Ensure no users have .netrc files

Information

The .netrc file contains data for logging into a remote host for file transfers via FTP. The .netrc file presents a significant security risk since it stores passwords in unencrypted form. Even if FTP is disabled, user accounts may have brought over .netrc files from other systems which could pose a risk to those systems.

Solution

Making global modifications to users' files without alerting the user community can result in unexpected outages and unhappy users. Therefore, it is recommended that a monitoring policy be established to report user .netrc files and determine the action to be taken in accordance with site policy.

See Also

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/623/configuration/guide/fpmc-config-guide-v623.html