cyberstrikeus 9.1.6 Set User/Group Owner and Permission on /etc/cron.monthly (Scored)
Profile Applicability
- Level 1
Description
The /etc/cron.monthly directory contains system cron jobs that need to run on a monthly basis. The files in this directory cannot be manipulated by the crontab command, but are instead edited by system administrators using a text editor. The commands below restrict read/write and search access to user and group root, preventing regular users from accessing this directory.
Rationale
Granting write access to this directory for non-privileged users could provide them the means for gaining unauthorized elevated privileges. Granting read access to this directory could give an unprivileged user insight in how to gain elevated privileges or circumvent auditing controls.
Audit Procedure
Using Command Line
Perform the following to determine if the /etc/cron.monthly directory has the correct permissions:
stat -c "%a %u %g" /etc/cron.monthly | egrep ".00 0 0"
Expected Result
If the above command emits no output then the system is not configured as recommended. Expected output should match the pattern .00 0 0 (owner root, group root, permissions restrictive).
Remediation
Using Command Line
chown root:root /etc/cron.monthly
chmod og-rwx /etc/cron.monthly
Default Value
The default permissions on /etc/cron.monthly may vary by installation.
References
- CIS Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server Benchmark v1.1.0
Profile
Level 1 - Scored