The TOSS 5 /etc/gshadow- file must be group-owned by root.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-282658 | SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227 | TOSS-05-000162 | SV-282658r1200954_rule | 2026-04-01 | 1 |
Description
The "/etc/gshadow-" file is a backup of "/etc/gshadow", and as such, contains group password hashes. Protecting this file is critical for system security.
ℹ️ Check
Verify the group ownership of the "/etc/gshadow-" file using the following command:
$ sudo stat -c "%G %n" /etc/gshadow-
root /etc/gshadow-
If "/etc/gshadow-" file does not have a group owner of "root", this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
Change the group of the file /etc/gshadow- to root using the following command:
$ sudo chgrp root /etc/gshadow-