Other Articles
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- Servers – Configure /tmp Partition
- Servers – Configure /home Partition
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- Servers – Configure Issue Permissions
- Servers – Configure Password Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Permissions
- Servers – Configure Gshadow Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Passwd Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Shadow Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Shadow Permissions
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- Servers – Secure System Accounts
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- Servers – Ensure Users Own Their Home Directories
- Servers – Verify Security Of Dot Files
- Servers – Verify Existence of passwd Groups
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate UIDs Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate GIDs Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate User Names Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Duplicate Group Names Exist
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- Servers – Ensure Journald Storage is Configured to Persistent Disk
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- Servers – Ensure Chrony is Configured
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- Servers – Ensure IPv6 Outbound and Established Connections are Configured
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- Servers – Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is Set to 4 or Less
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- Servers – Ensure SSH HostbasedAuthentication is Disabled
- Servers – Disable SSH Root Login
- Servers – Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is Disabled
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- Servers – Ensure SSH Login Grace Time is Configured
- Servers – Configure SSH Warning Banner
- Servers – Enable SSH PAM Authentication
- Servers – Disable SSH AllowTcpForwarding
- Servers – Configure SSH MaxStartups
- Servers – Verify SSH MaxSessions Configuration
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- Servers – Ensure Password Reuse is Limited
- Servers – Ensure Password Hashing Algorithm is SHA-512
- Servers – Ensure Password Expiration Days is 365 or Less
- Servers – Ensure Minimum Days Between Password Changes is 7 or More
- Servers – Ensure Password Expiration Warning Days is 7 or More
- Servers – Ensure Inactive Password Lock is 30 Days or Less
- Servers – Ensure All Users Last Password Change Date is in the Past
- Servers – Ensure System Accounts Are Secured
- Servers – Ensure Default Group for Root Account is GID 0
- Servers – Verify Default User Umask
- Servers – Ensure Default User Shell Timeout is 900 Seconds or Less
- Servers – Ensure Root Login is Restricted to System Console
- Servers – Ensure Access to su Command is Restricted
Servers – Configure Gshadow 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 sensitive group security information such as hashed
group passwords and group administrator details.
Restricting access to this file prevents unauthorized users from viewing or modifying sensitive group-related security data, which could otherwise be used to compromise system security.
Check Details
- Resource: Server
- Check: Configure Gshadow Permissions
-
Risk: If the
/etc/gshadowfile has incorrect ownership or permissions, unauthorized users may gain access to sensitive group security information such as hashed passwords or administrative group settings.
Remediation Steps
- Open a terminal session on the server with root or sudo privileges.
-
Verify the current ownership and permissions of the
/etc/gshadowfile.stat /etc/gshadow
-
Ensure that the file ownership is set to root:root or root:shadow.
sudo chown root:root /etc/gshadow
sudo chown root:shadow /etc/gshadow
-
Set the correct file permissions to restrict access to authorized users only.
sudo chmod o-rwx,g-rw /etc/gshadow
-
Verify that the final configuration meets the following requirements:
- Owner: root
- Group: root or shadow
- Permissions: 640 or more restrictive