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HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

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HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary


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SET AUDIT

Provides the management interface to the security auditing system.

Requires the SECURITY privilege.


Format

SET AUDIT/qualifier


Parameters

None.

Description

The SET AUDIT command and the SHOW AUDIT command provide the management interface to the security auditing system.

The SET AUDIT command enables or disables security auditing. In addition, you use the command to do the following:

  • Select categories of events to audit
  • Change the operational characteristics of the audit server
  • Establish the location of the audit journal and the security archive file
  • Control the monitoring of disk resources

Values set by the command are saved so it is unnecessary to set them each time the system starts up. Commands for event definition, resource monitoring, and starting a new log apply clusterwide, while other commands apply only to the local node.

Security auditing features require a certain amount of system overhead; therefore, you should be careful to select the features that will provide the most benefit in your work environment. Enable only the auditing of information that you know you will examine and analyze regularly. Any other collection of data is likely to be wasteful. For further information about auditing, refer to the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security.

There are five categories of qualifiers, grouped by task, for the SET AUDIT command:

Task Qualifiers Requirements
Define auditing events /AUDIT, /ALARM, /CLASS, /ENABLE, /DISABLE Specify whether you are defining alarms (/ALARM), audits (/AUDIT), or both. Also specify whether you are enabling (/ENABLE) or disabling (/DISABLE) the reporting of the event.
Define auditing log file /DESTINATION, /JOURNAL, /VERIFY Requires both the /DESTINATION and /JOURNAL qualifiers.
Define operational characteristics of the audit server and a listener mailbox (if any) /INTERVAL, /LISTENER, /SERVER, /VERIFY None.
Define secondary log file /ARCHIVE, /DESTINATION, /VERIFY None.
Define resource monitoring defaults /BACKLOG, /EXCLUDE, /JOURNAL, /RESOURCE, /THRESHOLD, /VERIFY With the /RESOURCE or /THRESHOLD qualifier, include the /JOURNAL qualifier.

Qualifiers

/ALARM

Makes the command apply to alarms, which are messages displayed on an operator terminal. See the description of the DCL command REPLY/ENABLE for details on how to enable terminals to display security messages.

/ARCHIVE=[keyword,...]

Specifies which classes of audit event messages are written to the security archive file. Specify one or more of the following keywords:
Keyword Description
NONE Disables archiving on the system.
[NO]ALL (default) Enables or disables archiving of all system security events. By default, no events are archived.
SYSTEM_ALARM Enables archiving of all security alarm events.
SYSTEM_AUDIT Enables archiving of all security audit events.

Archiving should be run on only one node in an OpenVMS Cluster with its own audit server database because multiple nodes will try to open the audit file exclusively.

/AUDIT

Makes the command apply to audits, which are messages recorded in the system security audit log file.

/BACKLOG=[keyword[,...]]

Specifies the thresholds for suspending a process that has exceeded the process message limit. The thresholds include the total number of messages in memory and the number belonging to the particular process. To prevent a process from being suspended, use the /EXCLUDE qualifier. Specify the following keywords:
Keyword Description
TOTAL=(n1,n2,n3) Thresholds at which flow control is initiated and accelerated; see description below.
PROCESS=(p1,p2) Thresholds at which process submissions are controlled.
Total Messages Default Process Messages Default Action Taken
N1 100 P1 5 When there are 100 messages in memory, the audit server suspends any process that has submitted 5 or more messages until all messages are written to disk.
N2 200 P2 2 When there are 200 messages in memory, the audit server suspends any process that has submitted 2 or more messages until all messages are written to disk.
N3 300     Any process with messages in memory is suspended until all messages are written to disk.

/CLASS=class

Specifies the class of the object whose auditing attributes are to be modified. If /CLASS is not specified, the command assumes the class is FILE. Specify one of the following keywords with the /CLASS qualifier:
CAPABILITY
COMMON_EVENT_CLUSTER
DEVICE
FILE
GROUP_GLOBAL_SECTION
LOGICAL_NAME_TABLE
QUEUE
RESOURCE_DOMAIN
SECURITY_CLASS
SYSTEM_GLOBAL_SECTION
VOLUME

/DESTINATION=filespec

When changing the destination of event messages, specifies the new location of the system security audit log file. The device, if part of the file specification, must be a disk. The /DESTINATION qualifier requires the /JOURNAL qualifier in this case.

