---
title: Verify Groupownership of Files in /var/log/gdm3
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Verify Groupownership of Files in
  /var/log/gdm3
---

# Verify Groupownership of Files in /var/log/gdm3
 
## Description{% #description %}

To properly set the group owner of `/var/log/gdm3/*`, run the command:

```gdscript3
$ sudo chgrp gdm /var/log/gdm3/*
```

or

```gdscript3
$ sudo chgrp gdm3 /var/log/gdm3/*
```

or

```gdscript3
$ sudo chgrp root /var/log/gdm3/*
```

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

The `/var/log/gdm3` directory contains information about the GDM daemon and should only be accessed by authorized personnel.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

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

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

```bash
#!/bin/bash

newgroup=""
if getent group "gdm" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  newgroup="gdm"
elif getent group "gdm3" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  newgroup="gdm3"
elif getent group "root" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  newgroup="root"
fi

if [[ -z "${newgroup}" ]]; then
  >&2 echo "gdm and gdm3 and root is not a defined group on the system"
else
find -P /var/log/gdm3/  -type f  ! -group gdm ! -group gdm3 ! -group root -regextype posix-extended -regex '.*' -exec chgrp --no-dereference "$newgroup" {} \;

fi
```

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

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

```gdscript3
- name: Check that the gdm group is defined
  ansible.builtin.getent:
    database: group
    key: gdm
  ignore_errors: true
  when: file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup is undefined
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Set the file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup variable if gdm found
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup: gdm
  when: ansible_facts.getent_group["gdm"] is defined
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Check that the gdm3 group is defined
  ansible.builtin.getent:
    database: group
    key: gdm3
  ignore_errors: true
  when: file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup is undefined
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Set the file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup variable if gdm3 found
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup: gdm3
  when: ansible_facts.getent_group["gdm3"] is defined
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Check that the root group is defined
  ansible.builtin.getent:
    database: group
    key: root
  ignore_errors: true
  when: file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup is undefined
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Set the file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup variable if root found
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup: root
  when: ansible_facts.getent_group["root"] is defined
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Find /var/log/gdm3/ file(s) matching .* recursively
  ansible.builtin.command: find -P /var/log/gdm3/  -type f  ! -group gdm ! -group
    gdm3 ! -group root -regextype posix-extended -regex ".*"
  register: files_found
  changed_when: false
  failed_when: false
  check_mode: false
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed

- name: Ensure group owner on /var/log/gdm3/ file(s) matching .*
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: '{{ item }}'
    follow: false
    group: '{{ file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3_newgroup }}'
    state: file
  with_items:
  - '{{ files_found.stdout_lines }}'
  tags:
  - configure_strategy
  - file_groupownerships_var_log_gdm3
  - low_complexity
  - low_disruption
  - medium_severity
  - no_reboot_needed
```