AlmaLinux OS 9 /etc/passwd file must have mode 0644 or less permissive to prevent unauthorized access.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-269225 | SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227 | ALMA-09-016520 | SV-269225r1050107_rule | 2026-02-27 | 1 |
Description
If the "/etc/passwd" file is writable by a group-owner or the world the risk of its compromise is increased.
The file contains the list of accounts on the system and associated information, and protection of this file is critical for system security.
ℹ️ Check
Verify that the "/etc/passwd" file has mode "0644" or less permissive with the following command:
$ stat -c "%#a %n" /etc/passwd
0644 /etc/passwd
If a value of "0644" or less permissive is not returned, this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
Change the mode of the file "/etc/passwd" to "0644" by running the following command:
$ chmod 0644 /etc/passwd