IT Best Practices Tip: nist_V-38504

Severity: medium

Short Description

The /etc/shadow file must have mode 0000.

Long Description

The "/etc/shadow" file contains the list of local system accounts and stores password hashes. Protection of this file is critical for system security. Failure to give ownership of this file to root provides the designated owner with access to sensitive information which could weaken the system security posture.

How to Check Correct Configuration

To check the permissions of "/etc/shadow", run the command:

$ ls -l /etc/shadow

If properly configured, the output should indicate the following permissions: "----------"
If it does not, this is a finding.

How to Fix

To properly set the permissions of "/etc/shadow", run the command:

# chmod 0000 /etc/shadow