cyberstrikeus 7.4.5 Verify Permissions on /etc/hosts.deny (Scored)
Profile Applicability
- Level 1
Description
The /etc/hosts.deny file contains network information that is used by many system applications and therefore must be readable for these applications to operate.
Rationale
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/hosts.deny file is protected from unauthorized write access. Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either inadvertently or through malicious actions.
Audit Procedure
Using Command Line
Run the following command to determine the permissions on the /etc/hosts.deny file.
/bin/ls -l /etc/hosts.deny
Expected Result
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2055 Jan 30 16:30 /etc/hosts.deny
Remediation
Using Command Line
If the permissions of the /etc/hosts.deny file are incorrect, run the following command to correct them:
/bin/chmod 644 /etc/hosts.deny
Default Value
Permissions are 644 by default.
References
- CIS Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server Benchmark v1.1.0
Profile
Level 1 - Scored