# CIS Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - 6.2.11 Ensure no users have .forward files

> Verify no users have .forward files in their home directories

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-6-2-11-ensure-no-users-have-forward-fil` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-6-2-11-ensure-no-users-have-forward-fil`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-6-2-11-ensure-no-users-have-forward-fil/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ubuntu-14-04-lts-6-2-11-ensure-no-users-have-forward-fil

---


# 6.2.11 Ensure no users have .forward files (Scored)

## Profile Applicability

- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation

## Description

The `.forward` file specifies an email address to forward the user's mail to.

## Rationale

Use of the `.forward` file poses a security risk in that sensitive data may be inadvertently transferred outside the organization. The `.forward` file also poses a risk as it can be used to execute commands that may perform unintended actions.

## Audit Procedure

Run the following script and verify no results are returned:

```bash
#!/bin/bash

cat /etc/passwd | egrep -v '^(root|halt|sync|shutdown)' | awk -F: '($7 != "/sbin/nologin" && $7 != "/bin/false") { print $1 " " $6 }' | while read user dir; do
  if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
     echo "The home directory ($dir) of user $user does not exist."
  else
     if [ ! -h "$dir/.forward" -a -f "$dir/.forward" ]; then
        echo ".forward file $dir/.forward exists"
     fi
  fi
done
```

## Expected Result

No output should be returned.

## Remediation

Making global modifications to users' files without alerting the user community can result in unexpected outages and unhappy users. Therefore, it is recommended that a monitoring policy be established to report user `.forward` files and determine the action to be taken in accordance with site policy.

## Default Value

Not applicable.

## References

None

## CIS Controls

7 Email and Web Browser Protections - Email and Web Browser Protections

## Profile

- Level 1