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The root account must not have world-writable directories in its executable search path.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-777 GEN000960 SV-37372r1_rule ECCD-2 ECCD-1 Medium
Description
If the root search path contains a world-writable directory, malicious software could be placed in the path by intruders and/or malicious users and inadvertently run by root with all of root's privileges.
STIG Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2015-09-03

Details

Check Text ( None )
None
Fix Text (F-31304r1_fix)
For each world-writable path in root's executable search path, do one of the following:

1. Remove the world-writable permission on the directory.
Procedure:
# chmod o-w

2. Remove the world-writable directory from the executable search path.
Procedure:
Identify and edit the initialization file referencing the world-writable directory and remove it from the PATH variable.