---
title: "HOST-FS-014 World-Writable Files Outside Temporary Directories"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-FS-014.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-FS-014.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# HOST-FS-014 World-Writable Files Outside Temporary Directories

Looks for files that any user can modify in program, service and home locations other than /etc (which HOST-FS-003 covers).

- Domain: Server
- Severity: Medium
- Control category: Access Control
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 3.3
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.AA-05, PR.DS-01
- CWE: CWE-732
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: AC-3, AC-6, CM-6
- Benchmark topic: No world-writable files (CIS Controls v8 3.3) (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

A world-writable script, binary or data file lets any local account, including a compromised web application, change what other users and services run or read.

## How It Detects

Walks /usr/local, /opt, /srv, /var/www, /home, /root, /usr/bin and /usr/sbin (metadata only, up to 20000 files per tree, symlinks not followed) and lists regular files with the 'other write' bit set.

## How to Fix

For each listed file: chmod o-w <path>. Then find the deployment step or chmod 777 habit that created it.

## How to Verify

```
find /usr/local /opt /srv /var/www /home /usr/bin /usr/sbin -xdev -type f -perm -0002  should print nothing.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P1 Linux Server Hardening](https://openvapt.com/academy/p1.md)
- [P17 Kernel, Filesystem and Boot Hardening](https://openvapt.com/academy/p17.md)

## References

- [NIST SP 800-123, Guide to General Server Security](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/123/final)
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, Security and Privacy Controls](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/host/files_mounts.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-FS-014`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-FS-014`.

---

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