cis-ubuntu1604-v200-6-2-4

name	cis-ubuntu1604-v200-6-2-4
description	Ensure all users' home directories exist
category	cis-iam
version	2.0.0
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["cis","ubuntu","linux","ubuntu-16.04","user-management","maintenance"]
cis_id	6.2.4
cis_benchmark	CIS Ubuntu Linux 16.04 LTS Benchmark v2.0.0
tech_stack	["ubuntu","linux"]
cwe_ids	[]
chains_with	[]
prerequisites	[]
severity_boost	{}

CIS Ubuntu Linux 16.04 LTS Benchmark v2.0.0 - Control 6.2.4

Profile

• Level: 1 - Server
• Level: 1 - Workstation
• Assessment Status: Automated

Description

Users can be defined in /etc/passwd without a home directory or with a home directory that does not actually exist.

Note: The audit script checks all users with interactive shells except halt, sync, shutdown, and nfsnobody.

Rationale

If the user's home directory does not exist or is unassigned, the user will be placed in "/" and will not be able to write any files or have local environment variables set.

Audit Procedure

Command Line

Run the following script and verify no results are returned:

#!/bin/bash
awk -F: '($1!~/(halt|sync|shutdown|nfsnobody)/ &&
$7!~/^(\/usr)?\/sbin\/nologin(\/)?\$/ && $7!~/(\/usr)?\/bin\/false(\/)?\$/) {
print $1 " " $6 }' /etc/passwd | while read -r user dir; do
      if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
              echo "User: \"$user\" home directory: \"$dir\" does not exist."
      fi
done

Expected Result

No output should be returned.

Remediation

Command Line

If any users' home directories do not exist, create them and make sure the respective user owns the directory. Users without an assigned home directory should be removed or assigned a home directory as appropriate.

The following script will create a home directory for users with an interactive shell whose home directory doesn't exist:

#!/bin/bash
awk -F: '($1!~/(halt|sync|shutdown|nfsnobody)/ &&
$7!~/^(\/usr)?\/sbin\/nologin(\/)?\$/ && $7!~/(\/usr)?\/bin\/false(\/)?\$/) {
print $1 " " $6 }' /etc/passwd |   -r user ; 
   [ ! -d  ]; 
     
     g-w,o-wrx