Verify Permissions on cron.monthly

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Description

To properly set the permissions of /etc/cron.monthly, run the command:

$ sudo chmod 0700 /etc/cron.monthly

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 have the correct access rights 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 [ ! -f /.dockerenv ] && [ ! -f /run/.containerenv ]; then

find -H /etc/cron.monthly/ -maxdepth 1 -perm /u+s,g+xwrs,o+xwrt -type d -exec chmod u-s,g-xwrs,o-xwrt {} \;

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: Find /etc/cron.monthly/ file(s)
  command: 'find -H /etc/cron.monthly/ -maxdepth 1 -perm /u+s,g+xwrs,o+xwrt  -type
    d '
  register: files_found
  changed_when: false
  failed_when: false
  check_mode: false
  when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
  - configure_strategy
  - file_permissions_cron_monthly
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Set permissions for /etc/cron.monthly/ file(s)
  file:
    path: '{{ item }}'
    mode: u-s,g-xwrs,o-xwrt
    state: directory
  with_items:
  - '{{ files_found.stdout_lines }}'
  when: ansible_virtualization_type not in ["docker", "lxc", "openvz", "podman", "container"]
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - PCI-DSSv4-2.2.6
  - configure_strategy
  - file_permissions_cron_monthly
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed