The TOSS 5 /etc/shadow- file must be group-owned by root.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-282666 | SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227 | TOSS-05-000170 | SV-282666r1200978_rule | 2026-04-01 | 1 |
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. Protecting this file is critical for system security.
ℹ️ Check
Verify the group ownership of the "/etc/shadow-" file using 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 using the following command:
$ sudo chgrp root /etc/shadow-