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The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that the root account must be the only account having unrestricted access to the system.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-204462 RHEL-07-020310 SV-204462r603261_rule High
Description
If an account other than root also has a User Identifier (UID) of "0", it has root authority, giving that account unrestricted access to the entire operating system. Multiple accounts with a UID of "0" afford an opportunity for potential intruders to guess a password for a privileged account.
STIG Date
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2021-03-01

Details

Check Text ( C-4586r88578_chk )
Check the system for duplicate UID "0" assignments with the following command:

# awk -F: '$3 == 0 {print $1}' /etc/passwd

If any accounts other than root have a UID of "0", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-4586r88579_fix)
Change the UID of any account on the system, other than root, that has a UID of "0".

If the account is associated with system commands or applications, the UID should be changed to one greater than "0" but less than "1000". Otherwise, assign a UID of greater than "1000" that has not already been assigned.