1. Introduction
2. What We Will Cover
3. VCF Management Plane Hardening
   1. Securing ESXi Hosts
   2. Securing vCenter Server
   3. Securing SDDC Manager
   4. Securing Management Virtual Machines (VMs)
4. VCF Management Plane Compliance & Regulatory Frameworks
5. Configuration Deployment & Enforcement
6. Operationalizing VCF Management Plane Security: Monitoring & Audit Event Management
   1. Monitoring Security Operations
   2. Viewing and Configuring Compliance
   3. Viewing & Configuring Audit Events
7. Conclusion

Introduction

The VCF management plane is the most critical and high-value target. It encompasses ESXi hosts, vCenter Server, SDDC Manager, and the virtual machines hosting these key components. Securing this layer is paramount for the overall integrity and compliance of your Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC). This guide details specific technical hardening controls, their alignment with key regulatory frameworks, and operational security practices for the VCF 9.0 management plane.
This multi-part series serves as a technical deep dive for administrators and technical professionals, dissecting the hardening, operational security, and regulatory compliance aspects of VCF’s core components..

What We Will Cover

• Part 1: VCF 9.0 Management Plane Security: Hardening & Regulatory Compliance: We will explore securing the hypervisor (ESXi), central management (vCenter Server), the SDDC Manager, and the underlying virtual machines that host these critical management components. This section will include detailed technical controls, how they contribute to viewing and configuring compliance, monitoring security operations, and viewing and configuring audit events, all mapped to compliance frameworks like FISMA/NIST, PCI DSS,DISA STIG and HIPAA.
  https://puneetsharma.blog/2025/11/04/part-1-vcf-9-0-management-plane-security-hardening-regulatory-compliance/
• Part 2: NSX Security Hardening & Regulatory Compliance: This section will focus on leveraging NSX Data Center for network virtualization and security, covering NSX Manager, logical routing, and micro-segmentation controls crucial for regulatory adherence.
  https://puneetsharma.blog/2025/11/27/part-2-vcf-9-0-nsx-security-hardening-regulatory-compliance/
• Part 3: vSAN Security Hardening & Regulatory Compliance: We will delve into protecting your software-defined storage, detailing vSAN data-at-rest and in-transit encryption, access controls, and how these features contribute to data integrity and confidentiality requirements.

Each part details technical controls, compliance mappings, and best practices for continuous monitoring and audit event management.

VCF Management Plane Hardening

Effective hardening requires granular configuration across all core management components.

Securing ESXi Hosts

The hypervisor itself is the ultimate trust anchor.

• Account Management:
  • esx-9.account-lockout-duration: Configure account unlock timeout (e.g., Security.AccountUnlockTime=900).
  • esx-9.account-lockout-max-attempts: Limit failed logon attempts (e.g., Security.AccountLockFailures=5).
  • esx-9.password-complexity: Enforce strong password policies.
  • esx-9.password-max-age: Set maximum password age.
• Access Services:
  • esx-9.deactivate-shell: Deactivate ESXi Shell (TSM service policy Off).
  • esx-9.ssh: Deactivate SSH (TSM-SSH service policy Off) when not in use.
  • esx-9.deactivate-mob: Deactivate Managed Object Browser (e.g.,Config.HostAgent.plugins.solo.enableMob=False).
  • esx-9.dcui-timeout: Set idle DCUI session timeout (e.g., UserVars.DcuiTimeOut=600).
• Hardware & Boot Security:
  • esx-9.hardware-secureboot: Enable UEFI Secure Boot.
  • esx-9.hardware-tpm: Ensure TPM 2.0 is installed and enabled.
  • esx-9.secureboot-enforcement: Enable TPM-based Secure Boot enforcement for config encryption.
  • esx-9.tpm-configuration: Require TPM-based configuration encryption.
• Network Security:
  • esx-9.firewall-incoming-default: Configure firewall to block by default.
  • esx-9.firewall-restrict-access: Restrict firewall access to authorized networks.
  • esx-9.network-bpdu: Enable BPDU filter (e.g., Net.BlockGuestBPDU=1).

