Profile Applicability:
Level 1

Description:
 The /etc/passwd file contains essential user account information. While this file does not store password hashes (which reside in /etc/shadow), improper permissions on /etc/passwd can allow unauthorized users to read sensitive system information.

Rationale:
 Setting secure permissions on /etc/passwd helps prevent unauthorized access to user account information and supports overall system security.

Impact:
 Pros:

  • Protects user account information from unauthorized reading or modification.

  • Helps maintain system integrity and user privacy.

Cons:

  • Permissions must allow read access for normal system operation by all users.

Default Value:
 Typically, /etc/passwd permissions are set to 644 with ownership by root:root.

Pre-requisites:

  • Root or sudo privileges to audit and modify file permissions.

Remediation:

Test Plan:

Using Linux command line:

  1. Check current permissions of /etc/passwd:

    ls -l /etc/passwd

  2. Verify ownership is root:root and permissions are set to 644.

Implementation Plan:

Using Linux command line:

  1. Set ownership to root:

    chown root:root /etc/passwd

  2. Set permissions to 644:

    chmod 644 /etc/passwd

  3. Verify changes:

    ls -l /etc/passwd

Backout Plan:

Using Linux command line:

  1. Restore previous permissions and ownership from backup if necessary.

  2. Confirm system utilities operate correctly after changes.

References: