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grpck

The grpck command verifies the correctness of the group definitions in the user database files by checking the definitions for ALL the groups or for the groups specified by the Group parameter. If more than one group is specified, there must be a space between the groups.

grpck { -n | -p | -t | -y } { ALL | Group ... }

Note: This command writes its messages to stderr.

You must select a flag to indicate whether the system should try to fix erroneous attributes. The following attributes are checked:

• Checks the uniqueness and composition of the group name. The group name must be a unique string of eight bytes or less. It cannot begin with a + (plus sign), a : (colon), a - (minus sign), or a ~ (tilde). It cannot contain a colon (:) in the string and cannot be the ALL or default keywords. No system fix is possible.
• groupID. Checks the uniqueness and composition of the group ID. The ID must not be null and must consist of decimal digits only. No system fix is possible.
• users. Checks the existence of the users listed in the group database files. If you indicate that the system should fix errors, it will delete all the users that are not found in the user database files.
• adms. Checks the existence of the users listed as group administrators in the group database files. If you indicate that the system should fix errors, it will delete all the administrators that are not found in the user database files.
• admin. Checks for a valid admin attribute for each group in the /etc/security/group file. No system fix is available.

Generally, the sysck command calls the grpck command as part of the verification of a trusted-system installation. In addition, the root user or a member of the security group can enter the command.

The grpck command checks to see if the database management security files (/etc/passwd.nm.idx, /etc/passwd.id.idx, /etc/security/passwd.idx, and /etc/security/lastlog.idx) files are up-to-date or newer than the corresponding system security files. Please note, it is alright for the /etc/security/lastlog.idx to be not newer than /etc/security/lastlog. If the database management security files are out-of-date, a warning message appears indicating that the root user should run the mkpasswd command.

Flags

Security

Access Control: This command should grant execute (x) access to the root user and members of the security group. The command should be setuid to the root user and have the trusted computing base attribute.

Files Accessed:

Auditing Events:

Examples

1. To verify that all the group members and administrators exist in the user database, and have any errors reported (but not fixed), enter:
   grpck  -n ALL
    
2. To verify that all the group members and administrators exist in the user database and to have errors fixed, but not reported, enter:
   grpck  -p ALL  
    
3. To verify the uniqueness of the group name and group ID defined for the install group, enter:
   grpck  -n install
    

   OR

   grpck  -t install
    

   OR

   grpck  -y install
    

   The grpck command does not correct the group names and IDs. Therefore, the -n, -t and -y flags report problems with group names and group IDs, but do not correct them.

Files

Related Information

The pwdck command, sysck command, usrck command.

For more information about the identification and authentication of users, discretionary access control, the trusted computing base, and auditing, refer to Standalone System Security in AIX 5L Version 5.3 Security Guide.

System V grpck command

Syntax

/usr/sysv/bin/grpck

Description

The /usr/sysv/bin/grpck command verifies the correctness of the group definitions in the user database files by checking the definitions for ALL the groups.This /usr/sysv/bin/grpck command is a System V version of the existing grpck command in /usr/sbin/.This command calls the /usr/sbin/grpck command with -n and ALL options.

Exit Status

0

Successful completion.

>0

An error occurred.

Examples

1. To verify that all the group members and administrators exist in the user database, and have any errors reported (but not fixed), enter:

   /usr/sysv/bin/grpck

Files

/usr/sysv/bin/grpck

Contains the System V version of the grpck command.

Related Information

The /usr/sbin/grpck command.