The /etc/passwd file contains user account information that is used by many system utilities and therefore must be readable for these utilities to operate.
Rationale:
It is critical to ensure that the /etc/passwd file is protected from unauthorized write access. Although it is protected by default, the file permissions could be changed either inadvertently or through malicious actions.
[perm_644]
If the permissions of the /etc/passwd file are incorrect, run the following command to correct them:
# /bin/chmod 644 /etc/passwd
oval:org.secpod.oval:def:51253
SCAP Repo OVAL Definition
2019-04-16