---
title: About the etc_group Resource
---

# etc_group

Use the `etc_group` InSpec audit resource to test groups that are defined on Linux and Unix platforms. The `/etc/group` file stores details about each group: group name, password, group identifier, along with a comma-separate list of users that belong to the group.

<br>

## Syntax

A `etc_group` resource block declares a collection of properties to be tested:

    describe etc_group('path') do
      its('property') { should eq 'some_value' }
    end

or:

    describe etc_group.where(item: 'value', item: 'value') do
      its('gids') { should_not contain_duplicates }
      its('groups') { should include 'user_name' }
      its('users') { should include 'user_name' }
    end

where

* `('path')` is the non-default path to the `inetd.conf` file
* `.where()` filters for a specific item and value, to which the parameter are compared
* `.where` filter may be one or more of:
    * `name: 'name'`, `group_name: 'group_name'`, `password: 'password'`, `gid: 'gid'`, `group_id: 'gid'`, `users: 'user_name'`, `members: 'member_name'`
<br>

## Supported Resource parameters

* `'gids'`, `'groups'`, and `'users'` are valid resource parameters for this resource.

<br>

## Resource Parameter Examples

The following examples show how to use this InSpec audit resource.

### Test group identifiers (GIDs) for duplicates

    describe etc_group do
      its('gids') { should_not contain_duplicates }
    end

### Test all groups to see if a specific user belongs to one (or more) groups

    describe etc_group do
      its('groups') { should include 'my_group' }
    end

### Test all groups for a specific user name

    describe etc_group do
      its('users') { should include 'my_user' }
    end

### Filter a list of groups for a specific user

    describe etc_group.where(name: 'my_group') do
      its('users') { should include 'my_user' }
    end

<br>

## Matchers

For a full list of available matchers please visit our [matchers page](https://www.inspec.io/docs/reference/matchers/).