Securing vCenter Server

vCenter Server’s security is paramount due to its central management role.

• Account Management:
  • vcenter-9.account-lockout-max-attempts: Set max failed login attempts for SSO (e.g., MaxFailedAttempts=5).
  • vcenter-9.password-complexity: Enforce strong SSO password policies.
  • vcenter-9.session-timeout: Enforce vSphere Client session timeout (e.g., 15 minutes).
• System Configuration:
  • vcenter-9.fips-enable: Enable FIPS-validated cryptography.
  • vcenter-9.tls-ciphers: Configure vCenter for modern TLS cipher suites (e.g., NIST_2024 profile).
  • vcenter-9.native-key-provider-backup: Back up Native Key Provider instances securely.
• API Security: Implement secure API gateway practices for automated VCF operations.

Securing SDDC Manager

SDDC Manager orchestrates VCF deployment and lifecycle management, making its integrity crucial.

• Account Management:
  • sddc-9.account-lockout-max-attempts: Configure account lockout (e.g., 3 failed attempts, 15-minute lockout).
  • sddc-9.password-complexity: Enforce strong password policies for local users.
  • sddc-9.session-timeout: Configure SDDC Manager UI session timeout (e.g., 15 minutes).
• Access Services:
  • sddc-9.ssh: Deactivate SSH access to SDDC Manager unless actively in use for troubleshooting. Disable root login.
• System Configuration:
  • sddc-9.time: Synchronize clocks with NTP.
  • sddc-9.tls-ciphers: Ensure internal services use strong TLS cipher suites.
  • sddc-9.certificate-management: Replace self-signed certificates with trusted CA certificates.

Securing Management Virtual Machines (VMs)

These are the VMs hosting vCenter Server, SDDC Manager, NSX-T Managers, and optionally vRealize/Aria components.

• VM Configuration:
  • vm-9.remove-unnecessary-devices: Remove unused virtual hardware.
  • vm-9.secure-boot: Enable UEFI Secure Boot.
  • vm-9.vmotion-encrypted: Require encryption for vMotion
• Guest OS Hardening:
  • OS Patching: Maintain current OS patches.
  • Disable Unused Services: Deactivate unnecessary guest OS services.
  • Endpoint Protection: Deploy host-based firewalls and endpoint security (e.g., anti-malware).
  • Logging: Ensure guest OS is configured for robust logging and forwards to central SIEM.
• Console Access:
  • vm-9.deactivate-console-copy, vm-9.deactivate-console-paste: Deactivate console copy/paste.
  • vm-9.limit-console-connections: Limit console sharing.

VCF Management Plane Compliance & Regulatory Frameworks

VCF management plane features directly support controls within major compliance frameworks. As detailed in the official Broadcom VCF 9.0 Regulatory Benchmark Details, VCF aids in meeting requirements from:

• FISMA / NIST SP 800-53: VCF’s RBAC (AC), centralized logging (AU), secure configuration enforcement (CM-6), and TLS cipher controls (SC-8) for ESXi, vCenter, and SDDC Manager directly support NIST requirements.
• DISA STIG: VCF hardening controls align with STIG for account management (password complexity, lockout), service/protocol management (disabling unused services), and boot integrity (UEFI Secure Boot, TPM).
• CISA: VCF’s integrated LCM (sddc-9.patch-management) supports CISA’s vulnerability management. Strong authentication and RBAC protect critical systems.
• PCI DSS 3.2.1: VCF’s hardening contributes to secure configurations (Req 2.2), RBAC enforces restricted access (Req 7), strong authentication/MFA meets user authentication (Req 8), and centralized logging provides audit trails (Req 10).
• HIPAA Security Rule: VCF’s RBAC and robust authentication (164.308(a)(4)(ii)(C)) aid ePHI access control. Comprehensive logging supports audit trails (164.312(b)).

Note: VCF provides technical mechanisms for compliance; actual compliance requires proper implementation, operational adherence, and documentation tailored to specific organizational requirements.

Configuration Deployment & Enforcement

Hardened configurations, derived from the VMware Security Configuration Guide (VSCG) and VCF best practices, are applied through various VCF and vSphere mechanisms.