Once you have relocated the log file, execute the command SET AUDIT/SERVER=NEW_LOG to let all the nodes in the cluster know of the new location. The previous audit log file is closed and all subsequent audit event messages generated throughout the cluster are sent to the new audit log file.

When used with /ARCHIVE, specifies the name of the archive log file. Events can be archived to a local or remote file on any file-structured disk device. For example, you can use an archive file to redirect event messages from a satellite to a larger node in the cluster.

/DISABLE=(keyword[,...])

Disables alarms or audits for the specified events. To disable all system events and file access events, specify the keyword ALL. You must specify at least one of the keywords. For a list of the keywords to use with the /DISABLE qualifier, see the /ENABLE qualifier description. You must also specify either the /ALARM or /AUDIT qualifier, or both, when you use the /DISABLE qualifier.

Note

In processing the SET AUDIT command, the system processes the /DISABLE qualifier last. If you specify both the /ENABLE and /DISABLE qualifiers for items in the same class on the same command line, the /DISABLE qualifier disables any enabled items. HP recommends that you use separate lines for commands containing the /ENABLE and /DISABLE qualifiers.

/ENABLE=(keyword[,...])

Enables alarms or audits for the specified events. To enable all system events and file access events, specify the keyword ALL. You must specify at least one keyword. You must also specify either the /ALARM or /AUDIT qualifier, or both, when you use the /ENABLE qualifier.

The keywords that you can specify with either the /ENABLE or the /DISABLE qualifier are as follows:

Keyword Description
ACCESS=(condition
[:access[,...]] [,...])
Specifies access events for all objects in a class. (To audit a single object, use an auditing ACE and enable the access control list (ACL) category.)

HP recommends that when you enable auditing conditionally, you enable it for all possible forms of access because the system can check access rights at several points during an operation. (For example, a FAILURE might occur on a read or write access check.)

Refer to the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security for information about the various types of access permitted on each class. (For example, the Access keyword, CREATE, is not defined for FILE objects.)

