SV-37553r3: Device files and directories must only be writable by users with a system account or as configured by the vendor. | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Loading benchmark…

Assessment Title

Rule Text

Device files and directories must only be writable by users with a system account or as configured by the vendor.

Description

Discussion Text

System device files in writable directories could be modified, removed, or used by an unprivileged user to control system hardware.

How this relates to the STIG checklist: STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Not mappedCCI-000225

Additional Details

Responsibility

System Administrator

References

DPMS Target Red Hat 5 DISA DPMS Target Red Hat 5 2154

SCC Automation Reference

The reconstructed evaluation script behind this rule's OVAL check(s) — every module a compound check combines, with this rule's own concrete values and DISA's SCC tool's real per-module mechanism curated from static teardown of SCC releases.

Assessment Script Powered by AISandbox-executed

A standalone Shell script to assess this control automatically. Review before running it in your environment.

Syntax-checked and actually executed in an isolated sandbox (not the real system this checks) — confirmed to run without errors.

#!/bin/sh
# OVAL Definition: oval:mil.disa.fso.rhel11:def:157
check_device_files() {
    for path in /dev/*; do
        if [ -c "$path" ] && [ ! -w $(stat -c "%u" "$path") ] && [ ! -w $(stat -c "%g" "$path") ]; then continue; fi
        echo "FAIL"
        exit 1
    done
    echo "PASS"
    exit 0
}
check_device_files

Remediation

Remove the world-writable permission from the device file(s).

Procedure:
# chmod o-w <device file>

Document all changes.