---
title: Verify Owner on SSH Server config file
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Verify Owner on SSH Server config file
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.datadoghq.com/llms.txt).

# Verify Owner on SSH Server config file
 
## Description{% #description %}

To properly set the owner of `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`, run the command:

```
$ sudo chown root /etc/ssh/sshd_config
```

## Rationale{% #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 group to prevent unauthorized changes.

## 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='${db:Status-Status}' 'linux-base' 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^installed$'; then

newown=""
if id "0" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  newown="0"
fi

if [[ -z "$newown" ]]; then
  >&2 echo "0 is not a defined user on the system"
else
if ! stat -c "%u %U" "/etc/ssh/sshd_config" | grep -E -w -q "0"; then
    chown --no-dereference "$newown" /etc/ssh/sshd_config
fi

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-17(a)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - configure_strategy
  - file_owner_sshd_config
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Set the file_owner_sshd_config_newown variable if represented by uid
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    file_owner_sshd_config_newown: '0'
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - configure_strategy
  - file_owner_sshd_config
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Test for existence /etc/ssh/sshd_config
  ansible.builtin.stat:
    path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
  register: file_exists
  when: '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - configure_strategy
  - file_owner_sshd_config
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Ensure owner on /etc/ssh/sshd_config
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    follow: false
    owner: '{{ file_owner_sshd_config_newown }}'
  when:
  - '"linux-base" in ansible_facts.packages'
  - file_exists.stat is defined and file_exists.stat.exists
  tags:
  - NIST-800-53-AC-17(a)
  - NIST-800-53-AC-6(1)
  - NIST-800-53-CM-6(a)
  - configure_strategy
  - file_owner_sshd_config
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
```