IT Best Practices Tip: nist_V-38458
Severity: medium
Short Description
The /etc/group file must be owned by root.
Long Description
The "/etc/group" file contains information regarding groups that are configured on the system. Protection of this file is important for system security.
How to Check Correct Configuration
To check the ownership of "/etc/group", run the command:
$ ls -l /etc/group
If properly configured, the output should indicate the following owner: "root"
If it does not, this is a finding.
How to Fix
To properly set the owner of "/etc/group", run the command:
# chown root /etc/group