cis-ubuntu1204-v110-13-5

name	cis-ubuntu1204-v110-13-5
description	Verify No UID 0 Accounts Exist Other Than root
category	cis-os-hardening
version	1.1.0
author	cyberstrike-official
tags	["cis","ubuntu",12.04,"linux","user-management","uid","root","privilege-escalation"]
cis_id	13.5
cis_benchmark	CIS Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server Benchmark v1.1.0
tech_stack	["ubuntu","linux"]
cwe_ids	[]
chains_with	[]
prerequisites	[]
severity_boost	{}

13.5 Verify No UID 0 Accounts Exist Other Than root (Scored)

Profile Applicability

• Level 1

Description

Any account with UID 0 has superuser privileges on the system.

Rationale

This access must be limited to only the default root account and only from the system console. Administrative access must be through an unprivileged account using an approved mechanism as noted in Item 9.4 Restrict root Login to System Console.

Audit Procedure

Using Command Line

Run the following command and verify that only the word "root" is returned:

/bin/cat /etc/passwd | /usr/bin/awk -F: '($3 == 0) { print $1 }' root

Expected Result

Only root should be returned. Any other accounts with UID 0 represent a security risk.

Remediation

Using Command Line

Delete any other entries that are displayed besides root.

Default Value

Only the root account has UID 0 by default.

References

• CIS Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server Benchmark v1.1.0

Profile

Level 1 - Scored