| name | cis-ubuntu1804-v220-4-5-4 |
| description | Ensure default user umask is 027 or more restrictive |
| category | cis-iam |
| version | 2.2.0 |
| author | cyberstrike-official |
| tags | ["cis","ubuntu","linux","ubuntu-18.04","users","account-security"] |
| cis_id | 4.5.4 |
| cis_benchmark | CIS Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS Benchmark v2.2.0 |
| tech_stack | ["ubuntu","linux"] |
| cwe_ids | [] |
| chains_with | [] |
| prerequisites | [] |
| severity_boost | {} |
CIS Ubuntu Linux 18.04 LTS Benchmark v2.2.0 - Control 4.5.4
Profile Applicability
- Level 1 - Server
- Level 1 - Workstation
Description
The user file-creation mode mask (umask) is used to determine the file permission for newly created directories and files. In Linux, the default permissions for any newly created directory is 0777 (rwxrwxrwx), and for any newly created file it is 0666 (rw-rw-rw-). The umask modifies the default Linux permissions by restricting (masking) these permissions. The umask is not simply subtracted, but is processed bitwise. Bits set in the umask are cleared in the resulting file mode.
Rationale
Setting a very secure default value for umask ensures that users make a conscious choice about their file permissions. A default umask setting of 077 causes files and directories created by users to not be readable by any other user on the system. A umask of 027 would make files and directories readable by users in the same Unix group, while a umask of 022 would make files readable by every user on the system.
Impact
Setting USERGROUPS_ENAB no in /etc/login.defs may change the expected behavior of useradd and userdel.
Audit Procedure
Command Line
Run the following script to verify that a default user umask is set enforcing a newly created directory's permissions to be 750 (drwxr-x---), and a newly created file's permissions be 640 (rw-r-----), or more restrictive:
#!/bin/bash
passing=""
grep -Eiq '^\s*UMASK\s+(0[0-7][2-7]7|[0-7][2-7]7)\b' /etc/login.defs && grep -Eqi '^\s*USERGROUPS_ENAB\s*"?no"?\b' /etc/login.defs && grep -Eq '^\s*session\s+(optional|requisite|required)\s+pam_umask\.so\b' /etc/pam.d/common-session && passing=true
grep -REiq '^\s*UMASK\s+\s*(0[0-7][2-7]7|[0-7][2-7]7)\b|u=(r?x?|r?w?x?)(r?w?|x?)(r?w?|x?),g=(r?x?|x?r?),o=)\b' /etc/profile* /etc/bash.bashrc* && passing=true
[ "$passing" = true ] &&
