetting -Name RemoteDisplay.vnc.enabled -Value false

If the setting exists run:

Get-VM ‘VM Name’ | Get-AdvancedSetting -Name RemoteDisplay.vnc.enabled | Set-AdvancedSetting -Value false

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• http://iasecontent.disa.mil/stigs/zip/U_VMware_vSphere_6-0_Virtual_Machine_V1R1_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Configuration Management.This control applies to the following type of system VMware.

References

• 800-53|CM-6b.
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-000366
• Group-ID|V-64105
• Rule-ID|SV-78595r1_rule
• STIG-ID|VMCH-06-000034
• Vuln-ID|V-64105

Source

• Tenable.com/audits