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

# Ensure the Default Umask is Set Correctly For Interactive Users
 
## Description{% #description %}

Remove the `UMASK` environment variable from all interactive users initialization files.

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

The umask controls the default access mode assigned to newly created files. A umask of 077 limits new files to mode 700 or less permissive. Although umask can be represented as a four-digit number, the first digit representing special access modes is typically ignored or required to be 0. This requirement applies to the globally configured system defaults and the local interactive user defaults for each account on the system.