This check verifies that the key web server system configuration files are owned by the SA or Web Manager controlled account. These same files which control the configuration of the web server, and thus its behavior, must also be accessible by the account which runs the web service. If these files are altered by a malicious user, the web server would no longer be under the control of its managers and owners; properties in the web server configuration could be altered to compromise the entire server platform.

[root,apache]

The site needs to ensure that the owner should be the non-privileged web server account or equivalent which runs the web service; however, the group permissions represent those of the user accessing the web site that must execute the directives in .htacces.