A simple script to scan user cron jobs

Are you experiencing issues with unauthorized usage of your cron jobs and struggling to identify the responsible user? Don’t worry, I have a straightforward solution for you. I’ve developed a script that scans through your users’ cron jobs and sends you a detailed report via email. However, please note that this method requires root access. Let’s get started with the process:

  • Login to your server via SSH
  • Type:
    cd /root
  • Create a new file named “scanCron.sh” using the text editor “pico”:
    pico scanCron.sh
    If “pico” is not available, you can use “nano” instead:
    nano scanCron.sh
  • Copy and paste the following code into the file:
    #!/bin/sh
    emailAddress=$1
    if [ -n "$emailAddress" ] ; then
    mycrontmp=/root/scanCron.tmp.$$
    for i in `cat /etc/passwd | cut -f1 -d ':' | grep -v '#'`; do
    echo "--------------------------------------------------"
    echo "Username: ${i}"
    echo "--------------------------------------------------"
    crontab -u ${i} -l 2>&1
    echo "--------------------------------------------------"
    done > $mycrontmp
    cat $mycrontmp | mail -s "Cron jobs report for `hostname`" ${emailAddress}
    rm -f $mycrontmp
    else
    echo "Please supply a valid email address."
    exit
    fi
  • Save the file by pressing “Ctrl” + “O” in the text editor.
  • Grant execution permissions to the script by typing:
    chmod +x scanCron.sh
  • To run it, just type:
    ./scanCron.sh [email protected]
    Replace “e[email protected]” with your preferred email address.

If you wish to automate this process, you can add it to a cron job by following these steps:

  • [*] Type:
    crontab -e
  • [*] Insert the following after the last line:
    10 1 * * * /root/scanCron.sh [email protected]
    This will run everyday at 1:10am.

This can be applied to cPanel server.

Good luck!

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About sepedatua
I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.

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