RHEL 9 /etc/shadow- file must be group-owned by root.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-257913 | SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227 | RHEL-09-232165 | SV-257913r991589_rule | 2025-02-27 | 2 |
| Description |
|---|
| The "/etc/shadow-" file is a backup file of "/etc/shadow", and as such, contains the list of local system accounts and password hashes. Protection of this file is critical for system security. |
| ℹ️ Check |
|---|
| Verify the group ownership of the "/etc/shadow-" file with the following command: $ sudo stat -c "%G %n" /etc/shadow- root /etc/shadow- If "/etc/shadow-" file does not have a group owner of "root", this is a finding. |
| ✔️ Fix |
|---|
| Change the group of the file /etc/shadow- to root by running the following command: $ sudo chgrp root /etc/shadow- |