Title

The /etc/shadow file must be owned by root. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

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.

Check Content

To check the ownership of "/etc/shadow", run the command: $ ls -l /etc/shadow If properly configured, the output should indicate the following owner: "root" If it does not, this is a finding.

Fix Text

To properly set the owner of "/etc/shadow", run the command: # chown root /etc/shadow

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-217871r603264_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-217871

Group Title: SRG-OS-000480

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.