← Rules Catalog
mediumsystemverified rollback-safe

Configure default umask for user accounts

default-umask · RHEL ≥ 8, UBUNTU ≥ 22 · 1 impl

Description

The default umask for all users must be configured to 077 to prevent newly created files and directories from being accessible by other users by default.

Rationale

A weak umask allows users to create world-readable or group-readable files, potentially exposing sensitive information. Setting umask to 077 ensures new files have the most restrictive permissions by default.

Check → Remediate

Checkconfig_value
delimiter:
path:
/etc/login.defs
key:
UMASK
expected:
{{ login_defs_umask }}
Remediateconfig_set
path:
/etc/login.defs
key:
UMASK
value:
{{ login_defs_umask }}
separator:

Framework references

STIG

V-281082 / RHEL-10-400325V-230385V-270716 / UBTU-24-300030V-260555 / UBTU-22-412035V-258074 / RHEL-09-412065

NIST 800-53

AC-3CM-6

Live verification

rhel8:checkrhel9:checkubuntu22:checkubuntu24:checkubuntu26:check
#umask#permissions#security