Capture 1: –

Step 1: – Click on Security.
Step 2: – Click on Compliance.
Step 3: – Click on Enable under vSphere Security Configuration Guide.

Capture 2: –

Step 4: – Select the default Policy.
Note: – We can make our own policy instead of default policy go to Infrastructure Operations –> Configurations –> Policy definition.
Step 5: – Click on Enable.

Capture 3: –

Step 6: – It will start running the initial assessment.
Note: – This process will take the 5 mins in my lab environment and it is dependent on the environment inventory.

Capture 4: –

Step 7:- There are 43 Non Compliant Checks.
Note: – These compliance/Non Compliance alerts vary on each environment and i make my lab non complaint just to show the alerts and recommendations.
Step 8: – Group by i selected definition.

Capture 5: –

Let’s go with an ESXi example and try to find out what best practices are missing.
9. Expand the ESXi host Violation.
10. Select the esx-02a.
Note: – This is just an example to see the ESXi non complaint alerts.

Capture 6: –

11. Click on Alerts.
Note: – We can see the best practices are not complaint on esx-02a, we will follow the symptoms and remediate as per the security guide lines.

Capture 7: –

We can also generate the report and share with the respective teams for further actions.

12. Select the Dashboards & Reports under Infrastructure Operations.
13. Click on reports.
14. Click on report templates.
15.Search for “vsphere security configuration guide”.
16. Click 3 dots and Click on Run.
17. Click on generated reports.
18. We can download the reports in the PDF and CSV format.

Below is the Demo report file for reference.

Operationalizing VCF Management Plane Security: Monitoring & Audit Event Management

Continuous monitoring and robust audit event management are crucial for maintaining VCF management plane security and compliance.

Monitoring Security Operations

• vCenter Server Events & Alarms: Monitor vCenter event log for all vSphere operations. Configure security alarms (e.g., vcenter-9.account-alert) for failed logins, configuration changes, or vMotion events.
• ESXi Host Syslog: Configure ESXi hosts to forward all security-relevant logs (/var/log/auth.log, hostd.log, vob.log) to a centralized SIEM, fulfilling esx-9.log-audit-forwarding and esx-9.log-audit-local.
• SDDC Manager Logs: Monitor SDDC Manager logs (/var/log/vmware/vcf/sddc-manager) for LCM actions, user logins, and configuration changes.

Viewing and Configuring Compliance

This involves assessing the environment’s configuration against security benchmarks and regulatory controls.

• Tools for Compliance Monitoring:
  • Tools: Utilize VMware Aria Operations for compliance packs (FISMA/NIST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, CIS Benchmarks) assessing ESXi, vCenter, and management VMs. VCF LCM inherently contributes to patch management compliance (e.g., PCI DSS 6.2).
  • Configuration: Deploy Aria Operations compliance packs, assign policies to VCF objects, configure assessments. Implement remediation playbooks. Leverage SDDC Manager APIs for programmatic auditing.

Viewing & Configuring Audit Events

• Centralized Syslog & SIEM: All ESXi, vCenter, and SDDC Manager logs must go to an external, tamper-proof SIEM. Configure ESXi (esxcli system syslog), vCenter (VAMI), and SDDC Manager (Photon OS syslog).
• Log Integrity & Retention: Ensure persistent local audit records on ESXi (esx-9.log-audit-persistent) and appropriate storage (esx-9.log-audit-local-capacity). Implement log integrity (WORM, digital signing) and retention policies in the SIEM per regulations.
• Analysis: Use SIEM dashboards and queries to correlate events (e.g., failed logins, config changes). Analyze audit trails for access patterns and policy violations.

Conclusion

Securing the VCF 9.0 management plane is non-negotiable. By meticulously applying technical hardening controls to ESXi hosts, vCenter Server, SDDC Manager, and their underlying virtual machines, and by integrating comprehensive monitoring and audit practices, Administrators can establish a robust security foundation. This proactive approach ensures both resilience against threats and continuous alignment with regulatory compliance mandates.