6.2.8 Ensure no duplicate GIDs exist

Information

Although the groupadd program will not let you create a duplicate Group ID (GID), it is possible for an administrator to manually edit the /etc/group file and change the GID field.

Note: You can also use the grpck command to check for other inconsistencies in the /etc/group file.

Rationale:

User groups must be assigned unique GIDs for accountability and to ensure appropriate access protections.

Solution

Based on the results of the audit script, establish unique GIDs and review all files owned by the shared GID to determine which group they are supposed to belong to.

Additional Information:

You can also use the grpck command to check for other inconsistencies in the /etc/group file.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/3636