# Ensure permissions on /etc/cron.d are configured

The `/etc/cron.d` directory is used to store system-wide cron job definitions that are executed by the cron daemon with root privileges. Incorrect permissions on this directory represent a severe security risk. If an unprivileged user can write to this directory, they can create or modify a cron job to execute arbitrary code as the root user, leading to a complete system compromise through privilege escalation. Restricting access is therefore critical to maintaining system integrity. The audit script checks the current permissions and ownership of the `/etc/cron.d` directory using the 'stat' command. The remediation script uses 'chmod' and 'chown' to enforce the correct permissions and ownership. The recommended state for all hardening levels (Basic, Moderate, and Strict) is '700' permissions with 'root:root' ownership. This configuration is based on established security benchmarks like CIS. The '700' (rwx------) permission set ensures that only the root user can read, write, and list the contents of the directory, effectively preventing any unauthorized access or modification. There is no more restrictive state that preserves functionality, making this a binary and essential security control.

## Recommended State Configuration

| Security Level | Value |
|----------------|-------|
| **Basic** | `['700 root root']` |
| **Moderate** | `['700 root root']` |
| **Strict** | `['700 root root']` |
| **Type** | `ENUM` |

## Audit Script Working

Bash script that audits the permissions and ownership of the `/etc/cron.d` directory. The script must output the permissions in octal format, followed by the user owner and group owner, separated by spaces (e.g., '700 root root'), and must not return any other text or formatting.

## Remediation Script Working

Bash script that takes a single positional argument representing the desired octal permissions for the `/etc/cron.d` directory (e.g., '700'). The script must use the `chmod` command to set the provided permissions and the `chown` command to set the ownership to 'root:root'. The script must return 'true' on success and 'false' on failure.

