Title

Local RHEL 8 initialization files must not execute world-writable programs. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

If user start-up files execute world-writable programs, especially in unprotected directories, they could be maliciously modified to destroy user files or otherwise compromise the system at the user level. If the system is compromised at the user level, it is easier to elevate privileges to eventually compromise the system at the root and network level.

Check Content

Verify that local initialization files do not execute world-writable programs. Check the system for world-writable files. The following command will discover and print world-writable files. Run it once for each local partition [PART]: $ sudo find [PART] -xdev -type f -perm -0002 -print For all files listed, check for their presence in the local initialization files with the following commands: Note: The example will be for a system that is configured to create user home directories in the "/home" directory. $ sudo grep <file> /home/*/.* If any local initialization files are found to reference world-writable files, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Set the mode on files being executed by the local initialization files with the following command: $ sudo chmod 0755 <file>

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-230309r627750_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-230309

Group Title: SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227

Expert Comments

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