Other Articles
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- Servers – Configure Group Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Permissions
- Servers – Configure Gshadow Permissions
- Servers – Configure Passwd Backup Permissions
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- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate GIDs Exist
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- Servers – Ensure Minimum Days Between Password Changes is 7 or More
- Servers – Ensure Password Expiration Warning Days is 7 or More
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- Servers – Ensure System Accounts Are Secured
- Servers – Ensure Default Group for Root Account is GID 0
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- Servers – Ensure Root Login is Restricted to System Console
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Servers – Configure Gshadow Backup Permissions
Support > Fixing Checks > Server
06 March, 2026
This check ensures that the permissions on the /etc/gshadow- file are configured
correctly. The /etc/gshadow- file stores backup information related to system groups, including
sensitive security details such as hashed group passwords.
If the file permissions are misconfigured, unauthorized users may gain access to sensitive group security information. Proper ownership and permission settings help protect this file from unintended or malicious modifications.
Check Details
- Resource: Server
- Check: Configure Gshadow Backup Permissions
-
Risk: If the
/etc/gshadow-file has incorrect ownership or permissions, unauthorized users may access sensitive group security information such as hashed passwords and other configuration data.
Remediation Steps
- Open a terminal session on the server with root or sudo privileges.
-
Verify the current ownership and permissions of the
/etc/gshadow-file.stat /etc/gshadow-
-
Ensure that the file ownership is set correctly. Depending on the system configuration, the group ownership may be root or shadow.
sudo chown root:root /etc/gshadow-
sudo chown root:shadow /etc/gshadow-
-
Set the correct file permissions to ensure the file is readable only by authorized users.
sudo chmod o-rwx,g-rw /etc/gshadow-
-
Verify that the final configuration matches the following requirements:
- Owner: root
- Group: root or shadow
- Permissions: 640 (
-rw-r-----) or more restrictive