Condition Keyword Description
ALL All object access
BYPASS Successful object access due to the use of the BYPASS privilege
FAILURE Unsuccessful object access
GRPPRV Successful object access due to the use of the group privilege (GRPPRV)
READALL Successful object access due to the use of the READALL privilege
SUCCESS Successful object access
SYSPRV Successful object access due to the use of the system privilege (SYSPRV)
Access Keyword Description
ALL All types of access
ASSOCIATE Associate access
CONTROL Control access to examine or change security characteristics
CREATE Create access. To audit create events for files, use the CREATE keyword.
DELETE Delete access
EXECUTE Execute access
LOCK Lock access
LOGICAL Logical I/O access
MANAGE Manage access
PHYSICAL Physical I/O access
READ Read access
SUBMIT Submit access
WRITE Write access
ACL Specifies an event requested by an audit or alarm ACE in the access control list (ACL) of an object. To audit all objects of a class, use the ACCESS keyword.
ALL Specifies all system events and file access events. It does not enable access events for object classes other than FILE.
AUDIT=keyword Specifies events within the auditing subsystem. Only one keyword is currently defined.
Keyword Description
ILLFORMED Specifies illformed events from internal calls (identified by NSA$M_INTERNAL) to $AUDIT_EVENT, $CHECK_PRIVILEGE, $CHKPRO, or $CHECK_ACCESS system services. An illformed event is caused by an incomplete or syntactically incorrect argument being supplied to one of these system services by a piece of privileged code.
AUTHORIZATION Specifies the modification of any portion of the system user authorization file (SYSUAF), network proxy authorization file (NETPROXY), or the rights list (RIGHTLIST) (including password changes made through the AUTHORIZE, SET PASSWORD, or LOGINOUT commands or the $SETUAI system service).
BREAKIN=(keyword [,...]) Specifies the occurrence of one or more classes of break-in attempts, as specified by one or more of the following keywords:
ALL
DETACHED
DIALUP
LOCAL
NETWORK
REMOTE
CONNECTION Specifies a logical link connection or termination through DECnet-Plus, DECnet Phase IV, DECwindows, $IPC, or SYSMAN.
CREATE Specifies the creation of an object. Requires the /CLASS qualifier if it is not a file.
DEACCESS Specifies deaccess from an object. Requires the /CLASS qualifier if it is not a file.
DELETE Specifies the deletion of an object. Requires the /CLASS=DEVICE qualifier.
IDENTIFIER Specifies that the use of identifiers as privileges should be audited. For further information, refer to the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security.
INSTALL Specifies modifications made to the known file list through the INSTALL utility.
LOGFAILURE= (keyword[,...]) Specifies the occurrence of one or more classes of login failures, as specified by the following keywords:
ALL All possible types of login failures
BATCH Batch process login failure
DETACHED Detached process login failure
DIALUP Dialup interactive login failure
LOCAL Local interactive login failure
NETWORK Network server task login failure
REMOTE Interactive login failure from another network node, for example, with a SET HOST command
SERVER Server or TCB-based login failure.
SUBPROCESS Subprocess login failure
LOGIN= (keyword[,...]) Specifies the occurrence of one or more classes of login attempts, as specified by the following keywords. See the LOGFAILURE keyword for further description.
ALL
DETACHED
LOCAL
REMOTE
SUBPROCESS
BATCH
DIALUP
NETWORK
SERVER
LOGOUT= (keyword[,...]) Specifies the occurrence of one or more classes of logouts, as specified by the following keywords. See the LOGFAILURE keyword for further description.
ALL
DETACHED
LOCAL
REMOTE
SUBPROCESS
BATCH
DIALUP
NETWORK
SERVER
MOUNT Specifies a mount or dismount operation.
NCP Specifies access to the network configuration database, using the network control program (NCP).
PRIVILEGE= (keyword[,...]) Specifies successful or unsuccessful use of privilege, as specified by the following keywords:
FAILURE [:privilege(,...)] --- Unsuccessful use of privilege

SUCCESS [:privilege(,...)] --- Successful use of privilege

For a listing of privileges, refer to online help for the DCL command SET PROCESS/PRIVILEGES.

PROCESS= (keyword[,...]) Specifies the use of one or more of the process control system services, as specified by the following keywords:
ALL Use of any of the process control system services
CREPRC All use of $CREPRC
DELPRC All use of $DELPRC
SCHDWK Privileged use of $SCHDWK
CANWAK Privileged use of $CANWAK
WAKE Privileged use of $WAKE
SUSPND Privileged use of $SUSPND
RESUME Privileged use of $RESUME
GRANTID Privileged use of $GRANTID
REVOKID Privileged use of $REVOKID
GETJPI Privileged use of $GETJPI
FORCEX Privileged use of $FORCEX
SETPRI Privileged use of $SETPRI

Privileged use of a process control system service means the caller used GROUP or WORLD privilege to affect the target process.

SYSGEN Specifies the modification of a system parameter with the OpenVMS System Generation utility.
TIME Specifies the modification of system time.

/EXCLUDE=process-id

/NOEXCLUDE=process-id

Adds a process identification (PID) to the audit server's process exclusion list. The process exclusion list contains those processes that will not be suspended by the audit server if a resource exhaustion reaches the action threshold. By default, realtime processes and all of the following processes are included in the process exclusion list and are never suspended:
CACHE_SERVER
CLUSTER_SERVER
CONFIGURE
DFS$COM_ACP
DNS$ADVER
IPCACP
JOB_CONTROL
NETACP
NET$ACP
OPCOM
REMACP
SHADOW_SERVER
SMISERVER
SWAPPER
TP_SERVER
VWS$DISPLAYMGR
VWS$EMULATORS

Use the SET AUDIT/NOEXCLUDE command to remove a process from the process exclusion list; however, processes listed above cannot be removed from the exclusion list. Also note that PIDs are not automatically removed from the process exclusion list when processes log out of the system.

