6.5.1
Table Of Contents
- vSphere Security
- Contents
- About vSphere Security
- Updated Information
- Security in the vSphere Environment
- vSphere Permissions and User Management Tasks
- Securing ESXi Hosts
- Configure ESXi Hosts with Host Profiles
- General ESXi Security Recommendations
- Use Scripts to Manage Host Configuration Settings
- ESXi Passwords and Account Lockout
- SSH Security
- PCI and PCIe Devices and ESXi
- Disable the Managed Object Browser
- ESXi Networking Security Recommendations
- Modifying ESXi Web Proxy Settings
- vSphere Auto Deploy Security Considerations
- Control Access for CIM-Based Hardware Monitoring Tools
- Certificate Management for ESXi Hosts
- Host Upgrades and Certificates
- Certificate Mode Switch Workflows
- ESXi Certificate Default Settings
- View Certificate Expiration Information for Multiple ESXi Hosts
- View Certificate Details for a Single ESXi Host
- Renew or Refresh ESXi Certificates
- Change the Certificate Mode
- Replacing ESXi SSL Certificates and Keys
- Use Custom Certificates With Auto Deploy
- Restore ESXi Certificate and Key Files
- Customizing Hosts with the Security Profile
- ESXi Firewall Configuration
- Customizing ESXi Services from the Security Profile
- Enable or Disable a Service in the Security Profile
- Lockdown Mode
- Manage the Acceptance Levels of Hosts and VIBs
- Assigning Privileges for ESXi Hosts
- Using Active Directory to Manage ESXi Users
- Using vSphere Authentication Proxy
- Enable vSphere Authentication Proxy
- Add a Domain to vSphere Authentication Proxy with the vSphere Web Client
- Add a Domain to vSphere Authentication Proxy with the camconfig Command
- Use vSphere Authentication Proxy to Add a Host to a Domain
- Enable Client Authentication for vSphere Authentication Proxy
- Import the vSphere Authentication Proxy Certificate to ESXi Host
- Generate a New Certificate for vSphere Authentication Proxy
- Set Up vSphere Authentication Proxy to Use Custom Certificates
- Configuring Smart Card Authentication for ESXi
- Using the ESXi Shell
- UEFI Secure Boot for ESXi Hosts
- ESXi Log Files
- Securing vCenter Server Systems
- vCenter Server Security Best Practices
- Verify Thumbprints for Legacy ESXi Hosts
- Verify that SSL Certificate Validation Over Network File Copy Is Enabled
- Required Ports for vCenter Server and Platform Services Controller
- Additional vCenter Server TCP and UDP Ports
- Securing Virtual Machines
- Enable or Disable UEFI Secure Boot for a Virtual Machine
- Limit Informational Messages From Virtual Machines to VMX Files
- Prevent Virtual Disk Shrinking
- Virtual Machine Security Best Practices
- General Virtual Machine Protection
- Use Templates to Deploy Virtual Machines
- Minimize Use of the Virtual Machine Console
- Prevent Virtual Machines from Taking Over Resources
- Disable Unnecessary Functions Inside Virtual Machines
- Remove Unnecessary Hardware Devices
- Disable Unused Display Features
- Disable Unexposed Features
- Disable HGFS File Transfers
- Disable Copy and Paste Operations Between Guest Operating System and Remote Console
- Limiting Exposure of Sensitive Data Copied to the Clipboard
- Restrict Users From Running Commands Within a Virtual Machine
- Prevent a Virtual Machine User or Process From Disconnecting Devices
- Prevent Guest Operating System Processes from Sending Configuration Messages to the Host
- Avoid Using Independent Nonpersistent Disks
- Virtual Machine Encryption
- Use Encryption in Your vSphere Environment
- Set up the Key Management Server Cluster
- Create an Encryption Storage Policy
- Enable Host Encryption Mode Explicitly
- Disable Host Encryption Mode
- Create an Encrypted Virtual Machine
- Clone an Encrypted Virtual Machine
- Encrypt an Existing Virtual Machine or Virtual Disk
- Decrypt an Encrypted Virtual Machine or Virtual Disk
- Change the Encryption Policy for Virtual Disks
- Resolve Missing Key Issues
- vSphere Virtual Machine Encryption and Core Dumps
- Securing vSphere Networking
- Introduction to vSphere Network Security
- Securing the Network With Firewalls
- Secure the Physical Switch
