# CIS Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - 4.1.10 Ensure discretionary access control permission modification events are collected

> Collect audit events for file permission, ownership, and attribute changes

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-10-ensure-discretionary-access-cont` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-10-ensure-discretionary-access-cont`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-10-ensure-discretionary-access-cont/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-4-1-10-ensure-discretionary-access-cont

---


# 4.1.10 Ensure discretionary access control permission modification events are collected (Scored)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 2 - Server
- Level 2 - Workstation

## Description

Monitor changes to file permissions, attributes, ownership and group. The parameters in this section track changes for system calls that affect file permissions and attributes. The `chmod`, `fchmod` and `fchmodat` system calls affect the permissions associated with a file. The `chown`, `fchown`, `fchownat` and `lchown` system calls affect owner and group attributes on a file. The `setxattr`, `lsetxattr`, `fsetxattr` (set extended file attributes) and `removexattr`, `lremovexattr`, `fremovexattr` (remove extended file attributes) control extended file attributes. In all cases, an audit record will only be written for non-system user ids (auid >= 1000) and will ignore Daemon events (auid = 4294967295). All audit records will be tagged with the identifier "perm_mod."

## Rationale

Monitoring for changes in file attributes could alert a system administrator to activity that could indicate intruder activity or policy violation.

## Audit Procedure

On a 32 bit system run the following commands:

```bash
grep perm_mod /etc/audit/audit.rules
auditctl -l | grep perm_mod
```

Verify output of both matches:

```
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
```

On a 64 bit system run the following commands:

```bash
grep perm_mod /etc/audit/audit.rules
auditctl -l | grep perm_mod
```

Verify output of both matches:

```
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
```

## Expected Result

The audit rules for perm_mod should be present and active.

## Remediation

For 32 bit systems add the following lines to the `/etc/audit/audit.rules` file:

```bash
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
```

For 64 bit systems add the following lines to the `/etc/audit/audit.rules` file:

```bash
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chmod -S fchmod -S fchmodat -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S chown -S fchown -S fchownat -S lchown -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
-a always,exit -F arch=b32 -S setxattr -S lsetxattr -S fsetxattr -S removexattr -S lremovexattr -S fremovexattr -F auid>=1000 -F auid!=4294967295 -k perm_mod
```

**Notes:** Reloading the auditd config to set active settings may require a system reboot.

## Default Value

Not configured by default.

## References

1. CIS Controls v6.1 - 3.6 Implement Automated Configuration Monitoring System

## Profile

- Level 2 - Server
- Level 2 - Workstation