diff --git a/bin/hardening/audit_log_directory_perms.sh b/bin/hardening/audit_log_directory_perms.sh
index 42a52dc2..fe9ed312 100755
--- a/bin/hardening/audit_log_directory_perms.sh
+++ b/bin/hardening/audit_log_directory_perms.sh
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ audit() {
     does_file_exist "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE"
     if [ "$FNRET" -eq 0 ]; then
 
-        AUDIT_LOG_DIRECTORY="$(dirname "$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F"=" '{print $2}')")"
+        AUDIT_LOG_DIRECTORY="$(dirname "$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F '=' '{print $2}' | xargs)")"
         local log_dir_perms
         log_dir_perms=$(stat -Lc %a "$AUDIT_LOG_DIRECTORY")
 
diff --git a/bin/hardening/audit_log_group.sh b/bin/hardening/audit_log_group.sh
index 8fe3366d..643c9a15 100755
--- a/bin/hardening/audit_log_group.sh
+++ b/bin/hardening/audit_log_group.sh
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ audit() {
     does_file_exist "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE"
     if [ "$FNRET" -eq 0 ]; then
         local log_file
-        log_file=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F "=" '{print $2}')
-        log_group=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_group" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F "=" '{print $2}')
+        log_file=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F '=' '{print $2}' | xargs)
+        log_group=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_group" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F '=' '{print $2}' | xargs)
         # look for all files in the directory
         AUDIT_INVALID_LOGS=$(find "$(dirname "$log_file")" -type f ! -group "$AUDIT_LOG_GROUP" -a ! -group root -exec stat -Lc "%n %G" {} +)
 
diff --git a/bin/hardening/audit_log_perms.sh b/bin/hardening/audit_log_perms.sh
index b35c6904..08735a85 100755
--- a/bin/hardening/audit_log_perms.sh
+++ b/bin/hardening/audit_log_perms.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ audit() {
     does_file_exist "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE"
     if [ "$FNRET" -eq 0 ]; then
         local log_file
-        log_file=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F "=" '{print $2}')
+        log_file=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F '=' '{print $2}' | xargs)
         # look for all files in the directory
         AUDIT_INVALID_LOGS=$($SUDO_CMD find "$(dirname "$log_file")" -type f -perm /0137)
 
diff --git a/bin/hardening/audit_log_user.sh b/bin/hardening/audit_log_user.sh
index a6563403..1e51ca04 100755
--- a/bin/hardening/audit_log_user.sh
+++ b/bin/hardening/audit_log_user.sh
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ audit() {
     does_file_exist "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE"
     if [ "$FNRET" -eq 0 ]; then
         local log_file
-        log_file=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F "=" '{print $2}')
+        log_file=$($SUDO_CMD grep -E "^\s*log_file" "$AUDITD_CONF_FILE" | awk -F '=' '{print $2}' | xargs)
         # look for all files in the directory
         AUDIT_INVALID_LOGS=$(find "$(dirname "$log_file")" -type f ! -user "$AUDIT_LOG_USER" -exec stat -Lc "%n %U" {} +)