- Securing Standard Switch Ports with Security Policies
- Securing vSphere Standard Switches
- Standard Switch Protection and VLANs
- Secure vSphere Distributed Switches and Distributed Port Groups
- Securing Virtual Machines with VLANs
- Creating Multiple Networks Within a Single ESXi Host
- Internet Protocol Security
- Ensure Proper SNMP Configuration
- vSphere Networking Security Best Practices
- Best Practices Involving Multiple vSphere Components
- Synchronizing Clocks on the vSphere Network
- Storage Security Best Practices
- Verify That Sending Host Performance Data to Guests is Disabled
- Setting Timeouts for the ESXi Shell and vSphere Web Client
- Managing TLS Protocol Configuration with the TLS Configurator Utility
- Ports That Support Disabling TLS Versions
- Disabling TLS Versions in vSphere
- Install the TLS Configuration Utility
- Perform an Optional Manual Backup
- Disable TLS Versions on vCenter Server Systems
- Disable TLS Versions on ESXi Hosts
- Disable TLS Versions on Platform Services Controller Systems
- Revert TLS Configuration Changes
- Disable TLS Versions on vSphere Update Manager
- Defined Privileges
- Alarms Privileges
- Auto Deploy and Image Profile Privileges
- Certificates Privileges
- Content Library Privileges
- Cryptographic Operations Privileges
- Datacenter Privileges
- Datastore Privileges
- Datastore Cluster Privileges
- Distributed Switch Privileges
- ESX Agent Manager Privileges
- Extension Privileges
- Folder Privileges
- Global Privileges
- Host CIM Privileges
- Host Configuration Privileges
- Host Inventory
- Host Local Operations Privileges
- Host vSphere Replication Privileges
- Host Profile Privileges
- Network Privileges
- Performance Privileges
- Permissions Privileges
- Profile-driven Storage Privileges
- Resource Privileges
- Scheduled Task Privileges
- Sessions Privileges
- Storage Views Privileges
- Tasks Privileges
- Transfer Service Privileges
- Virtual Machine Configuration Privileges
- Virtual Machine Guest Operations Privileges
- Virtual Machine Interaction Privileges
- Virtual Machine Inventory Privileges
- Virtual Machine Provisioning Privileges
- Virtual Machine Service Configuration Privileges
- Virtual Machine Snapshot Management Privileges
- Virtual Machine vSphere Replication Privileges
- dvPort Group Privileges
- vApp Privileges
- vServices Privileges
- vSphere Tagging Privileges
Disable Unexposed Features
VMware virtual machines can work both in a vSphere environment and on hosted virtualization platforms
such as VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion. Certain virtual machine parameters do not need to be
enabled when you run a virtual machine in a vSphere environment. Disable these parameters to reduce
the potential for vulnerabilities.
Prerequisites
Turn off the virtual machine.
Procedure
1 Log in to a vCenter Server system using the vSphere Web Client and find the virtual machine.
a In the Navigator, select VMs and Templates.
b Find the virtual machine in the hierarchy.
2 Right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
3 Select VM Options.
4 Click Advanced and click Edit Configuration.
5 Set the following parameters to TRUE by adding or editing them.
n
isolation.tools.unity.push.update.disable
n
isolation.tools.ghi.launchmenu.change
n
isolation.tools.memSchedFakeSampleStats.disable
n
isolation.tools.getCreds.disable
n
isolation.tools.ghi.autologon.disable
n
isolation.bios.bbs.disable
n
isolation.tools.hgfsServerSet.disable
6 Click OK.
Disable HGFS File Transfers
Certain operations such as automated VMware Tools upgrades use a component in the hypervisor called
host guest file system (HGFS). In high-security environments, you can disable this component to
minimize the risk that an attacker can use HGFS to transfer files inside the guest operating system.
Procedure
1 Log in to a vCenter Server system using the vSphere Web Client and find the virtual machine.
a In the Navigator, select VMs and Templates.
b Find the virtual machine in the hierarchy.
2 Right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
vSphere Security
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