---
title: Ensure the Default Bash Umask is Set Correctly
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Ensure the Default Bash Umask is Set
  Correctly
---

# Ensure the Default Bash Umask is Set Correctly
 
## Description{% #description %}

To ensure the default umask for users of the Bash shell is set properly, add or correct the `umask` setting in `/etc/bash.bashrc` to read as follows:

```
umask 027
         
```

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

The umask value influences the permissions assigned to files when they are created. A misconfigured umask value could result in files with excessive permissions that can be read or written to by unauthorized users.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

### Shell script{% #shell-script %}

The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.

```bash
#!/bin/bash

# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}' 'bash' 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^installed$'; then

var_accounts_user_umask='027'






grep -q "^[^#]*\bumask" /etc/bash.bashrc && \
  sed -i -E -e "s/^([^#]*\bumask)[[:space:]]+[[:digit:]]+/\1 $var_accounts_user_umask/g" /etc/bash.bashrc
if ! [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "umask $var_accounts_user_umask" >> /etc/bash.bashrc
fi

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

### Ansible playbook{% #ansible-playbook %}

The following playbook can be run with Ansible to remediate the issue.

```gdscript3
- name: Gather the package facts
  package_facts:
    manager: auto
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - accounts_umask_etc_bashrc
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy
- name: XCCDF Value var_accounts_user_umask # promote to variable
  set_fact:
    var_accounts_user_umask: !!str 027
  tags:
    - always

- name: Check if umask in /etc/bash.bashrc is already set
  ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
    path: /etc/bash.bashrc
    regexp: ^[^#]*\bumask\s+\d+$
    state: absent
  check_mode: true
  changed_when: false
  register: umask_replace
  when: '"bash" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - accounts_umask_etc_bashrc
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Replace user umask in /etc/bash.bashrc
  ansible.builtin.replace:
    path: /etc/bash.bashrc
    regexp: ^([^#]*\b)umask\s+\d+$
    replace: \g<1>umask {{ var_accounts_user_umask }}
  when:
  - '"bash" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - umask_replace.found > 0
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - accounts_umask_etc_bashrc
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy

- name: Ensure the Default umask is Appended Correctly
  ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
    create: true
    path: /etc/bash.bashrc
    line: umask {{ var_accounts_user_umask }}
  when:
  - '"bash" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - umask_replace.found == 0
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - accounts_umask_etc_bashrc
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
  - restrict_strategy
```