Verify Group Who Owns Crontab
To properly set the group owner of /etc/crontab, run the command:
$ sudo chgrp root /etc/crontab
Service configuration files enable or disable features of their respective services that if configured incorrectly
can lead to insecure and vulnerable configurations. Therefore, service configuration files should be owned by the
correct group to prevent unauthorized changes.
The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.
#!/bin/bash
# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}
' 'kernel' 2>/dev/null | grep -q installed; then
chgrp 0 /etc/crontab
else
>&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.
- name: Gather the package facts
package_facts:
manager: auto
tags:
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_groupowner_crontab
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- name: Test for existence /etc/crontab
stat:
path: /etc/crontab
register: file_exists
when: '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
tags:
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_groupowner_crontab
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
- name: Ensure group owner 0 on /etc/crontab
file:
path: /etc/crontab
group: '0'
when:
- '"kernel" in ansible_facts.packages'
- file_exists.stat is defined and file_exists.stat.exists
tags:
- NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
- NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2
- PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
- configure_strategy
- file_groupowner_crontab
- low_complexity
- low_disruption
- medium_severity
- no_reboot_needed
