Profile Applicability:
 • Level 1

Description:
 The /etc/cron.d directory contains system-wide cron job files. Proper permissions on this directory prevent unauthorized users from adding, modifying, or executing scheduled tasks, helping to maintain system security and integrity.

Rationale:
 Restricting access to /etc/cron.d reduces the risk of unauthorized or malicious cron jobs being executed, protecting the system from potential compromise.

Impact:
 Pros:

  • Prevents unauthorized modification of system cron jobs.

  • Helps maintain system stability and security.

Cons:

  • Overly restrictive permissions may interfere with legitimate system processes.

Default Value:
 Permissions may vary depending on the distribution but should be checked and corrected if necessary.

Pre-requisites:
 Root or sudo privileges to modify directory permissions.

Remediation:

Test Plan:
 Using Linux command line:
1. Check current permissions on /etc/cron.d:

ls -ld /etc/cron.d

2. Verify ownership and permission settings.

Implementation Plan:
Using Linux command line:
1. Set ownership to root and restrict permissions, for example

chown root:root /etc/cron.d
chmod 700 /etc/cron.d

2. Verify updated permissions:

ls -ld /etc/cron.d

Backout Plan:
 Using Linux command line:
1. Restore previous ownership and permissions if necessary:

chown <previous_owner>:<previous_group> /etc/cron.d
chmod <previous_permissions> /etc/cron.d

2. Verify restoration.

References: