Stop root from writing to directory


 
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# 1  
Old 11-20-2019
Stop root from writing to directory

Is there a way to stop root from writing to a directory? I already tried chattr but that did not seem to work.

Code:
chattr +i directory


Last edited by Scrutinizer; 11-20-2019 at 01:09 PM.. Reason: code tags please
# 2  
Old 11-20-2019
Please do not ask such questions without providing your OS details.
# 3  
Old 11-20-2019
Fedora. Sorry.
# 4  
Old 11-20-2019
This seem to be working OK for me:

Code:
# cat /etc/fedora-release 
Fedora release 31 (Thirty One)
# mkdir nowrite
# chattr +i nowrite
# cd nowrite
# echo > test
bash: test: Operation not permitted
# cd ..
# rmdir nowrite
rmdir: failed to remove 'nowrite': Operation not permitted
# chattr -i nowrite
# rmdir nowrite

This User Gave Thanks to Chubler_XL For This Post:
# 5  
Old 11-20-2019
Note to Original Poster:

You do realize, of course, that when root runs chattr to prohibit writing to a directory, root can also run chattr to permit the same.

So, this method does not stop malicious activity from a user with root privs because root can recursively reverse this using the same chattr command.

You could restrict using chattr and then remove chattr from the system, but that is also not a 'perfect' solution.

The more important question to the original poster is "what are you actually trying to accomplish, why are you doing this and what is the risk profile of the system in question?".

See this post and others like it: Alternative for chattr
# 6  
Old 11-21-2019
On a similar topic....

On some servers I manage, I have configured PAM to enable Google Authenticator for certain commands.

For example, on some servers, I have configured PAM to require Google Authenticator for sudo.

So, depending on your risk management profile, you could configure PAM to require Google Authenticator for chattr (or any other command you want to add 2FA) ; and only have one admin with their GA set up (and keep that mobile phone, for example, locked away in safe if you need added security).

Anyway, not to belabor this point; but you can use PAM and GA to add 2FA to just about any command you wish. I use it for sudo, sshd, and others and it works well. When set up this way, even root needs 2FA for access.

Again, depending on your risk management profile, that may be "enough", or it may not be "enough".
This User Gave Thanks to Neo For This Post:
# 7  
Old 11-21-2019
Bottom line is you can't prevent root from either doing something on a system or at least acquire the means to do it (as with chattr and similar mechanisms) and do it then. This is necessary because without this amount of freedom root would not be able to function as the systems ultimate administration account.


The usual remedy if you want some file(-space) to be protected from roots tampering is to put it off the server: create an NFS share on some remote server, mount it where you want to be protected from roots access and adjust the rights accordingly. This is the common way of i.e. protecting logs from possible tampering.
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