RHEL 8 must be configured so that all files and directories contained in local interactive user home directories are group-owned by a group of which the home directory owner is a member.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-244532 | RHEL-08-010741 | SV-244532r1101906_rule | CCI-000366 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| If a local interactive user's files are group-owned by a group of which the user is not a member, unintended users may be able to access them. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2025-05-14 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-244532r1101906_chk)
Verify all files and directories in a local interactive user home directory are group-owned by a group that the user is a member.
Check the group owner of all files and directories in a local interactive user's home directory with the following command:
Note: The example will be for the user "smithj", who has a home directory of "/home/smithj".
$ sudo ls -lLR /<home directory>/<users home directory>/
-rw-r--r-- 1 smithj smithj 18 Mar 5 17:06 file1
-rw-r--r-- 1 smithj smithj 193 Mar 5 17:06 file2
-rw-r--r-- 1 smithj sa 231 Mar 5 17:06 file3
If any files are found with a group owner different from the home directory user private group, check to see if the user is a member of that group with the following command:
$ sudo grep smithj /etc/group
sa:x:100:juan,shelley,bob,smithj
smithj:x:521:smithj
If any files or directories are group owned by a group that the directory owner is not a member of verify that it is documented with the information system security officer (ISSO). If it is not, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-47764r743844_fix)
Change the group of a local interactive user's files and directories to a group that the interactive user is a member. To change the group owner of a local interactive user's files and directories, use the following command:
Note: The example will be for the user smithj, who has a home directory of "/home/smithj" and is a member of the users group.
$ sudo chgrp smithj /home/smithj/<file or directory>