======6.1.3 Ensure permissions on /etc/shadow are configured (Scored)====== =====Profile Applicability===== Level 1 - Server Level 1 - Workstation =====Description===== The ''/etc/shadow'' file is used to store the information about user accounts that is critical to the security of those accounts, such as the hashed password and other security information. =====Rationale===== If attackers can gain read access to the ''/etc/shadow'' file, they can easily run a password cracking program against the hashed password to break it. Other security information that is stored in the ''/etc/shadow'' file (such as expiration) could also be useful to subvert the user accounts. =====Audit===== Run the following command and verify ''Uid'' is ''0/root'', ''Gid'' is ''/shadow'', and ''Access'' is ''640'' or more restrictive: # stat /etc/shadow Access: (0640/-rw-r-----) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 42/ shadow) =====Remediation===== Run the following command to set permissions on ''/etc/shadow'': # chown root:shadow /etc/shadow # chmod o-rwx,g-wx /etc/shadow