# Ensure permissions on /etc/group are configured

Necessity: The '/etc/group' file contains critical information about the user groups on the system. It maps group names to Group IDs (GIDs) and lists group memberships. Improper permissions could allow an unauthorized user to modify this file, potentially adding themselves to privileged groups like 'root' or 'wheel', leading to a full system compromise. Conversely, overly restrictive permissions could cause system instability or prevent legitimate applications from functioning correctly. Ensuring the file is not world-writable is crucial to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation.

Auditing and Remediation: The audit script verifies the current access permissions of the '/etc/group' file, returning them in standard octal format. The remediation script uses the 'chmod' command to reset the file's permissions to a secure state, accepting the desired octal value as an argument.

Recommended State Rationale: The recommended state for Basic, Moderate, and Strict levels is '644'. This configuration is a widely accepted security standard (promoted by CIS Benchmarks) that balances security with system functionality. The '644' permission set translates to: Owner (root) has read and write permissions, Group (root) has read-only permission, and Others have read-only permission. This allows system processes and users to read group information, which is essential for many operations, while strictly limiting modification rights to the root user, thereby protecting the integrity of group configurations.

## Recommended State Configuration

| Security Level | Value |
|----------------|-------|
| **Basic** | `['644']` |
| **Moderate** | `['644']` |
| **Strict** | `['644']` |
| **Type** | `ENUM` |

## Audit Script Working

shell script that uses the 'stat' command to retrieve the octal permissions of the '/etc/group' file. The script must output only the numerical permission value (e.g., '644') and nothing else.

## Remediation Script Working

shell script that takes a single positional argument, which is the desired octal permission string (e.g., '644'). The script should use the 'chmod' command to apply these permissions to the '/etc/group' file. It must return 'true' if the operation is successful and 'false' if it fails.