/INTERVAL=(keyword[,...])

Specifies the delta times to be used for regular audit server operations. For information about specifying delta times, refer to the OpenVMS User's Manual.

The following table describes keywords for the /INTERVAL qualifier:

Keyword Description
ARCHIVE_FLUSH=time Specifies the interval at which data collected by the audit server is written to the archive file. The default is 1 minute.
JOURNAL_FLUSH=time Specifies the interval at which data collected by the audit server is written to the audit log file. The default is 5 minutes.
RESOURCE_MONITOR=time Specifies the interval at which the audit server retries log file allocation or access. This interval applies whenever free space in the log file is below either the warning or action thresholds, or when the volume holding the log file is inaccessible. The default interval is 5 minutes.
RESUME_SCAN=time Specifies the interval at which the audit server reviews an existing resource exhaustion condition. The default is 15 minutes.

/JOURNAL[=journal-name]

Specifies the name of the audit journal; the name defaults to SECURITY. (Currently, there is only one journal.)

The /JOURNAL qualifier is required when redefining the audit log file or when specifying resource monitoring characteristics with the /RESOURCE or the /THRESHOLD qualifier.

/LISTENER=device

/NOLISTENER

Specifies the name of a mailbox device to which the audit server sends a binary copy of all security audit event messages. Users can create such a mailbox to process system security events as they occur. For a description of the message formats written to the listener mailbox, refer to the Audit Analysis Utility documentation in the HP OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.

Use the SET AUDIT/NOLISTENER command to disable a listener device.

/RESOURCE=keyword[,...]

Enables or disables the monitoring of disk volumes to ensure adequate space for audit journal entries; it also specifies the monitoring method to use. The /JOURNAL qualifier is required. For more information about resource monitoring, refer to the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security.
Keyword Description
DISABLE Disables monitoring on the disk volume containing the audit journal.
ENABLE Enables resource monitoring on the disk volume containing the audit journal.

/SERVER=keyword[,...]

Modifies audit server characteristics. The following table describes keywords for the /SERVER qualifier:
Keyword Description
EXIT Initiates an audit server shutdown. This is the only method for removing the audit server process from the system; the audit server cannot be deleted or suspended.
FINAL_ACTION=action Specifies the action the audit server should take when it runs out of memory and cannot buffer messages. (For more information, refer to the discussion of message flow control in the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security.) Specify one of the following actions:
CRASH --- Crash the system if the audit server runs out of memory.

IGNORE_NEW --- Ignore new event messages until memory is available. New event messages are lost but event messages in memory are saved.

PURGE_OLD (default) --- Remove old event messages until memory is available for the most current messages.
FLUSH Copies all buffered audit and archive records to the security audit log file and security archive file, respectively.
INITIATE Enables auditing during system startup. Ordinarily, auditing is started from VMS$LPBEGIN in STARTUP.COM but, if a site redefines the logical name SYS$AUDIT_SERVER_INHIBIT, the OpenVMS system waits for a SET AUDIT/SERVER=INITIATE command before enabling auditing.
NEW_LOG Creates a new clusterwide audit log file. Typically, this is used daily to generate a new version of the audit log file.

The following sequence of commands can be used to reset the space monitoring thresholds and then to recreate the auditing log, thereby creating a smaller log file:

$ SET AUDIT /JOURNAL=SECURITY /THRESHOLD=WARN=200
$ SET AUDIT /SERVER=NEW_LOG

By default, the size of the new auditing log file is based on the size of the previous auditing logs.

RESUME Requests the audit server process to resume normal activity on the system, if adequate disk space is available. Normally, once the resource monitoring action threshold has been reached, the audit server process suspends most system activity and waits 15 minutes before attempting to resume normal system activity.
START Starts the audit server process on the system. In order to fully enable the auditing subsystem, the SET AUDIT/SERVER=INITIATE command must be used after the SET AUDIT/SERVER=START command has completed.

HP recommends using the following command procedure to start the audit server:

SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP AUDIT_SERVER


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