Verify Owner on crontab

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Description

To properly set the owner of /etc/crontab, run the command:

$ sudo chown root /etc/crontab

Rationale

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 user to prevent unauthorized changes.

Remediation

Shell script

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

chown 0 /etc/crontab

else
    >&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi

Ansible playbook

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_owner_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_owner_crontab
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Ensure owner 0 on /etc/crontab
  file:
    path: /etc/crontab
    owner: '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_owner_crontab
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed