Other Articles
- Servers – Disable UDF Filesystem
- Servers – Configure /tmp Partition
- Servers – Configure /home Partition
- Servers – Configure /var Partition
- Servers – Configure Shm Partition
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- Servers – Enforce Authentication for Single User Mode
- Servers – Restrict Core Dump Generation
- Servers – Enable NX Protection
- Servers – Enable Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR)
- Servers – Configure Message of the Day (MOTD)
- Servers – Configure Local Login Banner
- Servers – Configure Remote Login Banner
- Servers – Configure Message of the Day (MOTD) Permissions
- Servers – Configure Issue Permissions
- Servers – Configure Password Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Group Permissions
- Servers – Configure Gshadow Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Gshadow Permissions
- Servers – Configure Shadow Backup Permissions
- Servers – Configure Shadow Permissions
- Servers – Ensure All Users' Home Directories Exist
- Servers – Ensure No Users Have .forward Files
- Servers – Ensure No Users Have .netrc Files
- Servers – Ensure No Users Have .rhosts Files
- Servers – Ensure Root is the Only UID 0 Account
- Servers – Ensure Root PATH Integrity
- Servers – Remove Legacy '+' Entries from Group
- Servers – Remove Legacy '+' Entries from Passwd
- Servers – Remove Legacy '+' Entries from Shadow
- Servers – Restrict Access to .netrc Files
- Servers – Secure System Accounts
- Servers – Ensure Users' Home Directory Permissions are 750 or More Restrictive
- 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
- Servers – Ensure Shadow Group Has No Members
- Servers – Ensure Logging is Configured
- Servers – Ensure Journald Compression is Configured
- Servers – Ensure Journald Storage is Configured to Persistent Disk
- Servers – Ensure Permissions on All Logfiles are Configured
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- Servers – Ensure Chrony is Configured
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- Servers – Ensure Rsync Service is Disabled
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- Servers – Ensure IPv6 Loopback Traffic is Configured
- Servers – Ensure IPv6 Outbound and Established Connections are Configured
- Servers – Verify IPv6 Open Ports Rules
- Servers – Ensure Default Deny Firewall Policy is Configured
- Servers – Ensure Loopback Traffic is Configured
- Servers – Ensure Outbound and Established Connections are Configured
- Servers – Ensure Iptables is Installed
- Servers – Ensure Packet Redirect Sending is Disabled
- Servers – Ensure Source Routed Packets are Not Accepted
- Servers – Ensure ICMP Redirects are Not Accepted
- Servers – Ensure Secure ICMP Redirects are Disabled
- Servers – Ensure Suspicious Packets Logging is Enabled
- Servers – Ensure Broadcast ICMP Requests are Ignored
- Servers – Ensure Bogus ICMP Responses are Ignored
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- Servers – Ensure SSH SSHD Config Permissions Are Configured
- Servers – Ensure SSH Private Host Key Permissions
- Servers – Ensure SSH Public Host Key Permissions Are Configured
- Servers – Ensure SSH Protocol is Set to 2
- Servers – Ensure SSH LogLevel is Appropriate
- Servers – Ensure SSH X11 Forwarding is Disabled
- Servers – Ensure SSH MaxAuthTries is Set to 4 or Less
- Servers – Ensure SSH IgnoreRhosts is Enabled
- Servers – Ensure SSH HostbasedAuthentication is Disabled
- Servers – Disable SSH Root Login
- Servers – Ensure SSH PermitEmptyPasswords is Disabled
- Servers – Verify SSH Strong Ciphers Strength
- Servers – Verify SSH Strong MAC Algorithms
- Servers – Verify SSH Strong Key Exchange Algorithms
- Servers – Ensure SSH Idle Timeout Interval is Configured
- 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
- Servers – Ensure Password Creation Requirements are Configured
- 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 Passwd Backup Permissions
Support > Fixing Checks > Server
06 March, 2026
This check ensures that the permissions on the /etc/passwd- file are configured
correctly. The /etc/passwd- file contains a backup of user account information stored in the
/etc/passwd file.
Proper ownership and permissions help protect this sensitive backup file from unauthorized access or modification that could compromise system security.
Check Details
- Resource: Server
- Check: Configure Passwd Backup Permissions
-
Risk: If the
/etc/passwd-file has incorrect ownership or permissions, unauthorized users may gain access to backup user account information or modify the file, which can lead to potential security risks.
Remediation Steps
- Open a terminal session on the server with root or sudo privileges.
-
Verify the current ownership and permissions of the
/etc/passwd-file.stat /etc/passwd-
-
Ensure that the file ownership is set to root:root.
sudo chown root:root /etc/passwd-
-
Set the correct file permissions so that the file remains readable but cannot be modified by unauthorized users.
sudo chmod u-x,go-wx /etc/passwd-
-
Verify that the final configuration matches the following requirements:
- Owner: root
- Group: root
- Permissions: 644 (
-rw-r--r--) or more restrictive